Last year, I mapped out activities for us to do as a family for the first 25 days of December. The kids loved, loved, LOVED pulling out the slip of paper from the Advent calendar every morning and looked forward to doing the activity that afternoon or evening.
I asked the kids what things they hoped would make it on the calendar this year and Ryan added a great one: visiting Daddy at work for lunch. I love his contribution! I slotted it in to the schedule to do while Ryan is on Christmas break, so he can (obviously) join us.
I asked the kids what things they hoped would make it on the calendar this year and Ryan added a great one: visiting Daddy at work for lunch. I love his contribution! I slotted it in to the schedule to do while Ryan is on Christmas break, so he can (obviously) join us.
Day 1 - Make a Chain Link Countdown to Christmas
Day 2 - Make Ice Cream Cone Christmas Tree craft
Day 3 - Attend "Cookies and Milk with Santa" event at Ryan's school
Day 4 - Visit Santa at the mall
Day 4 - Visit Santa at the mall
Day 5 - Pick 2 angels from the tree at the mall (each child's age) and have the kids shop for them
Day 6 - Take the kids shopping for Christmas gifts for each other
Day 7 - Load the kids into the car in PJs with warm cocoa and drive around town looking at Christmas lights
Day 8 - Make homemade Christmas cards for teachers and family
Day 9 - Go to the $1 Store and let the kids pick out anything they want
Day 10 - Christmas camping by the tree
Day 10 - Christmas camping by the tree
Day 11 - Snow Day at Desert Ridge
Day 12 - Visit the Live Nativity
Day 13 - Family Movie Night* - "Elf"
Day 13 - Family Movie Night* - "Elf"
Day 14 - Build a Gingerbread House
Day 15 - Holiday Storytime at Desert Ridge, then walk through the Gingerbread Village at JW Marriott
Day 15 - Holiday Storytime at Desert Ridge, then walk through the Gingerbread Village at JW Marriott
Day 16 - Go to the McCormick Train Park and ride the train through the Christmas lights
Day 17 - Roast marshmallows over the fire pit, drinking hot apple cider with neighbor friends
Day 17 - Roast marshmallows over the fire pit, drinking hot apple cider with neighbor friends
Day 18 - Go to the Star of Wonder Christmas production
Day 19 - Family Snow Day in Flagstaff!!!
Day 19 - Family Snow Day in Flagstaff!!!
Day 20 - Family Movie Night* - "Polar Express"
Day 21 - Christmas craft day - make ornaments, candy cane reindeer, look up other ideas on Family Fun's website
Day 22 - Bring a picnic lunch to eat with Daddy at his work
Day 23 - Bake Sugar Cookies for neighbors and deliver goodie boxes
Day 23 - Bake Sugar Cookies for neighbors and deliver goodie boxes
Day 24 - Bake a birthday cake for Jesus
Day 25 - Have Mike read the Christmas story from the Bible and have the kids set up the figures in the nativity set, piece by piece, as the story is read.
* I planned our Family Movie Nights around the 2010 TV Holiday Movie Schedule - I'll DVR the movies, then watch them when it works out best for us!
Day 25 - Have Mike read the Christmas story from the Bible and have the kids set up the figures in the nativity set, piece by piece, as the story is read.
* I planned our Family Movie Nights around the 2010 TV Holiday Movie Schedule - I'll DVR the movies, then watch them when it works out best for us!
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3 comments:
sounds like a great plan!!
did you do everything you've planned last year or did you make some changes?
love all your ideas and that's great for ryan to think of eating lunch with his dad. I'm doing this with my kids too.
Outting myself! Love your blog and your recipes. I am also local, but in Surprise.
I wanted to point out that the train at the trainpark in Scottsdale starts December 10th with the lights after dark. Not sure if that is what you are going for, but just in case. (okay, now back to lurking.)
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