advent

I made this calendar for the kids last year. I had never really introduced Chloe to advent calendars, so it was the first year I tried it. It was a dismal failure! I put chocolates in the socks, doubling up for the weekends that Chloe was home, but forgetting about my niece and nephew, and the "almost-toddler" who was then developing mum's sweet tooth. I think by day three all the chocolates had been eaten - and everyone swore that someone else had done it!

So, this year, I had to take a different path. In the spirit of recycling, I'm using the same calendar (and the kids love it, so I think we might keep it going for years to come), and the socks are filled with little activities for the kids to complete each day. I've never quite figured out the whole counting up/counting down thing, so our calendar starts at one and ends at twenty-four. I think it will take a while before the kids question if that is the right way or not.

Here is the full list of activities:

1. do some Christmas colouring in
2. read a Christmas story to Natalie
3. make cards for your scout leaders
4. decorate the tree
5. write a letter to Santa
6. do some Christmas colouring in
7. read a Christmas story to Natalie
8. make a card for your teacher
9. make white rocky road for your school party
10. listen to some Christmas music
11. watch "Mickey's Once upon a Christmas"
12. make fudge
13. sing loudly at Carols by Candlelight
14. read a Christmas story to Natalie
15. take some groceries to the "empty tree"
16. make paper chains
17. watch "the Santa clause"
18. check out the Christmas lights
19. bake some Christmas cookies
20. present shopping for siblings
21. decorate Santa sacks
22. make table centrepieces
23. make Christmas crackers
24. watch Carols by Candlelight on tv