Sunday, November 30, 2008

Advent Calendar

though i would share the activities in our advent calendar for this year.
in each of the pockets we have a small piece of paper with a christmas activity for the countdown to christmas. some of the pockets also have a chocolate treat...i think there r only 5 chocolate treat ones.
here r our activities

  1. Put up the christmas tree
  2. Visit Santa
  3. Go gift shopping
  4. Make wrapping paper
  5. Draw christmas pictures
  6. Watch a christmas movie (the old ones i watched when i was little, u know the animated ones with rudolph saving the day)
  7. Listen to christmas stories and then draw a picture of the story
  8. Donate a gift to the wishing tree
  9. write christmas cards
  10. Email santa
  11. Play christmas games on the computer (see links below)
  12. carols by candlelight
  13. christmas concert
  14. listen to carols
  15. make a christmas decoration
  16. make the christmas cake
  17. make christmas coookies
  18. christmas window art
  19. Make grandparent presents
  20. make a hand and feet reindeer
  21. make christmas gift tags
  22. wrap christmas presents
  23. make a christmas table centrepiece
  24. share the story of christmas, track santa on santa tracker (maybe midnight mass, still up for discussion)
  25. share the joy of christmas

we like having activities in our advent calendar, builds nice excitment for the day and helps us teach the kids about giving and not just recieveing and we r starting to teach them this year about christmas and the purpose of the celebration.

here r some christmas links to great websites

http://www.thekoala.com/christmas.htm (games, gift tags, recipes, australian christmas site)

http://www.northpole.com/Village.html (email santa, santa tracker, stories, games, recipes)

none of this really cost me any money. we have a cloth reusable advent calendar, there r plenty of colouring in pages on the internet. the only money i have spent is the repositional paint for the window decorating and i bought the old christmas movies. but for the most part free activities for us to do each day. mostly from free internet sites. if the two above dont suit your needs try a search it brings up plenty! including countless sites of colouring in pages and stories.

ive used the above two before, including in a school situation.

enjoy

9 comments:

Chris Millar said...

What a fantastic idea Jac! I've thinking about our advent calendar and not wanting to put chocolates in it this year, or maybe just a few. So I bought some Christmas stickers and a couple of other Christmas bits and pieces to go in the pockets. We put up our tree a day early today as it will be too busy with the kids at school tomorrow.

jacqui jones said...

sounds like fun at your house
we r waiting for our new 6ft tree to come

Anonymous said...

I love the activities you have planned for each day! Kids make Christmas more exciting.
I was reading some eariler bits and am amazed to hear you make bread daily. Do you have a bread maker or do you do it the old way? Do you let it cool or just eat it straight away? Yum yum!

Tracey McBride ~ Frugal Luxuries® said...

Hello Jacqui,
I'm over at the recommendation of DaisyMum7 to take a peek at your Advent Calendar. I am very glad I did so!! What a wonderful list...very thought provoking for me...and inspiring me to action.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Warmly,
Tracey

Anonymous said...

made the zucchini slice - with zucchinis from our garden - the only thing that has not been water logged or got storm damage - oh it was yummmmmmmmmmm

thanks

jacqui jones said...

woohoo go julie
i cant wait to make it with zucchini from our garden

jacqui jones said...

no bread maker sarah
but we do knead it in the kitchen aid, i would be lost without it and then bake in the oven.
i love eating the end crusty bit while its still hot..:), but the loaf is easier to cut if we let it cool first...which is a bugger!!!

gail said...

Hi jacqui, Just a quick question about a comment you made on :down to earth: How long did it take for you to be happy with the carb soda shampoo. My hair is very thick and seems a little dull since using this method of washing my hair, but I would like to persevere if it will work well in the end.Blessings Gail

jacqui jones said...

hi gail
i hope u see this
im up to wash 5, the first day i had to fight every urge i had to get back in the shower and wash my hair. the second and third wash was no better. but the 4th i really noticed an improvement. the fifth is due tomorrow. i am noticing so far that it doesnt need to be washed as often, but that it feels different to what i was used to. i read that it can take up to 6 weeks before its looking its best again. at this point im willing to keep trying.
how many washes r u in??
i read that if your hair is thick to double everything...so 2 tablespoons bicarb to 2 cups water. but im not sure ive been making a paste in my hand.