The Upsized Advent Calendar

One of the projects I wanted to accomplish this year is our having an Advent Calendar. We use the ones you can find at the stores that hide sweet pieces of chocolate, which the children love and think are so much fun, but I wanted another one that would help us be more intentional about what we were doing each day during Advent.

So, I came up with an activity for each day from November 30th thru December 24th. After making my list, I simply put together this large-sized calendar using poster board and sticky notes. Under each sticky note, I wrote the specific activity for that day. Our list is a mix of quite a few different things. Just because we're being intentional doesn't mean we're not having fun and enjoying God's gifts to us. However, I did also want to include activities to help us reflect on our relationship with the Lord and with each other. I know Advent is a season of preparation and that works out differently for each family, so hopefully, as we continue this tradition, it will reflect more and more the work God is doing in our family.

Here's the list of our Advent activities:

1) Discuss Daddy's sermon about Advent during lunch

2) List five activities you enjoy doing this time of year. (I use this to help plan our 12 Days of Chirstmas)

3) Begin memorizing (again) Luke 2:1-21 (have ready by Christmas Day)

4) Enjoy milkshakes for breakfast

5) Pick out a new Christmas CD or make your own Christmas mix on I-Tunes (you must all agree)

6) Write a love note to Daddy.

7) Decorate our Christmas tree, and watch "A Charlie Brown Christmas" together.

8) Consider one sin you're struggling with and commit to pray about it every day during Yuletide. Share with Mommy or Daddy so they can pray for you and help you be accountable.

9) Do a chore for one of your siblings....CHEERFULLY!

10) Make snowflakes and decorate the windows.

11) Write a note to a friend letting him/her know what you appreciate about your friendship.

12) See the River of Lights at the Botanical Gardens.

13) List 3 things you love about each family member and leave the list in his/her mailbox.

14) Help Mommy address Christmas cards.

15) Pick a sibling you have a difficult time getting along with and play a game together.

16) Send a note of gratitude to your grandparents.

17) Have a tea party with tea and scones.

18) Pair up with a younger sibling, and list 5 attributes of God, supported by Scripture. Close your time together by thanking God for who He is.

19) Secretly do something nice for one of your siblings. At the end of the day, each person will guess what was done and who did it.

20) Watch Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

21) Bake gifts for friends and neighbors.

22) Which sibling do you have the most difficult time being kind to? Be intentional about telling this sibling you love him/her and then commit to pray every day during Yuletide that God would make your heart tender towards this sibling.

23) Have breakfast for dinner...pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

24) Listen to the audio of "A Christmas Carol" while driving through town looking at Christmas lights.

25) Play Phase 10 and open one gift.

P.S. Remember the children haven't seen these, yet, so try not to mention them!:)