That time of year again....where I scavenge the internet and local events for ideas to keep us engaged and having fun together as a family in December. With Christmas parties and out of town visitors, Christmas concerts and all the rest, it's easy to forget what we're really celebrating.
That's why the backbone of our Christmas countdown comes from reading from this amazing book I purchased last year:
But if you're looking for some other good ideas I hear many great things about this program:
There's still time to purchase the online book!
or there are plenty of these scripture read-alongs you can follow with your family.
Like this:
With that being our focus, I still love to fill little advent boxes with a few little treats, a few little trinkets (for days I'm working especially) and fun activities for our Christmas season. There's some local events we'll attend, some acts of generosity, and some ideas to fill our days. Here's our Christmas Countdown List:
1st: Set up our nativity set and finish decorating our Christmas tree
2nd: Make snowman pancakes and later in the day head to Port Kell's Nursery (if you're never been there at Christmas time, it's free and decorated beautifully!)
3rd. Panting project to send in packages in the mail
4th Christmas music dance party
5th: Parade (there one in Maple Ridge or Lynden, Washington)
6th: Christmas parties with friends
7th: Make snow play doh (white with glitter in it) and make snowmen
8th Make homemade marshmallows, have hot chocolate, and read stories by the fire
9th: Decorate Gingerbread Houses
10th: Stanley Park Christmas train (If you've never been, it's amazing! Van Dusen is also a favourite although both are a bit pricey).
11th: Christmas ornament making day
12th: Ice skating or heading to the Winter Wonderland Festival in Vancouver (or to see the Festival of Trees Downtown)
13th: Snowman pizza and Christmas movie night
14th: Making gifts for teachers and babysitters
15th: More crafting! Beads, paper, popsicle sticks and more. Most to give away to friends and family.
16th: Decorating Christmas cookies and Toby's Christmas concert (hoping to make gingerbread nativity characters this year from last year's gifted cookie set)
17th: Involve the kids in decorating all our christmas cards and letters we mail out and a fun trip (free!) to Burnaby Village Museum for their Heritage Christmas
18th: Send packages in the mail and do a random act of kindness for a stranger.
19th: Wintery bath (think: hidden toys in homemade bath bombs, blue water, bubbles, and foam soap)
20th: Snow Tubing! Let's hope Hemlock opens up this year!
21st: Cookie making to give to neighbors, and maybe hit up the Winter Soltice Lantern Festival in Vancouver
22nd: Snow sensory bin day
23rd : Drive around and look at Christmas lights with hot chocolate (christmas light scavenger hunt!)
24th: Fondu with friends, maybe Christmas Eve service and family!
Some other favourites at Christmas for our family:
-cutting down our own Christmas tree
-new Christmas jammies
-lots of stocking stuffers!
-getting lots of Christmas books from the library to read
-we might also squeeze in a Christmas performance: Making Spirits Bright or the best Christmas Pageant Ever
If you have some other local suggestions, send them my way!
What we did in previous years for more ideas:
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