Holiday Countdown Calendar
Image courtesy the Nikki McClure calendar
Inspired by Amy’s advent calendar, I decided to craft some traditions for our growing little family, in the form of a Holiday Countdown Calendar. Here are some ideas for activities we could do together on December evenings:
- Make handmade holiday stamps
- Make gift-tags and cards
- Cut down an evergreen tree (or buy a potted one and plant it after Christmas)
- Decorate the tree
- Make origami paper cranes
- Wrap presents
- Write little notes to colleagues and neighbors
- Make baked goods for colleagues and neighbors
- Deliver baked goods and notes
- Decorate the house
- Write cards to family
- Make felt balls
- Drink hot chocolate and play Scrabble
- Watch a holiday movie
- Have a pillow picnic under the tree
- Ride bikes around the neighborhood to look at lights
- Cut out snowflakes
- Write a love letter
- Collect branches and pine cones and spray paint them for decoration
- Dance to holiday music
- Read a book about Kwanzaa
- Read a book about Hanukkah
- Cover the house in candles
- Hang mistletoe and kiss
- Make a list of what we’re thankful for
Here’s a list of the supplies we’ll need:
- Soft rubber for stamps
- Stamp-making tools
- Stamp pads
- Cardstock
- Origami paper
- Tutorial for making paper cranes
- Paper grocery bags
- Ribbon or twine
- Supplies for baked goods
- Wool roving
- Nylon stockings
- A holiday movie
- Spray paint
- Holiday music
- A book about Kwanzaa
- A book about Hanukkah
- Tea candles
Of course these will change over the years, as our family changes. But I like the idea of carving out time to do fun things together. I’m excited!
4 Comments
Kim
Sara,
This is an inspiring list! I am the crafty half of my fiance & I, and only once have we done something craft-related together: we made each other anniversary cards at the same time one year. I think this list is inspiration for the upcoming holidays and actually includes things that he can enjoy too. I may have to steal some of these!
Anonymous
Your posts have inspired me to make my nieces an advent calender. Instead of having an activity for them to do every night, I'm going to fill envelopes with family holiday trivia, stories, and Christmas facts. I'm hoping this will help them feel connected to their aunts, uncles,and grandparents even if we can't all be together. We'll see how it turns out!
Anonymous
What an inspiration you are! I get all warm and fuzzy just thinking about these great ideas you have.
michele
EXCELLENT & inspiring list! Thanks so much for the ideas. You mentioned holiday movies & I wanted to pass along a new one I recently ran across. Homeless for the Holidays came out late last month on DVD & is a great faith based film. To break up the monotony of the classics, this is an awesome family film that relates to all of us today. Nearly losing it all, an executive must take a job at a burger joint to help his family survive near the holiday season. Definitely worth checking out & great for a family movie night as well. Just wanted to pass along!