Tuesday, November 29, 2011

DIY Magnetic Advent Calendar



Before Thanksgiving, Caden was asking me when Santa would be here.  I kept telling him, "After Thanksgiving."  Now that it's after Thanksgiving, he's asking me no less than bazillion times a day.  I'm hoping this little advent calendar will come in handy with our count down until Christmas.  I've sure had fun thinking of different ideas to put in each day.



To make the Advent Calendar, I downloaded the printable numbers from Twig & Thistle and modified the look to use what I had.  (I used a 1.5" circle punch for the numbers, taped them to a post-it note craft paper scalloped circle, stuck them on top of the favor tin and added a magnet to the back.)



Here are a few of the activities we have on our list.


  • Visit Santa & His Reindeer

  • Christmas Party at Church

  • Visit the Live Nativity

  • Watch a Holiday Movie (i.e. Polar Express, Elf or A Charlie Brown's Christmas)

  • Make Paper Snowflakes

  • Make Ornaments With Hand or Footprints

  • Make Homemade Christmas Glitter playdough

  • Make Homemade Snowglobes

  • Make Sugar Cookies

  • Drink Hot Cocoa with Whipped Cream & Sprinkles

  • Take a Picture in our Santa Hats

  • Paint a Picture using only Red & Green

  • Have an Indoor Picnic

  • Draw a Picture for Santa

  • Drive Around and Look at Lights

  • Unwrap a Book to Read

  • Have a Glow-in-the-Dark Bubble Bath

  • Christmas Party at Preschool

  • Donate Items to Food Bank


I tried to mix a little fun, spiritual, relaxing and giving.  I sure hope it works out!  Just between you and me, I'm waiting to fill each day to see what we can fit in.  I don't want life to be too hectic over the holidays so I'm taking it day by day.  I also have a little candy on hand for those days that we need to keep simple.  Shhhh, promise me you won't tell.

Do you do an Advent Calendar at your home?  What ideas do you include?

2 comments:

Hilary said...

What a fantastic idea, Debbie!

deb said...

Thanks, Hilary! I hope it goes as well as I think it will. :)