Hi friends!
It has been a few years since I have posted a list of Advent ideas. I started this tradition with my kids when they were toddlers and have shared other budget-friendly ideas since then. While plenty of these ideas remain the same (because the ideas themselves become the traditions), there are a few new things I have added to this year’s calendar. I still do my best to remain on budget, so a lot of these will be simple… but we all like simple, right?
Someone asked if my kids are still interested in Advent as they have gotten older and so far (thankfully), it is a resounding yes. I hope it can remain magical for at least a few more years. I have a lot of fun pulling it together and it makes every day in December a bit more special for our family.
I’m going to share what is on our list first, followed by a few more ideas for you to consider. I am also including a printable of the cards I have made in Canva. They will be blank for you to quickly jot down all the things you wish to include on yours.
For those wondering, this is the pocket calendar we use. I recently gave it a face lift after being inspired by The Mama Notes.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
Our Advent Calendar
- A pair of fuzzy Christmas socks
- Christmas glow stick dance party! (This is the night my kids most look forward to – we blast the best upbeat Christmas music and go wild.)
- Homemade popcorn with chocolate drizzle and candy cane bits for snack
- Neighborhood lights drive with Starbucks peppermint hot chocolate
- Family Christmas movie night (Their pick, and it is usually ELF or Home Alone)
- Christmas cookie baking day (Our favorites to make here)
- Make a gingerbread house
- String a popcorn garland for the tree
- Holiday activity books from the Dollar Tree
- String an orange garland together
- Family game night
- Candy canes
- Sleepover under the Christmas tree
- Red, green, and silver nail polish for festive manicures and pedicures
- Peppermint chapstick for the season
- Play Christmas Bingo (free printables here)
- Christmas bath bomb
- New 300-piece Christmas puzzle to do together
- Tickets to see a local performance of the Nutcracker (with fancy holiday dresses that I found thrift for the occasion!)
- Lindt Lindor truffles (these oat milk ones are to die for)
- Roll of festive stickers
- PJs and Christmas movie day all day
- Make Christmas friendship bracelets with red and green beads.
- Local holiday lights walk event
A few other ideas you might consider:
- Hot chocolate with breakfast and Christmas stories
- Make reindeer food
- Make bird feeders with leftover toilet paper rolls/string/peanut butter/birdseed.
- Christmas coloring books
- Watercolor a Christmas picture together
- Make paper snowflakes
- Christmas PJs
- New Christmas book
- New hats and mittens
- Write a letter to Santa
- Make homemade Christmas ornaments
- Take a wintery nature walk
- Watch the Polar Express
- Make Christmas cards for family and friends
- Pancakes for dinner
- Reindeer ears headband
- Hot chocolate packs
- Make peppermint play-doh
- Any holiday crafts from the Dollar Tree (they have some cute stuff for younger kids)
- Make salt dough ornaments
- Any small Christmas treats (mini candy canes, chocolate chips, gold coins, hot chocolate bombs, etc.)
- Card games
If you’ve made it this far, click to download the freebie below.
Thank you for being here, friend. Happy holidays to you and yours. x
