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| "Baby William" four years ago, his second Christmas |
A friend suggested this a few years ago and it’s been a wonderful way to help stay focused on all the fun, friendship, and love this season inspires. Here is my list so far (I know it’s more than 25 needed for the month but it’s good to have lots of choices) and a preview of what we’ll be up to in the coming weeks:
Make a “Grateful Garland” using paper stars, mittens or stocking shapes (kids pick)
Create paper snowflakes and tape them to the windows
Make hot cocoa with candy cane stirrers
Forage for evergreen boughs and decorate inside
Create colorful paper stars
String cranberries and popcorn
Gather unused toys to share with others
Make edible decorations for the birds and squirrels
Read 5 Christmas stories beside the fire
Sing Christmas carols beside the fire
Make salt dough ornaments
Make a card (or two) and send it to someone special
Poach pears
Roll beeswax candles
Stay up late and sing Christmas songs by the tree
Hang decorations on a tree outside!
Light a candle in honor of Hanukkah and talk about various faiths and celebrations
Make Christmas cards for friends and family
Mail Christmas greetings to family and friends
Paint Christmas ornaments together
Make gift tags
Decorate the Christmas tree together
Make & bake Christmas cookies
Decorate Christmas cookies
Deliver Christmas cookies to a neighbor
Paint everybody's toenails in Christmas colors
Purchase a present to give to charity
Picnic lunch by the Christmas tree
Go out after dark to look at Christmas lights
Write a special letter to Santa
Make gifts for teachers
Festive family disco night!
Go out somewhere special for dinner
Ice cream sundaes for dessert
Make popcorn & watch a Christmas movie
Make a special bookmark for your favorite storybook then read it together
Give your favorite pet a Christmas present
Write a love note and put it under Daddy’s pillow
Build snowmen in front of the Senior Center
Create holiday art/craft bags for kids in hospital
Make Snow Angels
Make snow ice cream (snow + sugar + vanilla + milk)
Sleep under the Christmas tree
Attend a program at library or local nature center
Shop for an adopted family in need
Christmas Crafts! Make paper chains, pom-pom garlands, noodle garlands & more
Plant paperwhites (early for blooms at Christmas)
Make tasty treats for the birds
Family game night
Fondue night
Chocolate Fondue night
Attend a holiday concert or play
Tell a friend at school you think they’re really cool
Recycle some toys to share with others
Read a Christmas book together
Take food to a local food bank
Go see Santa!
Sit by the fire & drink hot cocoa
Roast marshmallows in the fireplace
Make thank you notes before they are needed
Make a list of 10 things we are thankful for. Share with your Grandma!
Hot chocolate & cookies by the fire
Learn a Christmas song and Skype it or call to sing it for someone
Breakfast for dinner while wearing Holiday pajamas!
Christmas cookie play date
Gingerbread house-making party!
Make popcorn garlands for the tree
See a Christmas show
Go for a family hike to find signs of winter
Face painting
Build and decorate a gingerbread house
Make our own wrapping paper (dip cookie cutters in paint)
Wrap presents
Eat dinner by candlelight (celebrate Solstice!)
Take a drive in the dark to look at Christmas lights
Sprinkle Reindeer food (oats + glitter) outside
Put out treats for Santa (and the reindeer)
Let me know if you're interested in a printable version complete with fun little graphics--I'd be happy to pass it along and spread the cheer!
Great ideas! We have an Advent calendar I made with a card holder and envelopes. Each envelope has a number on it and an activity similar to this.
ReplyDeleteI love that you have elves putting treats into your advent calendar----too much pressure. (I read the next post too) My daughter wakes up (not at 5:30) and first thing.....grabs the envelope!
Good news!!!! Liz, you are the winner of my Make and Takes Book for Kids Crafts. Please give me your snail mail and I will have it sent to you! My email is on my profile page.