Advent Calendar

Happy December to you all.

Every year, like many people, we have an advent calendar for our kids. They’re a sweet way to count down the days until Christmas as a family. I’ve tried all kinds… little trinkets, pieces of candy, Christmas activities, and little paper doors with quotes or pictures behind them. But this one is a little different and it’s definitely my favorite so far… it’s half fun Christmas activities and half acts of service. I want my kids to see that the best parts of this season are giving and being together as a family. It’s so easy, especially as a child, to get caught up in receiving. Everyone loves to give gifts to the children in their lives, which is wonderful, but it makes sense that they would start to think that that’s what it’s all about. But it’s really so much more.

Even over the past few years, when there were weeks I wondered how we would make it to our next paycheck, we’ve still had so much more than many (even most?) people do. So I want to make sure we give to those in need and those that serve us daily but are oft forgotten. If you’re interested, I’ve listed them all below–

Our Advent Calendar 2017

1. Write a letter to Santa
2. Pack a care package for a deployed soldier
3. Decorate gingerbread houses
4. Donate clothes to a local shelter
5. Make paper snowflakes
6. Read a Christmas story at bedtime
7. Take pet food to a local shelter
8. Leave a treat in the mailbox for your mail carrier
9. Donate food to a local shelter
10. Pick up litter in your neighborhood
11. Bake Christmas cookies and share them with a neighbor
12. Leave change in a vending machine
13. Drink cocoa and watch a Christmas movie
14. Write a thank you note to someone who helps you
15. Go on a candy cane hunt
16. Take treats to the local fire station
17. Bake Christmas cookies and share them with a neighbor
18. Make a pine cone bird feeder
19. Pick some toys to donate to charity
20. Visit Santa
21. Drive around and see the Christmas lights
22. Take treats to the local police station
23. Drink cider and watch a Christmas movie
24. Open a special present (we do PJs every year)

As always, thanks for reading along!

Xo,

Emily