What I DON'T love: supplies, messes, and prep work.
So I choose our daily advent activities with that in mind. Each year I come up with a few new ideas and add them in. Some ideas for YOU...
Decorate the Christmas tree.
Make a popcorn garland.
Make an ornament and add to the Christmas tree.
Read about candy canes and then add some to the tree.
Have a candy cane hunt!
Make a craft with Mom.
List what you are grateful for.
Decorate an ice cream cone Christmas tree. (the kids' favorite!)
Bake Christmas cookies.
Deliver cookies to someone you want to bless.
Cook a big brunch.
Invite friends over for hot cocoa and cookies.
Clean out toys to give away, including a favorite item.
Prepare and mail out Christmas cards. (assembly line style)
Send a sunshine box to someone who has had a hard year.
Mail encouraging cards to families who have lost someone this year.
Donate items to local collection drive.
As a family buy something for a third world community.
Visit nursing home residents.
Candy cane bomb a parking lot.
Prepare a care package for a single mom.
Go shopping for Christmas exchange.
Make a Christmas card for your teachers.
Prepare gifts for teachers.
Bake and deliver something to your neighbors.
THANK your mail and/or UPS carriers.
Drive around looking at Christmas lights.
Go on a driving Christmas scavenger hunt around town.
Attend a Christmas program. (aka the kids' school music concert)
Sing Christmas carols around the piano.
Unwrap a new book to read.
Pick one of your received Christmas cards and pray for that family.
Learn about how Christmas is celebrated in another part of the world.
Camp out by the Christmas tree tonight.
Watch a favorite Christmas movie.
Put on music and have a coloring party.
Fill out a Christmas mad lib
Play Christmas dice game.
Play Christmas-themed Pictionary.
Play "Name That Tune" with Christmas hymns and songs.
Write a Christmas poem together.
List how many words you can make using the letters in CHRISTMAS.
Have a family spelling bee with Christmas words.
Burn off some holiday treats and do 50 jumping jacks.
Have a living room dance party to fun Christmas music.
Spend time repenting by reading Psalm 51.
Read and act out nativity story.
Watch The Nativity movie.
Watch The Nativity movie.
Read the story about JESUS.