Not the Advent of Advent

While Advent starts tomorrow--which always means our Advent sock calendar--I'm hardly ready, coming as it does so quickly upon Thanksgiving.  This year, I'll consult with the kids about some possible activities and also this list of giving ideas from 100 Days of Real Food.

But that's not to say we're not in the holiday spirit already.  Today, Mama and the kiddos set up our annual Lego winter village, along with this year's piece, the carousel.  It's a lovely little village and they were so excited to put it up.

Of course, we were also listening to Christmas carols while they did it.

Advent Activities: It's Advent Again

It's Advent again and I've been adjusting our list of activities to fit past favorites, changing preferences, and new ideas.  Here's the new list (and 2009, 2010, and 2011), in no particular order, which we'll be pulling everyday from the string of holiday socks soon to decorate our mantle, starting tomorrow:

1. Make gingerbread houses
2. Bake sugar cookies
3. Make teacher gifts/cards
4. Deliver treats to doctor/vet/etc
5. Do "Would you rather?" checklist
6. Play Christmas bingo
7. Buy and affix holiday stocking pin
8. Gifts for others (via church)/Toys for Tots
9. Donate savings jar to an organization
10. Make natural wreath
11. Write letters to Santa
12. Have friends over for cookie decorating party after school
13. Make latkes for Hanukkah
14. Stay-up-late Solstice party/camp out under tree (12/21/12)
15. Snowflake tortillas
16. Make "my favorite things" ornament
17. Make bird feeders
18. Have a fondue party
19. Field Trip:  NYC or OSV
20. Make origami ornaments
21. Go caroling to relatives via phone
22. Decorate windows/chalkboard
23. Make snowman fridge
24. Make jar snow globes

If there is snow, substitute snow sledding, snow ice cream, snowball fight, etc.

(For other lists, see here, here, here.)