Countdown to Christmas, Part Two

There are so many good ideas for making the most of the month of December, so here is part two of Countdown to Christmas.

Here are different versions and adaptations of Countdown Down to Christmas:

• 25 Days of Christmas Count Down by Blue Cricket Design
• A Simpler Season Countdown to Christmas by Life As Mom
• 25 Holiday Activities for Kids by Sheri Reed at The Stir (Toddler-aged activities)
• Advent Calendar Activities at Family Fun
• Advent Countdown Calendar by Design Dazzle.

Years ago, I started a family advent tradition at our house consisting of activities, good deeds, crafts, outings, and more to be done each day in December.  I wanted to focus on family, the spirit of giving, and, of course, Jesus.  I hoped to take the focus off all the commercialism and marketing schemes.  Thankfully, it worked.  Our family enjoys the activities as much -- or more -- than the gifts of Christmas morning.  Our advent tradition is a favorite of both mine and the kids. 

Some activity ideas:

1. Go Christmas caroling.
2. Have a hot chocolate bar for the kids and the neighborhood kids after a fun day of sled riding.
3. Visit Santa Claus and have photos taken.
4. Introduce the Elves for the Christmas season.*  Elf on the Shelf is a great tradition that we have done in our home for over five years. More information about the Elves in a later post.
5. Host a family game night and invite another family.
6. Bake cookies and other desserts for gifts (and the annual open house).
7. Deliver cookies, brownies, cupcakes, etc., to local fire fighters, police officers, and senior citizen centers.*
8. Go to a Christmas tree farm to pick out the traditional family Christmas tree.
9. Have a Christmas tree decorating party.  Invite the aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  Take lots of photographs.
10. Go shopping for the annual Christmas ornament based on the children's likes and interests for this past year.  Each child gets to pick out a new ornament.
11. Build a gingerbread house and gingerbread family.*
12. Take the annual family Christmas photos.
13. Write letters to Santa and take them to the post office.*
14. Make a birthday cake for Jesus.*
15. Have a Christmas movie marathon.*
16. Decorate the house with the help from the children.
17. Let the kids create some Christmas cards for their teachers and grandparents.*
18. Have a picnic dinner by the light of the Christmas tree.*
19. Let the children decorate their own Christmas tree.*
20. Host a Christmas craft party for your children and their friends.
21. Have a Christmas wrapping party for the kids.
22. Snuggle up and read Christmas stories.
23. Have a Christmas scavenger hunt.
24. Talk about Jesus and his birth and the true reason of Christmas.*
25. Have kids go through their old toys to donate to a local charity. My kids love this part of Christmas.*
26. Sleep under the Christmas tree.
27. Go dollar store shopping with cousins.* 
28. Help a family in need by shopping for food, necessities, and one gift for each member of the family.*
29. Take a drive around town to see all the beautiful Christmas lights and outside decorations.*
30. Make Christmas gifts, such as gifts in a jar, cross-stitch, ornaments.*
31. Make What Are We Thankful For paper chain garland.*
32. Learn about Christmas traditions in other countries.*
33. Learn about Kwanzaa.* (My daughter wants to learn more about her heritage.)
34. Read the Christmas story from the Bible (usually done on Christmas day).*
35. Make Magic Reindeer Food.*
36. Snowman making contest.
37. Play a Christmas trivia game. Make your own game.  Many facts can be found online and at your local library.
38. Attend Christmas Eve service at a local church.*
39. See the awesome lights at Hartwood Acres.*
40. Play Christmas games.
41. Make and eat a red and green dinner.
42. Go to the local Christmas parade.
43. See the fabulous Christmas tree display at Kraynak's.*
44. Participate in Operation Christmas Card.*
45. Make Christmas gift tags from last year's Christmas cards.*
46. Participate in Operation Shoebox.
47. Participate in Operation Christmas Child.*
48. Journal - Top 10 Christmas Carols, Top 5 Gifts of All Time, Most Favorite Christmas, What Does Christmas Mean to You.
49. Let the kids decorate their rooms.
50. Track Santa online.*
51. Make a Christmas wish list.
52. Offer to babysit for a single mother so she can go Christmas shopping without the kids.
53. Make Christmas ornaments.*
54. Make Christmas Countdown Tree.
55. Scrapbook all the activities and chaos of the Christmas season.*

* denotes the traditions we do in our home.

Dollar Store Shopping
Each cousin draws a name from a hat and shops for that person. Then, we all gather at our house to wrap the gifts.  After a fun dinner of party foods, the kids open their gifts.

Magic Reindeer Food
Mix 1/4 cup oatmeal and sprinkle of red or green sugar crystals. Put in a small Ziploc bag or small baby food container.

Paper Chain Garland
Each day the kids write something they are thankful for and add the new "chain" to the garland.  Each person who visits during the holidays is asked to participate.

Wrapping Paper Party
The kids make their own wrapping paper.  Then, they wrap as many presents as possible.  They also create Christmas gift tags. Our wrapping has evolved over the years.

Add your own family traditions . . . and create new traditions.

You can choose to do only one activity a day or to do 3-4 activities each day.  For us, it depended on the mood of the kids.  The "extra" activities were listed on a piece of paper in my desk drawer.

Countdown to Christmas

Based on the last post I wrote -- about Advent -- this article continues the idea of a countdown to Christmas.

There are many ways to commemorate the Christmas spirit throughout the month of December.  These ideas are based on doing a countdown from the first of December through Christmas Eve (unless otherwise noted).  The activities are for the whole family to enjoy together.

Christmas Books - Put 25 books (wrapped in Christmas paper, if you wish) in a basket.  Read a book each night before bed. There are many books about Christmas, the birth of Jesus, and the holiday season.

Advent Calendar - Open the door (drawer, box, etc.) and find a small surprise.  There are many many many versions of this type of calendar in the stores and online.

Jesse Tree - The Jesse Tree represents the family of Jesse, father of King David.  Out of this family line, God would take flesh and live among the people of Earth. The genealogy of Jesus, Matthew 1:1-17, names a person from each generation before Jesus' birth.  Make or add an ornament each day that represents the ancestors of Jesus.

Daily Scripture Readings (4 weeks)

1. Luke 21:5-19
2. Matthew 21:1-11
3. Matthew 21:12-22
4. Matthew 21:23-32
5. Matthew 21:33-46
6. Matthew 22:1-14
7. Matthew 22:15-22
8. Luke 1:57-68
9. Matthew 22:23-33
10. Matthew 22:34-46
11. Matthew 23:1-12
12. Matthew 23:13-26
13. Matthew 23:27-39
14. Matthew 24:1-14
15. John 5:30-47
16. Matthew 24:15-31
17. Matthew 24:32-44
18. Matthew 24:45-51
19. Matthew 25:1-13
20. Matthew 25:14-30
21. Matthew 25:31-46
22. John 3:16-21
23. Luke 1:1-25
24. Luke 1:26-38
25. Luke 1:39-56
26. Luke 1:57-66
27. Luke 1:67-80
28. Matthew 1:18-25

Community Cares

1. Bake cookies, brownies, and other sweets, then deliver them to a local fire company &/or police station.
2. Go Christmas caroling at a local senior citizen center.
3. Do a Christmas craft with a local Head Start class.
4. Shovel the sidewalk/driveway for an elderly neighbor.
5. Help a local Boy Scout or Girl Scout group buy presents for a low-income family .
6. Provide babysitting for a single parent so they can go shopping without the kids.
7. Donate a Christmas tree to a local library.
8. Donate money to your favorite charity.
9. Help out at your local soup kitchen.
10. Provide mittens, hats, & scarves to less fortunate classmates.
11. Host a food drive for a local food bank.
12. Volunteer your time at a local pet shelter.
13. Host a Christmas book reading for kids at a local library.
14. Help low-income families by making a gift to the Dollar Energy Fund via your local gas or electric company.
15. Anonymously pay for the coffee/tea/pop/water for the next person in line.
16. Invite a homeless person over for a home-cooked meal.
17. Make ornaments with kids from your church to decorate the Christmas tree in the sanctuary.
18. Spend time - getting to know a person and talking about past Christmases - with a person from a senior citizens center.
19. Pamper a cancer patient with a stocking of beauty and health care products.
20. Create Christmas art with the kids to hang in the local veterans center.
21. Provide hot chocolate &/or mulled cider for local emergency room doctors, nurses, and staff.
22. Be an elf (or Santa) and deliver small gifts to a local children's hospital.
23. Donate a Bible to a youngster via the Angel Tree program.
24. Visit and pray with those incarcerated at a local jail.
25. Invite all the friends, neighbors, colleagues, etc.,  - who have no place to go - over for Christmas dinner.

 

 Of course, you can combine more than one idea to create your own unique countdown.

Don't Go Broke for Christmas

Inexpensive Resources So You Don't Go Broke for Christmas

Haha, remember that old song, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, – well, I wonder if the spirit of ol’ Bing would update that to 'I’ll be broke for Christmas.' Hey, I’m not complaining because I know a lot of people out there are in the same spot. This year has really sucked in the financial department. I think we feel it more around Christmas time because we want to be generous this time of year. We want to splurge and shower our friends and loved ones with wonderful gifts, delicious things to eat, delightful toys, great fun, dashing parties, and merriment – the whole ball of wax. But alas…what’s a Christmas time junkie to do when she’s short on cash?

Well, I don’t know if it will help but I’ll give you my own version of Christmas on the cheap. Here’s what I do (in no particular order):

1. I comb the thrift shops, discount stores, consignment stores, library sales, dollar stores, and clearance shelves.

2. I check the grocery store flyer's for whatever is on sale.  For example, if roast beef is less than $2 a pound, well then, that’s my Christmas meal.

3. I use my old Christmas cards to make collages, framed art decor, boxes, gift tags, etc.

4. I go for walks and collect pine cones, sticks (for primitive tree), greenery and put them in baskets and vases around the house to help give it that Christmas look.

5. I handmake many of my gifts (bake brownies & cookies, create gifts in a jar, scrapbook pages/albums, & scrapbook jewelry, cards, ornaments, etc.) for the mailman, mechanic, teachers (when my kids were in public school), neighbors, the local fire station, the local police station, the local senior citizen center, etc.

6. I invite friends for a potluck movie marathon. Four friends each bring a dish of some sort, add three movies, hot cocoa, and you’ve got a party.

7. I drive around the neighborhood at night and admire the Christmas lights and displays.

8. If I’m exchanging gifts with friends, we set a limit, like $5 and we stick to it. You can find some great inexpensive gifts that people will cherish:  fuzzy Christmas socks, nice pen set, note cards,

9. A hand-written letter listing what you admire most about the person is an awesome gift.

10. I’ve also been known to give coupons for 3 hours of pet sitting or kid sitting, a home-cooked meal, an afternoon of shoveling snow, 3 hours of cleaning, or an afternoon of driving so they can go shopping and do errands.

I take whatever talents or resources I have available and I turn them into the most Christmas-y thing I can think of . . . and you know what, it works.

Celebrity Holiday Cards that Make a Difference

Tiny Prints holiday cards are known for standing out, but this year they're also taking a stand against a painful childhood disease. These stylish ornament cards were designed by some of your favorite celebrities to benefit the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation, a volunteer organization dedicated to researching and curing the genetic skin disorder that affects thousands of children each year. It's your chance to send these holiday ornament cards that stand out and make a difference. Select any of the exclusive designs from the collection created by Reese Witherspoon, Courteney Cox, Rachel Zoe, Jennifer Garner, Kate Beckinsale, or Brooke Shields.

Celebrate the Holidays

Each day leading up to December 25th, visitors open a virtual door to reveal a way to give back to their community or contribute to global programs. In addition to charitable tips, behind each door visitors can find festive surprises including tracks from Peter Buffett’s beautiful holiday album, Star of Wonder, behind-the-scenes vlogs, and a first look at excerpts from Peter's upcoming book, Life is What You Make It.

The calendar can be viewed here: www.peterbuffett.com/advent.

The Cards That Give Twice

This holiday season, send cards that mean more.

We donate ten percent of card sales to well respected nonprofit organizations working throughout the world.

Good Cause Greetings is proud to support nonprofit organizations throughout the world through the sale of our unique line of holiday greeting cards. The purchase of Good Cause Greetings helps end hunger, provide housing, medical care and education for world citizens and improve the environment for people and animals worldwide. At the site, click on a charity logo to be linked to the collection of cards supporting that particular organization.

Seeds of Hope

This holiday season, there is one gift – a piece of beautiful, hand-crafted jewelry - that is helping to give back: the Seeds of Hope Pin. The Seeds of Hope Pin is donating 25% of its proceeds to the National Foundation for Cancer Research (www.NFCR.org). Each Seeds of Hope pin is made of sterling silver with individually hand-set stones and signed by renowned artist, Robert Coogan, creating an heirloom-quality piece, made in the USA. Unlike other pins, the Seed of Hope pins can be personalized to reflect an individual's particular sentiment: White - Hope; Red - Honor; Blue - Triumph. 25% of the gross proceeds from each Seeds of Hope pin supports cancer research. Visit http://www.hopepin.com for more information.

Recipe for Joy

Help donate 1 million meals to the hungry this holiday season. Simply send FREE holiday e-cards from American Greetings to your friends and family. For each card sent, Kraft Foods will donate 10 meals to Feeding America. Be among the first to experience the joy of giving and spread the word about this program. Visit Recipe For Joy and send a FREE holiday e-card today and every day through December 31, 2009. For more information about Feeding America, visit Feeding America.

The First Gift of Christmas

When you join the Richard Paul Evans mailing list, $1 will be donated by Operation Kids to help abused and neglected children.

Also when you join the mailing list (offer good until 1231/09) you will receive a FREE downloadable audio copy of The First Gift of Christmas written and ready by Richard Paul Evans.

Each week someone from Richard's mailing list will win an autographed copy of Richard's latest book.

The Believe Project

The Magic of Macy’s at Christmas

Writing letters to Santa Claus is an age-old Christmas tradition for children all over the world. Macy’s is collecting these letters in a special Santa letterbox at all Macy’s stores. For each letter received, Macy’s will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Believe Meter (see sidebar), will measure America’s belief, based on our collective spirit, including the amount of letters received and other current events that reflect the season’s generosity.

Wish Me a Merry Christmas

This woman was frustrated by the hearing "Happy Holiday's" instead of "Merry Christmas" so she started a business/fundraising project making buttons that say "It's OK, wish me a Merry Christmas!" Churches have been buying the buttons in bulk and giving them to members and others are using them as fundraisers.

The Wish Me A Merry Christmas Campaign is a loving and actionable grassroots campaign that appeals directly to retailers to put Christmas back in the holidays.

The angel of the Lord announced that the good news of Christ’s birth would be proclaimed to all people (Luke 2:10), and we seek to keep spreading that good news, indeed! Upon reaching our "Million Button Milestone, the Wish Me A Merry Christmas Campaign will directly contact the top 30 retailers in our nation to ask them to honor the wishes of their customers and wish us a “Merry Christmas” once again!