Christmas Countdown Fun....Day 1.

We've never had an advent calendar (Christmas countdown), though I've always wanted one. I had one growing up and I remember we all use to fight over who got to move the little mouse to the next day, haha. Over the past few years, I would search for one I liked, but I could never find something in my price range that struck my fancy. Why are all the ones I like so expensive!? I also never had the time to make my own.

Luckily this year I scored this cute mitten one online! It's simple, sweet, and I love it! I hung it up above our couch and it looks great up there on the wall. But what to put in it? I saw a FB post from a friend where she posted links to blogs where they had a bunch of lists of "activities" to put in an advent calendar instead of candy and stuff like that.

Brilliant.

I got to work brainstorming activities and deciding what activities go on what days. I had to be practical with our activities and make them fit our family and schedule. I kept it really simple. Fun, easy Christmas themed activities we could easily do, even on those days where it's a rush to get homework and dinner done in time to go to Cub Scouts or Wrestling. 

I read A LOT of really great ideas on line, but one size does not fit all. Do what works for you and your family and have fun with it! That's the point! 


Some of my activities include:

Have hot cocoa with dinner.
Make a Christmas card for the bus driver. 
Bake cookies.
Sleep in the living room with the Christmas light on.
Play Christmas bingo at dinner.
Read a Christmas book together. 
Write your teacher a letter or make her a Christmas card. 
Help wrap Christmas gifts. 
Make reindeer food. 
Write a wish list. 
Decorate the Christmas tree.
Watch a Christmas movie and eat Popcorn. 
Write a note to your brother/sister listing 3 things you like about them. 
Write a note to Santa. 
Hang up lights outside. 
Play a family board game. 
Host a Christmas party with fun games and yummy food. 

See? Fun, yet simple.

Yesterday, Day 1: Decorate the Christmas tree! This seemed really fitting for it being December 1st and a night where we had no extra curricular activities going on. The kids were super stoked! We turned on some Christmas tunes and after I got everything all organized and layed out, we got to work!

Ohhh what fun! The kiddos sure have lots of Christmas fun activities awaiting them!

With love,
Mama Hauck