This weeks Homemade Monday edition features ideas for advent calendars and other creative Christmas countdowns activities. The following are some great ideas that advocate learning through play, promote family bonding and teach the meaning of Christmas. One of my favorite holiday traditions is opening a door to our advent calendar each day leading up to Christmas. We have a reusable wooden advent calendar that is shaped like a Christmas tree with 24 doors.  Hidden behind each door is usually holiday scripture, activities or ornaments for our felt Christmas tree.

One of my favorite things to pull out of the advent calendar are slips of paper with an activity on it. These activities can be done at home or out in the community. This article will focus on some ideas for you to add to your list or advent calendar that promote community service, spread Christmas joy or get you into the holiday spirit.  Browse through the list and choose the ones that work best for your family!

 

ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE SERVING OTHERS

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  • Shop for a toy or gift that can be donated to a local organization like Toys for Tots.
  • Write a letter to a family friend or some troops stationed overseas.
  • Visit an elderly home and hand deliver candy canes, homemade cookies or cards.
  • Put together a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child.
  • Stop at a store just to make a donation to a bell-ringer such as Salvation Army.
  • Deliver a stuffed animal or small toy to a child at the hospital.
  • Serve a meal together as a family at a local soup kitchen.
  • Clean out your room and donate a few old yet good toys to a local charity.
  • Go through the cupboards or take a trip to the grocery store for canned goods to donate to a local food pantry.
  • Bake cookies or make homemade Christmas card and take your kids favorite places  library, gym, school etc.
  • Pay it forward, treat another family or person behind you in line at a fast food restaurant and leave a holiday note.
  • Do something kind and thoughtful for others. For an example, you could take the trash to the curb for a neighbor. You could even where Santa or Elf hats while out on the job.

FAITH-BASED ACTIVITIES

FAITH BASED

  • Visit a living nativity scene.
  • Read the Christmas story from the Bible.
  • Set up a Nativity Set a little each day, bringing a different character to the scene each night.
  • Write a letter to Jesus, thanking him for the gifts you received throughout the year.
  • Go to a church Christmas play.
  • Make paper crowns and talk about the wise men and the gifts they brought Jesus.
  • Have your family act out the Christmas story.
  • Attend a candlelight church service.
  • For more great ideas visit The Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent experience for little hands.

CRAFTING, CREATING & COOKING

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  • Put up your Christmas tree and decorate.
  • Make a paper garland to hang on the tree, over a door, or in the kid’s bedroom.
  • Make paper snowflakes to hang from the kids’ bedroom ceiling.
  • String popcorn garland for the tree.
  • Make salt dough ornaments for the tree.
  • Decorate a wreath together.
  • Make glitter snow globes out of baby food jars. (Secure the lids with a hot glue gun!)
  • Make thumb print Santa or Snowmen.
  • Make homemade play-dough
  • Hang mistletoe and give out kisses.
  • Decorate the windows with spray snow or little sticker decorations.
  • Make and mail a Christmas card to a family member or friend who lives in another state or country.
  • Write letters to Santa.
  • Make Christmas video to send to friends or post on Facebook for Christmas day wishing Happy Holidays or singing favorite Christmas song.
  • Make center pieces and name tags for the dinner table.
  • Make a felt Christmas tree little ones can decorate and play with.
  • Bake Christmas cookies.
  • Make Snowman’s Soup (aka hot chocolate.)
  • Make an edible Christmas trees out of upside-down ice cream cones, green frosting, and sprinkles.
  • Make a gingerbread house.
  • Eat “reindeer droppings” (donut holes) for breakfast.
  • Make a birthday cake for Jesus, singing happy birthday and blow out the candles.
  • Invite friends over for a cookie decorating party or cookie exchange.
  • Make friendship bread and deliver to friends.
  • Roast marshmallows around a campfire.

 

OUTINGS TO GET YOU IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT

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  • Visit a tree farm and cut or pick put a Christmas tree.
  • Visit a few friends, family or neighbors to Christmas carol.
  • Listen to holiday tunes while driving around town to look at the Christmas lights.
  • Visit a local holiday lights display: Annemarie Gardens, Watkins Park, Flat Iron Farm.)
  • Visit the mall to take photos with Santa.
  • Go see a Christmas show (nutcracker, Christmas Scooner, Twas the Night Before Christmas, Choral Arts Society Christmas Show.)
  • Go to a tree-lighting ceremony.
  • Check out a Christmas themed book from the library.
  • Visit grandma’s house to deliver a homemade gift.
  • Visit Washington DC to see our Capitals class Christmas displays at Union Station, Zoo Lights, Botanical Gardens, etc.
  • Plan a special family getaway for the winter break.
  • Climb aboard a holiday train ride.

FESTIVE FUN AT HOME

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  • Have a holiday movie marathon. Maybe even have a slumber party under the tree.
  • Turn on your favorite holiday music and have a dance party right in your living room.
  • Unwrap and read a new Christmas book.
  • Have a family story night and read all your Christmas storybook while enjoying a plate of cookies and milk.
  • Take a family photo in front of the Christmas tree.
  • Read The Night Before Christmas before going to bed Christmas Eve Night.
  • Have an ugly sweater party.
  • Read Elf on the Shelf or Angel on the Shelf (and let the fun begin!)
  • Host a holiday scavenger hunt.
  • Call a friend or family member on the phone and sing them a Christmas Carol.
  • Make a christmas bath with bubbles, red and green glow sticks and even holiday essential oils (peppermint or vanilla.)
  • Have a holiday themed tea party.
  • Play some holiday minute to win it games.
  • Build a snowman together, weather permitting.
  • Have an indoor snowball fight (just ball up white socks and let the snow balls fly.)

DSC_0356.JPGBest wishes for a festive and meaningful Christmas!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” 

(Romas 15:13)