How to Create a Holiday Advent Calendar

I created this holiday advent calendar to help create memories WITH my kids. Oftentimes, I give them something to do while I do something else – in other words to “keep them busy” while I get other things done. However, there is nothing wrong with this. I just wanted a way to check in with myself and the time I was actually spending playing WITH them, not just BY them.

I came up with this advent of activities that would help create memories of being together this holiday season.

Not each day has the same type of activities, but the goal is that we can eat/laugh/learn and just enjoy each other during the holidays.

I searched everywhere for an advent calendar that I liked. Either they seemed to cost an arm and a leg, or I just didn’t love them. Hence the reason, I decided to create my own. {Also Abigayle tore open the lego advent calendars I had purchased – grrrr… but I can attribute my creation to her 😉 }

I found everything at Hobby Lobby. I’ll include the links where available.

I didn’t love the color of the advent box so I decided to add a little bit of white paint, and some cute clothespin numbers – the sky is the limit though, you could paint it however you want and make it ‘yours’.

Holiday Advent Supplies

• Advent Calendar Box: I couldn’t find the exact one online – but here is a similar wood one.
• White Paint: Any white paint works great. I used this off-white color and loved how the look turned out.
• Paint Brush: Just grab some of the foam throw-away kind. They worked great. Or use what you have on hand. You don’t need anything fancy.
• Number Clothespin: I couldn’t find the exact numbers online, but here are some small wood numbers  that you could hot glue to a clothespin and get the same idea.
• Kraft Papers: I used cards similar to these to write down each activity
• Lego Countdowns: I found these at Costco during Halloween season, but grabbed a Lego Friends Countdown for Tylee and a Lego City Countdown for Camden, {Abigayle is a little too young still for these}.

Ideas for Advent Assembly

In each box I included the card with the activities, scripture/video ideas, and a lego for the day. You could get super creative here. You could get some items from the dollar store. Add in treats, write jokes. The sky is the limit. Just get creative on what you and your family like.

I wanted to keep the focus {ahem- at least attempt to keep the focus} on Christ. We included scripture and a video about Christ for each day. Then a variety of activities, crafts, or treats.

ELF ON THE SHELF:
We have an Elf on the Shelf as well, so we’d try to incorporate Frosty in our activities.

This year we got a box from The Elf Kit Co. and it was the best idea ever. We’d just pull out a corresponding  kit that worked with our schedule. For example: If we were making a gingerbread house, the elf would show up with a small gingerbread paper kit the night before.

We really hope that you enjoy this countdown, it’s been super fun for our family so far.

Be sure to check back on Instagram for more holiday ideas.

Check out our list of 25 Advent Activities add to your holiday advent calendar.