When my little Spaghetti was born 5 years ago we were living in Switzerland. There I visited beautiful Christmas markets and made a special investment in a wooden upright Christmas Advent calendar. I had never seen anything like it and was instantly taken by it.
We didn’t start our family’s Christmas Advent tradition until we moved to Hoboken when Spaghetti was 3 and Meatball 2 years old. The kids love it! I love the memories it makes for our family. Wooden upright, felt hanging, paper cut out…no matter the material the real beauty of the Advent calendar is the happiness it brings.
I created this Printable Christmas Advent Calendar to make sure we saver this special time of year. I wanted to share it with you. Use it as is or edit the text to make it “yours.” Get it by CLICKING HERE: printable-christmas-advent-calendar
These are some of the things I will be doing to make this year’s Advent season special. Many of these have hyperlinks that will take you to some others’ great ideas!
- Write Letter to Santa
- Read a Holiday Book – some of our favorites are Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus, The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving, The Polar Express
- Watch a Christmas Movie – Rudolph, Frosty, the Nutcracker, Elf! Cuddle with them and laugh.
- Make an Ornament – the one we are doing this year
- Have a cup of hot cocoa
- Wear fun Christmas socks – bought ours from Gymboree this year
- Make Christmas Tree Craft – whenever I can get a preschool scissor skill activity in, I try my best.
- Make Chocolate Pretzel Buttons – kids of all ages LOVE these and even a 2 year old can help!
- Nutcracker Time! Watch the movie, go to the ballet or read the book.
- Go ice skating
- Holiday Live Show – see a town’s christmas light show, the Rockettes, a local theatre’s Christmas production, hop on a Christmas train, etc.
- Chocolate Coins – just because kids love the shiny wrappers
- Donate toys to the homeless shelter
- Holiday handprint or footprint craft – you will treasure these forever
- Build a Gingerbread House
- Holiday party with school friends
- Learn a new Christmas carol
- Start the day with some yummy Christmas bread – Pannettone, French Toast Bake, Cranberry Bliss Bread
- Holiday Tea Party – do your own at home or go out on the town
- Christmas Coloring Pages
- Bake Cut Out Christmas Cookies – use my own recipe! It is fail proof and SO easy.
- Look at Christmas Lights in the area
- Deck the Halls! Clean up the house for guests
- Christmas Eve Family Dinner – my husband’s family is 100% Italian and Christmas Eve means the Feast of the Seven Fishes
- Take family pictures by the Christmas tree
