advent

it's december! all is calm, all is bright.

i have a sixteen year old that still gets as excited about christmas now as she did when she was six. even with the full to the brim lifestyle of being sixteen, she doesn't want to miss out on any of the holiday hustle, bustle and preparations. i get it. one christmas tradition she's always been an active participant in is advent calendars, a number of which she enthusiastically started yesterday including a new advent calendar i made just for her. each day's envelope contains a family christmas tradition she can festively add to her day as she eagerly counts down to christmas.
advent calendar + daily merriment = jolly daughter

hey, i know it is a day late but if you'd like to go beyond the standard chocolatewindowedcardboardboxadventcalendar and quickly put together something a little more fun and personal for your family, or even yourself, here are 25 activity ideas to daily make the most of this merry month.

make a christmas pudding to serve on christmas eve 

write a letter to a loved one and attach to a gift

christmas scented bath soak - light a candle and add peppermint, balsam or pine essential oil to bath water

attend the nutcracker ballet

take a drive to see the christmas lights and delightfully tacky front yard decorations

decorate the house for christmas

bundle up, go outside and take a deep breath of crisp, fresh, winter air

make a cup of hot chocolate, add marshmallows

read the christmas story from the bible

hang christmas lights inside or out

make a christmas card for someone you love

wear your coziest winter sweater

watch a christmas movie

address, stamp and send out christmas cards

wrap christmas gifts

volunteer at a food bank or shelter

set up a nativity

go christmas caroling

bake christmas cookies

trim the tree

make a snowman

hang stockings

read childhood christmas books

play or listen to christmas music

roast chestnuts