Advent Activities

The kiddos are very interested in the concept of "how many days until _____." And so counting down to Christmas is going to be a big part of our family celebration this year. Starting tomorrow. Besides advent calendars, I'm inspired to have an "Advent Activity Basket" containing 24 sheets of paper, with a different activity written on it, which I read about in Mothering. Each day, we'll select an activity for that day (I might "stack the deck" by not placing all the activities in at once, so I can control some of the timing. And have the right materials on hand).

My 24 include:

1. Make a holiday wreath with greenery from yard.
2. Make holiday cards for recovering soldiers.
3. Decorate our chalkboard with holiday pictures.
4. Make paper snowflakes for our patio door.
5. Make salt dough ornaments.
6. Make Christmas cards for family and friends.
7. Go caroling by telephone by calling family members and singing to them.
8. Donate canned goods to the local food pantry.
9. Make scarves out of fleece and donate them to local shelter.
10. Play holiday songs on the piano and have a sing-along.
11. Make gingerbread cookies and decorate.
12. Walk around the neighborhood at dusk and look at decorations.
13. Look at pictures of past holidays.
14. Have dinner by candlelight.
15. Have a holiday book read-a-thon.
16. Watch Emmett Otter's Jug-Band Christmas or other seasonal video.
17. Learn about another winter holiday.
18. Make paper chains and paper cones to decorate house.
19. Make a holiday treat for animals (either our cats, birds and squirrels, or shelter animals).
20. Print covers of thank-you notes.
21. Learn about how other cultures celebrate Christmas.
22. Write a letter to Santa Claus.
23. Play "Christmas morning" and practice how to thank someone for a gift.
24. Read the Christmas story in the Bible and talk about how every child is special.

If you have any favorite holiday activities, please comment!