I had a few people ask me for my advent calendar activity list. These are ideas I’ve gathered for the last two years. My friend Rachel gave me a list last year and Emily also gave me a few suggestions last year, and some of these are family traditions.
Go Ice Skating
Watch It’s a Wonderful Life, make spiced cider.
Exchange gifts
Make Christmas Cookies for friends.
Find Mistletoe, hang it in our house and kiss under it.
Address and Mail Christmas Cards
Go to Borders and Pick out one new Christmas CD.
Go to The Nutcracker
Handel’s Messiah Sing Along
Leave out wooden shoes on December 5
Go to the Oakland Temple to see the Nativity
Make Thick Hot Chocolate and Homemade Marshmallows
Host a Christmas Sweater Party
Put up a ribbon sash for Christmas cards
Donate canned goods
Give neighbors a present
Put up a wreath
Make a Gingerbread house
Make a popcorn garland
Make hot chocolate and read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Sing (or listen) to favorite Christmas songs
Drive around to see neighborhood lights
Go out and see public light display
Read Christmas story from the Bible and the Book of Mormon
Open a gift (new stocking or pajamas or pillowcase)
Make a family traditional dessert
Eat out at a festive restaurant
Go to a seasonal movie
Tell stories of childhood Christmas around the fire
Have a romantic candlelit dinner by the Christmas tree
Make decorative sugar cookies
Sign up to purchase gifts for a needy child
Host a Christmas dessert party
Write out a Christ-centered goal to start early for the New Year
Have a movie party (classic Christmas clips)
Go to a Christmas Concert
Attend City tree lighting event
Have a full traditional breakfast while listening to Christmas music
Maya
November 28, 2007
Love these ideas! Might have to steal some for ours!
Shar
November 28, 2007
this is a great gift for under 30.
marta
November 28, 2007
this is a cute idea. perhaps i’ll put them all in a little jar. thanks for the constant good ideas. xo.
Katie
November 28, 2007
Oooo, I loved that advent house and every time I’m at Target I have to use personal restraint not to buy 4 of them! They would make such great gifts!
Astrology Signs
November 28, 2007
I am used to the cheap old advent calenders that barely open and rip apart when you do eventually get the doors open! But this is a pretty post with some great ideas!! Good Job!
Anonymous
November 28, 2007
that advent calendar is a complete Restoration Hardware knock-off!
jordan
November 28, 2007
It’s ok anonymous. A lot of things at RH are knock offs too. 🙂
Rachel
November 28, 2007
you are da bomb.
Sarah S
November 28, 2007
jordan.. you make me laugh… in regards to response to “anonymous” 🙂 …. AND I don’t get it… do you put the activities inside your advent calendar to do each day instead of candy?
jordan
November 28, 2007
I put an activity and a treat {sometimes it is candy, sometimes something like a fake moustache or a small toy.}
RWest
November 28, 2007
you don’t know me…i actually found your blog through a cousin’s boyfriend…but i ♥ your blog. very fun and inspirational. i am now starting an advent with my husband…and hopefully we can also turn it into a tradition, so thank you for posting your ideas – it helped us to start ours. Merry Christmas!!!
Sara
November 28, 2007
Great list. Mine includes more Christmas movies (Elf, the Santa Clause etc) and a night fo make gingerbread houses.
But you have many that I did not have. Good ideas.
I don’t know if the kids would let me get away with addressine Christmas Cards as a holiday event…
betsywetsy
November 29, 2007
This will be the first year that we have a family advent calendar. I found ours on line at a tea shop- Tea Laden. I also want to do activities. I wanted to suggest a couple of the activities I have included in our calendar- make bird "decorations" to hang outside by coating oranges with peanut butter and sprinkling bird seed on them. We will also be going on a nature walk with travel mugs of hot cocoa.
Anonymous
November 19, 2008
there are 2 of the real Restoration Hardware calendars for sale on ebay right now. One in red and one in white (white one looks overpriced – like a lot of RH stuff).