Tis’ the season for our children to WANT, WANT, WANT! I struggle each year around this time to remind my 6 year old that it’s not all about presents and Santa. He had a homework project this week to talk about the holiday that we celebrate (Christmas) and why it’s important to him. His teacher is including Winter Holidays in her lesson plan and each child gets to contribute with the holiday that they celebrate. While working on his project I realized that he still doesn’t ‘get it’ with the reason we celebrate Christmas.
Christmas of course is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ in the Christian religion. One way that people help celebrate the holiday is with Advent Calendars. You can find them in most retail stores filled with candy hiding behind little cardboard doors. The last two years I’ve made our Advent Calendar. Last year I had a different part of the Christmas Story from the bible to read each day…leading up to the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. I really enjoyed that version because in addition to counting down to the big day Big B got to learn a little each day.
This year I finally broke down and purchased an actual Advent Calendar (I fell in love with one shaped like Mickey Mouse from Disney World) but I still want to make it special. I just caught up reading some of my favorite blogs and I just had to share these ideas with you all. One of our family friends is Genie who writes a great family and Christian blog The Blazi Gang had a wonderful idea on how to make the Advent Calendar a little more special. She decided to make a list of 24 activities for her family to complete like 2) Build a fort and have dinner in it, 8) Make a Christmas craft, and 22) Go downtown and look at lights. You can see the full list on her blog or you can make up your own list. I’m going to try to start this tomorrow because I think it’s a fabulous idea to show that giving is not only about giving gifts….but also about giving of yourself and your time.
Another blog I like to skim each day is the Crafty Crowbecause they collect great craft ideas from around the blogosphere and share them. They always have great holiday ideas and I found one today from a blog called Maya Made on making an Advent Calendar from toilet tissue tubes. Last year Maya made a similar Advent Calendar and she had a ticket in each tube with a special activity for the family members.
So then I decided to search the web for some other Advent Calendar ideas using scraps and trash. How about these:
Mini Muffin Tin Advent Calendar
Bottle Cap Advent Calendar Magnets
I could probably search all night but the truth is I don’t have a ton of time to make something new for this year AND Lil’ B just woke up with a horrible hacking cough. I guess I’ll go snuggle up to her before I drift off to sleep. What are your family traditions around the holidays? Do you have an Advent Calendar that is unique…I’d love for you to share it with me.
Great post with awesome ideas! I love that teaching the real meaning of Christmas is so important to you 🙂 Us too with our little ones!! Merry Christmas! Lynn
I did this, too, and thought that I came up with it. Glad to see I’m not the only genius out there 😉 Good luck in the contest.