As I look back over the years I don't remember most things my parents or Santa gifted me for Christmas. I do remember driving around and looking at the Christmas lights on Thanksgiving weekend. The endless amounts of Christmas goodies we made while listening to our favorite Christmas CD. The days we spent the day together playing in the snow, coming in and drinking hot chocolate, and then watching a Christmas show all together. It dawned on me that the gifts are fun in the moment and maybe even for a few years, but the time spent together as a family is what we actually cherish and remember about the
holidays as a kid.
As the holidays are fast upon us, remember the real things your kids will tell their kids about. Rarely will it be that new bike they asked for, or the toy they have been circling in the ad each time it comes. It's time spent with you. Making memories. Memories and traditions they are going to want to make with their own families. Last year I started an advent calendar of one activity each day to make the holidays even more special. I'm busy, you're busy, we are all trying to make it through this holiday season all while making the most of it. Each activity is EASY. Aint nobody got time for all that frilly stuff each day. I made a list of all the things I wanted to spend the holidays doing together as a family and gifted us the "gift of togetherness" and separated them all out for each day. Go ahead and copy mine, add your own twist, or just look at
the cute pictures :)
Small activities to make December more magical as a family:
1- December 1st Party
2- Candy Cane Hunt
3- Color Christmas Pictures
4- Make Christmas Candy
5- Call and wish cousins Merry Christmas
6- Go caroling
7- Write Santa a letter
8- Visit Santa
9- Look at Christmas Lights
10- Read Christmas books under the tree
11- Sleepover under the tree
12- Donate to the poor
13- Make Snowman
14- Secret Santa someone
15- Christmas music dance party
16- Make Christmas cards for grandparents
17- Act out nativity
18- Snowball fight
19- Christmas craft
20- Make gingerbread houses
21- Watch a Christmas movie
22- Pick out a Christmas book from the library
23- Make ornaments
24- Dance around the Christmas tree
25- Christmas Day!
What Your Kids Really Want For Christmas | Holiday Traditions Your Kids Will Remember | Adding Memories Without Extra Work | December Traditions | Advent Calendar