Advent Pocket Fillers

Although the kids sure think it's great to get treats every day for the entire month of December as we're doing the advent calendar, we've been thinking of other options that they'll still get excited about. Try checking your area for events happening locally and add those to your calendar on the appropriate day.

Here are a few ideas you might like to try to fill your Advent Calendar Pockets:

• Hot Chocolate Night
• Firepit Night
• Decorate Sugar Cookies (and then deliver some to friends or neighbors)
• Make Gingerbread houses--Wilton has easy pre-made kits available
• Write Santa letters
• Assemble and send your family Christmas cards
• Have a sleep-out under the Christmas tree (we'll have at least 2 pockets with this one)
• Watch your family's favorite Christmas movie
• Attend your city's torchlight or holidazzle parades
• Go view Christmas light displays in your neighborhood
• Attend a Christmas concert in your area
• Make ornaments for your tree
• Cut paper snowflakes and hang them around the house or post them in the windows
• Sledding day
• Make custom gift tags (recycling old greeting cards are great for this activity)
• Wrapping presents day
• Visit Santa at your local Mall
• Read one or more of your favorite Christmas books--Click HERE for good start on a reading list
• Find acts of service to perform--i.e., shoveling walks for someone
• Have a "clean out" day and purge some of your outgrown or unused toys or clothes and then donate them to a shelter
• Make a "Thank You" stocking for Santa to hang with the rest of yours
• Make custom placemats using old Christmas cards

Family Fun has some printable Advent Calendar Activities you can try also.

Advent Nativity Coloring Pages--6 pages that you can print off already in color or black and white for your kids to color. They can color one character or figure each day during the month until the entire nativity is completed on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.