25 Days Until Christmas Count Down : Day 1

Welcome to my 25 Days of Christmas Project! Starting today, I will be posting Christmas related themes everyday until Christmas. I am so excited to get started! Here is what I have in mind: recipes, crafts, decor, movies, books, activities, shopping, trends, gift ideas, carols, parties, games, traditions, cards, resolutions, lights, etc. So you see how this will easily fit into a 25 day series!

Day 1 : Advent Calendar

Okay, so I just announced to my kids last night that we will be beginning a new tradition this year for Christmas. I am calling it our 25 Days of Christmas. It is an advent calendar. I came up with 16 ideas/activities, and the kids came up with the other 9 activities. We will be sure to keep the Christmas Spirit in our hearts and minds as we count down to Christmas!

I have three daughters. They are so excited to get started with this project. I had them make these envelopes last night. I will be assigning each activity a date, writing it down on a card, and placing each one in its envelope. The girls will be taking turns each day with opening the envelopes.

I'm sure most of you already know what an advent calendar is. But just in case you're not sure, allow me to explain. An advent calendar is a fun way to count down the days til Christmas. You may choose to give a treat such as a piece of candy each day or you may decide to celebrate the holiday by doing some kind of activity each day..

Here is a list of our ideas in no particular order:

*Craft ~ Create a paper chain
*Attend a Christmas concert
*Attend a Christmas party
*Drink hot chocolate
*Bake & decorate cookies and gingerbread
*Read The Night Before Christmas
*Drive & look at Christmas lights
*Watch a Christmas movie
*Create Christmas cards & deliver
*Visit the town square event and see Santa
*Read Christmas Story from Luke (Bible)
*Spend the night at grandma's & bake cookies
*Make crafts
*Make egg nog
*Make paper snowflakes & hang on the windows
*Listen to Christmas music & sing
*Draw pictures of Santa or coloring pages
*Go gift shopping
*Make decorations
*Manicures and pedicures
*Finish decorating
*Game night (musical chairs with Christmas music, pin the nose on Rudolph)
*Do something special for Fergie and Milo (our pets)
*Make reindeer food
*Make bird feeders

To make our advent calender, I printed out numbered tags. Found here. The girls cut them out and pasted them to envelopes. I have not decided yet whether I am going to attach the envelopes to a poster board or have them strung up as part of our decorations.