One of our Christmas family traditions is to select an activity for every day of December leading up to the big holiday. On December 1st, Jackson writes his letter to Santa. We always pick one night to drive to see Christmas lights. And decorating gingerbread houses is an absolute must! All of our activities get tucked into this adorable mitten garland, and Jackson pulls out a new activity every morning.
You may have seen other advent calendar lists online before, so I wanted to share some of our favorite unique ideas that might be new to you! Maybe they’ll become some of your favorite advent traditions too!
* See more advent ideas here!
1. Make Gifts for the Birds
We love watching the birds gather at our feeders all winter long! This is a simple project to do as a family to make sure your feathered friends get a little extra treat at Christmas.
Materials
- Cardboard tubes
- Peanut Butter
- Knife
- Birdseed
- Yarn or twine
- Scissors
How to make it
1. Spread Peanut Butter all over a cardboard tube.
2. Roll the tube in bird seed until fully covered.
3. Thread the tube with yarn and hang in a prominent spot for your bird friends!
2. Make a Grinchy Snack and Watch the Grinch Together
How cute are these easy (and healthy) fruit kabobs?! This is a great, simple recipe for your kids to make because it doesn’t require a sharp knife to slice the fruit! Jackson (5) made these almost completely by himself.
Ingredients
- Green grapes
- Banana, sliced
- Strawberries, tops removed
- Mini marshmallows
- Toothpicks
How to make it
Thread fruit onto a toothpick in this order – grape, banana slice, strawberry, marshmallow.
Plate your snack, curl up under a blanket and watch your favorite version of the Grinch!
3. Make Your Own Ornaments
We make ornaments every year, but this is our first time making these absolutely adorable yarn letters! They are so simple and inexpensive to make, and the entire family (even my husband!) enjoyed making them! These make beautiful ornaments but would also look great at stocking tags or even gift toppers!
You and find the tutorial to make them here!
I hope you find some inspiration here! Do you have an advent calendar you use every year? What are your favorite advent or Christmas activities to do as a family? Share in the comments!
From my family to yours, we wish you a season filled with love, health, and lots of joy!
xoxo, L, T, J, F, J, & E
