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For years now, I’ve been wanting to buy an advent calendar for my kids. A nice one. But they all were pretty expensive and so I never got to it. By the time Christmas was over and they were on sale all the nice ones had already been bought. Bah Humbug.
This year though while browsing around Pinterest I saw a perfect way to countdown to Christmas- the Christmas bucket (or in my case a Christmas bag) and save money. You wrap a small, numbered (I used wrapping paper scraps to make the numbers) gift for each day until Christmas-opening one each day. My bugs are loving this so far!
You don’t need to wrap expensive or new things-they just need to have that Christmassy feeling. Most of the things I wrapped were Christmas books we already own and then made envelopes with various Christmas crafts and activities to do. I made the little notes that go inside the envelopes Christmas tree shaped for fun.
Things like drinking hot cocoa, making a gingerbread house, making ornaments, donating toys, baking cookies for Santa, making reindeer food, ect. There’s also things like coloring books and watching Christmas movies together.
This is much better than popping out a chocolate candy each day from one of those cardboard advent calendar. This countdown allows you to spend time with your kids doing something Christmassy together. Making memories they will never forget. Tis the season! What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?
Krystle Cook – the creator of Home Jobs by MOM – put her psychology degree on a shelf and dived into a pile of diapers and dishes instead. She is a wife and mother to two rambunctious boys, sweating it out in her Texas hometown. She loves cooking, DIY home projects, and family fun activities.
What a cute idea! One of my favorite parts about Christmas always was the art projects we got to make at school.
Thanks Jeri! Me too. My son doesn’t seem to be making much at school these days though. I think he made more stuff in preschool.
OK…this is super cute! I wonder if my kids would notice if I started this a few days late. *scrambles*
-Jill
I doubt they would notice. They would just be happy it started 🙂
These are great ways to countdown to Christmas!
Thank you! We are having fun doing it so far. And the boys are entertained by it too.
I think that you are so great in creating such a wonderful activity to do with your two boys! I bet they are having so much fun! I just love to hear how you come up with such creative things to do using very little money! Awesome Advent Countdown activity!
Thank you very much! I’m having fun with it too. Tomorrow we are going to attempt a homemade ginger bread house. Should be interesting.
Great post I liked all these ideas
Thank you Jo Anne!
So cute and creative. Blessings!
Thank you!
Very cute ideas! Stopping by from SITS girls. Happy Saturday Sharefest!
Thank you Stacie!
I think this is the first year in quite a few when gramma didn’t give my girls advent calenders. My youngest has been antsy to open presents. Something like this would probably would make the time a little more bearable.
I bet it would help ease their christmas anxiousness
Very cute idea indeed. love it.
Thank you! I hope you try it next year 🙂
I absolutely adore this idea!!!
Thank you Liz! I love your site!!
My wife and girls would love thiis. I am crafty impared so I will leave this to the ladies in the house.
I am sure they would have a blast doing it. I bet you could think of something to do too 🙂
Awesome idea for fun things to do with each other rather than a piece of candy. My favorite Christmas traditions include listening to christmas music/drinking cocoa/decorating the tree, as well as making breakfast together on Christmas morning. Thanks for these thoughtful ideas!
Those sound great! I need to think of one for christmas breakfast. We don’t really have a tradition for that since we usually go to my in laws house.
What a wonderfully cute idea… The kids would love this activity. 🙂
Thanks. It’s been great so far for us 🙂
As if you read my mind / we also had a homemade advent calendar full of activities. I made it out of tea bags – see here http://stepfordska-supruga-en.blogspot.com/2012/11/advent-calendar-made-of-tea-bags.html
That is such a cute idea!! I love when we can upcycle