This time of year can be both exciting and overwhelming! As we prepare for Christmas our to-do lists can become long and time spent actually slowing down to enjoy the season can be short.
Creating a Family Advent Calendar can help you and your family embrace what this season is all about – family, love, joy and Jesus!
Here’s some inspiration and ideas on how to start your own Family Advent Calendar this month:
Gather Your Materials
Advent calendars can be created with simple materials: all you need is paper, numbers and string, clips or magnets to display them! There are endless ideas on Pinterest to inspire.
This project called for a 24 cup mini muffin pan to hold little our hand written notes, and we placed magnets on the back of the numbers so they stay in place and can be used year after year! You can pick up a roll of magnets at your local dollar store!
Consider heading over to your local craft store or Dollarama and pick up some festive paper. I picked up this Martha Stewart paper bundle at Michaels, it can add some extra cheer to your project! I used a punch I already had to create cute little squares to write on, and they are the perfect size to fit in each cup in the pan.
Create & Assemble
A few years ago, I made my advent calendar numbers at a Stampin’ Up Christmas workshop. If you are crafty or have a friend who is, consider getting a group of friends together to make the creating even more fun!
Get Inspired!
What memories do you have as a child that you want to carry on with your family? Spend some time writing a list of all of your favourite memories.
Our city prides itself in being a winter city so there are lots of festivals and free events to take in! I picked up a copy of our “Winter Excitement Guide” at my school but you can also check out the program online here.
Take a moment to think about all of the things you think your kids would enjoy that are simple and festive for the season – and that would provide an opportunity for your family to bond and have fun! As promised, here’s our family’s list this year:
Our Family Advent List:
- Watch “White Christmas”
- Bake gingerbread cookies and decorate them
- Go see Santa
- Make Christmas cards for family, friends and neighbours
- Go sledding
- Go skating
- Buy a toy and then drop it off at Tower of Toys at WEM
- Play a board game
- Head to Leduc Country Lights and bring some items for the food bank
- Go for a walk and look at the lights, then warm up with hot chocolate
- Watch “The Polar Express”
- Bake shortbread cookies and decorate
- Walk down 124 St, make a stop at Duchess Bake Shop and look at the lights
- Check out the Christmas pyramid at the Muttart Conservatory
- Build and decorate a gingerbread house
- Watch “Frozen”
- Check out a nativity play in the city
- Have a picnic dinner by the Christmas tree
- Build a snowman and then read the book, “Snowmen at Night“
- Go see “The Star” at our local movie theatre
- Check out the Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree
- Head to Fort Edmonton Park for Christmas Reflections
- Head to the zoo for “Festival of Light“
- Wear new Christmas dresses and go to the Christmas Eve Service
Schedule in Your Events
Grab your planner and figure out what days work best for the adventures you have chosen! Buy tickets if necessary and buy any materials you need ahead of time to complete each task! Then, write your daily adventures into your planner or add them to the calendar in your phone.
Now, write each adventure on a piece of paper and place them with the correct date on your advent calendar and you are all set!
Our girls were so excited to get started this morning! Ava ran into our bedroom and announced “It’s Advent Calendar Day!” and told us we needed to get downstairs ASAP!
There are so many more activities you could add to the list. You could also incorporate inspiring quotes, scripture, and acts of service in your community.
Do you have a family advent calendar in your home over the Christmas season? What are some of your favourite ideas? I’d love to hear and get inspired!
These are all such wonderful ideas! So much to do in this busy season. I have to remind myself that it’s ok if we don’t do EVERYTHING or to not get down on myself if we don’t do something on someone ELSE’s list (isn’t that silly, but sometimes I really do think “awe, we should have done that”). I guess the important part is sitting down with your OWN family and choosing what’s important to all of you. And not to feel pressure to do what everyone else is doing. I love the homemade advent calendar and the link to putting all the ideas down in your schedule ahead of time. Then you can see the month coming up and figure out if there’s enough balance with everything going on for your family during the busy Christmas season. Love your blog! Always do 😘.
Thank you, Nicole! Yes, you got it right when you said it’s about sitting down to figure out what YOUR family needs in this season! It’s not about checking off a to do list but rather carrying on important experiences and memories (or creating new ones!) that are both meaningful and simple. Always love hearing your perspective!
Making family memories- so special ❤️
Thank you! Yes, it really is so special for the whole family!
Awesome Sarah! Made with thoughtfulness and love. Great ideas, all ways to be together and enjoy time together. I have done a similar thing two years in a row now where I’ve made cards for the kids to open with a special message inside and a little craft item ie. sticker, pencil/pens. A message of love for someone or themselves, an kind act, a special prayer for someone and a little gift for them. It’s amazing what they “get” from giving acts and kindness. It’s so exciting for them to see what’s next and count down to the special day to come.
Enjoy your time together doing all of these fun things. Looks like it will be an amazing few weeks for you guys xxx
I love this, Cathryn! “A message of love, a kind act, a special prayer” are all such meaningful ideas. Thank you for sharing!
Incredible data