Our December Advent Tradition

December 05, 2014

If you've followed my blog for a while, then you probably know that my family takes a little different approach with our holiday advent calendar, instead of chocolates or treats for every day of December, my kids open a box with a holiday activity inside.

The activities range from reading a holiday book together or watching a holiday movie, to decorating cookies or making gingerbread houses and so on. This year the big surprise is that we've decided to take a small daycation to Midway, Utah and take the kids tubing at Soldier Hollow, so that will find it's way into our advent calendar as well.

After three years of service, my little matchbox advent has had to be retired...so this year I made some simple envelope ornaments with the numbers 1-24 on them and hung them from our tree. It's extra fun this year because Jasper is learning his numbers and gets to search for the number each day and Caleb is learning to read, so he gets to reveal the surprise and put those mad sound-out skills of his to use!

Advent Ornaments by Amy Kingsford | Supplies: Deena Rutter: Journal Card Envelope Cut Files. Stolen Moments Design: Merry Papers and Number Frames; One Little Bird Merrymaking Journal Cards; Studio Calico: Wood Veneer; Jenni Bowlin Studio: Rhinestone Hearts; Recollections, Wood Veneer, Stickers; American Crafts: Thickers, Twine.

So far we've decorated our tree...

We took the kids Christmas shopping in the city and visited Temple Square.

We made Broncos fleece scarves...

We read Charlie Brown's Christmas...

And we're watching The Muppets Christmas Carol tonight after dinner (it's on Netflix, yay!!!)

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With plenty more fun little activities to come, I'm really looking forward to this Christmas!

And I won't lie, I do put quite a lot of thought and time into this tradition, but I do it so that December doesn't fly by us and then we are left with the feeling that we didn't do anything memorable. I do it to teach my kids that there is so much more to Christmas than presents and goodies. I plan these little things every day to help remind each of us to delight in one another other's presence.