Christmas is a wonderful, joyful time of year. I don’t really get into the Christmas spirit until Thanksgiving is over, but then I listen to as much Christmas music as I can, enjoy browsing sales looking for fun gifts for my family and friends, make homemade gifts where I can, take the month off of schooling to focus on the season without overwhelming myself, and just truly try to embrace celebrating my Savior being sent to Earth. We have a few traditions we have fallen into for the kids to enjoy this season as well, plus a few new ones we try out from time to time. I do realize that December this year is almost halfway over already (where does the time go?!), but just in case you are looking for ideas for the last few days before Christmas this year or thinking ahead already to next year, here are the ones we are doing this year!

2020 Advent Countdowns

• Melissa and Doug Countdown to Christmas Wooden Advent Calendar – This one is great for the younger ones, under school-age. I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old who this one is great for, but sometimes the 1 year old will run off with the magnets so we have moved it to a higher place to not have the ornaments stolen this year. We had no issues last year with the youngest not quite fully mobile, but this year is a whole other ballgame. :)

• Toy advent calendars – These are the calendars you can purchase that have perforated sections that are numbered that you open up each day to add to a scene that begins to play out on the included scene on the box. Last year we did a Paw Patrol one. This year I have one I picked up from Five Below that is similar to LEGO. They have many with candy or other types of food, but we cannot do those due to Celiac Disease or food allergies. It’s great to find them with different types of toys such as TV show characters the kids know, cars, or even socks.

• Wrapped books/DVDs – This year I wanted to add an extra fun advent activity. We love books, but I don’t have enough Christmas books at this time to be able to read one a day every day in December, so I added in some of the Christmas shows we own on DVD. Books include favorites such as Little Blue Truck’s Christmas, God Gave Us Christmas, and The Polar Express. My favorite I have wrapped is possibly The Tale of Three Trees, which I read for the first time in the last year and fell in love with it. Our movies include How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Frosty the Snowman. This is not an original idea, but it sounded fun so we added it in.

• Once Upon a NON-Time book – This is a book you read every day the designated day from December 1 through Christmas. All verses used in it are in KJV if that is important to you. It’s great for the range of kids I have, so I highly recommend it for all ages of kids you may have! I think it’s my favorite advent activity we are doing this year!

• The Christmas Star From Afar Advent Calendar – I get mixed emotions about this one. It has wooden figures and a wooden stable, all very well made. This is designed with a star that you are to hide for the kids to help the wise men find it every day. Such a cute idea and my kids love it. This is the fourth year and they still get excited to come out in the morning and find the star while holding a wise man. My problem with this – the wise men were not at the birth of Christ but came later. I remind my kids about this often and we do it anyway. They think it’s fun. They are still understanding the idea that the wise men followed the star to find Jesus after He was born. We will still continue to do this activity unless we really outgrow it or have something new take its place. It does help that my daughter (9 years old) will hide it for me before her brothers get up if I forget to hide it. She’s a great girl. :)

Other Advent Ideas

• Read Luke – There are 24 chapters in Luke, which starts with the birth of Jesus. Reading one a day starting on December 1 will give you such a picture of our Savior as we countdown to Christmas.
• Paper Chain – This timeless countdown activity works well for the littler ones! You cut strips of paper then glue them together as a chain. You’ll put 24 chains on if you want to be done on Christmas Eve, or if you want to remove the last one on Christmas then do 25. Each day you can remove one link and watch it grow shorter as we get closer and closer to Christmas.

What advent countdowns do you like to do? Any we should give a try? We have tried several, but we are definitely willing to try something new!

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