I've always loved Advent calendars, since I was a little girl and my mom had made one out of a Friend magazine do-it-yourself model. We reused that thing several years in a row. I can't remember now what was on each day; if there was a scripture we read, or just the numbers that we took off or put on, or what, but something about that little countdown to Christmas always stuck with me.
Ever since, I've always wanted one. I've seen the cutesie expensive ones in the stores, the elaborate home-made ones with ornaments or tiny tiny pieces made of felt, and others, and none of them really seemed perfect for my budget or my talent. A year or two ago, my inlaws gave me a really cute Santa Claus one and we just move a little ornament from day to day along the numbers. It's cute, really--however since we haven't decorated for Christmas yet (since my hubby works 12 hour shifts and the kids are asleep when he gets home) that model will stay in its box until at least the weekend.
But this year, my crazy visiting teacher made around half a dozen of these adorable paper stocking activity advent calendars. Basically, on the back of each stocking, there is written a Christmas appropriate activity (taken from a list of 4 dozen or so suggestions she'd typed up) that we are to do each night between now and Christmas. I picked out certain ones that would need to be particularly placed on certain days due to one reason or another (for example, the trip to see the temple lights is planned for Sunday night, the trip to see Santa will happen during the ward activity on the 20th, etc), but other than that, they are just randomly placed.
The kids are getting a great kick out of selecting each day's stocking and then doing what is on it. For example, last night, it was Write Letters To Santa. Done. Tonight's was, have a family night and play a board game, charades, or make a puzzle together. So tonight, we played Disney Scene It. Most fun. 
I'm hoping the kids will continue to enjoy doing things together as we count down the days to the most magical day of the year. And thanks to Courtney for all the time and her creative gift. We love it. =)
Don't forget to comment on any post during the next week to earn entries towards my 50,000 visitors blog candy!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
activity advent calendar
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19 comments:
That is so cute. I have been looking for something to do with all my kidos to count down until christmas since the candy thing wouldnt work cause we would have to have 4. So if you don' t mind I think I am gonna steal this Idea and use it for my kids and it will also help us to have more family time. Thanks for all the good ideas. : )
That is sooo super cute!
What a great idea. I like the idea of doing something and not just moving an object from day to day... maybe next year when we're not up to our necks in moving stuff.
Cute idea, ours just has candy...
Wow! What an adorable idea!
How the crap do you remember all that stuff from our childhood? I was there and I don't rememeber squat! I blame the mad cow disease for memory loss......
B
That is very cute, I would love to hear more of the activities through out December. Thank you for sharing!
Amie that is just the cutest. I plan to make one of these TODAY!
aww those are cute! sounds like a lot of fun! we have a christmas tree and there's 24 hooks and each day, we place a heart on that hook. then at the bottom, there's 4pegs and we place this things with 2 teddy bears for each week in advent. it's cool.
we used to get these lego ones where each day, you'd get a tiny pace of a little lego to put together. I hade Click-its and dylan had Christmas-themed legos.
49,500 wow! awesome job! :D
-Trina
P.S. Anyone missing twilight as much as me? there's this awesome book series called Blue Bloods by melissa de la Cruz...it's about vampires but its sooo good. I just finished the last book...
Very cute idea..
How fun Amie love the idea
What an amazing visiting teacher. That is adorable. I was glad to read that you liked the Twilight movie. Take care, Tammi
That is CUTE!
This is super cute Amie. Love it.
Okay...I love it! What a fun, creative and cute idea! No pressure to make something cute for my 'sisters'! :o)
Gosh, I am a slacker visting teacher! Way cute idea. I guess that is another thing I am failing at, the advent calendar tradition.
Very cute! I am doing an advent calendar for the 1st time this year as well and it's homemade and was VERY cheap to make! My kids are loving it as well. It's so much fun to focus on the kids and Christ's birth with an advent calendar!
Love this idea!
Adorable!!! Great idea girl!
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