Advent activities

[CountFosco]

We have, since the DCs were tiny, have had an advent calender with different activities each day of December. They have already started talking about doing it this year It has stuff like 'write Christmas cards', 'watch The Snowman', 'Swimming Club Christmas Party', all the usual Christmas preparation activities basically. But now they are a) older (8 to 12) and b) not going to any Christmas parties this year it's looking a bit sparce. So what kind of activities are you planning to do in December with your DC this year? I need to refresh our list!

My eldest two are the same age. Our list is a little different this year too.

I found grow your own crystal christmas tree kits in Home Bargains that will be one of our activities.

Others are plan and make tea only using red and green ingredients and make Christmas tree shaped pizza.

We usually go out for afternoon tea and then to Christmas markets so have swapped if for a home made afternoon tea.
Bird feeders/fat balls were popular with my two last year as was designing a Christmas themed board game for us all to play.

I have a 1 yeat old to throw into the mix this year so we also have some toddler type activities too which have helped bulk it out a bit.

Make cookies
Christmas cards making and writing
Christmas films
Glittering pine cones
Painting acorns
Watching films

I have robbed half your list sorry I'm also looking for ideas

If your in the northwest I have just booked the reindeer lodge for an elf safari

Fimo Christmas presents/card decorations?

Walk to find holly

Buy some clay and make a nativity scene

Wreath making class at a local florists

Christmas mug decorating

Christmas mocktail night with Scrabble?

Make a Gingerbread house. There are kits at Lakeland if you need help!

Decorate the tree.

Go for a walk/drive to look at the lights. There may be news in the local paper about a particular road or area that go OTT with this, and raise money for charity.

Go to the supermarket and buy 5 items each to put in the food bank collection box. I would suggest doing this early on if you choose to, so that the food bank have time to collect and distribute it.

I found grow your own crystal christmas tree kits in Home Bargains that will be one of our activities.

Totally stealing this, I use to love those magic trees when younger. Like the pizza Christmas trees as well.

Walk to find holly

This is a good idea, we had a big holly bush in our old house so had a plentiful supply for us and friends and neighbours but now don't. Love holly up everywhere.

Popular ones (still) here include:
Making paper snowflakes, making pomanders and making paperchains. Last year they made dinosaur snowglobes (guess who has a small boy obsessed with dinosaurs ). I make them do things for others so e.g. we always buy a toy for the local Christmas Toy appeal and did a box with essentials for a homeless person one year. Lots of Christmas books and films here as well. And the much beloved Christmas jigsaw that took forever when they were tiny and no time at all now.

Here's our list:
Christmas books
Buy presents for each other
Box of Delights DVD
Make Paper snowflakes
Snowman DVD
Write Christmas Cards
Make and decorate gingerbread biscuits
Festive Selfie Scavenger Hunt
Indoor Snowball Fight
Make a Pomander
Festive origami
Christmas DVD and popcorn
Buy supplies for the foodbank
Decorate Christmas Tree
Christmas Jigsaw
Grow your own crystal Christmas Tree
Candy Cane Hunt
Make Paperchains
Make Christmas Carol Music Video
Make popcorn garland for the birds
Penguin Bowling
Reverse Christmas Carol Quiz (e.g. cacophanous morning =Silent Night)
Decorate Cake
Unwrap a present

Possibly: Christmas Jumper Day if they have that at school
Sledging if it snows (ha!)

great thread - and some great ideas!
I am trying to think of things to do with older dc 12, 14 and 16 (plus 18yr old and 21yr old students when they return)
Not going to do something every day as we are all V busy with school and work (NHS clinician and a teacher!) so will do a few evening things and then slightly bigger ideas for weekends
So far am planning:
Buying and decorating Christmas tree the Sunday student dc come home
Polar express afternoon - dc can make paper snowflakes/paper chains for the lounge, then watching the film with nice hot choc and popcorn
Christmas tree picnic one evening - nice sancky foods eaten on a big balnket in front of Christmas tree with just the twinkly lights on
Going to local woods for holly/greenery - will take flask of hot choc and cookies
Making gingerbread houses (have got 2 of the costco ones and thinking of having dc in teams and making a competition for best one!!
Board games afternoon do this quite often anywaybut will try and make it christmas themed
Will also do North Pole breakfast one weekend morning
Always do a gift for local gift aid scheme and dc are bringing food into school for foodbanks
will get dc to make some pictures to send to grandparents

like the idea of popcorn garlands for the birds too

I read that someone (maybe on MN?) goes on a 'light safari'... they make travel mugs of hot chocolate and drive around looking at the Christmas lights, playing Christmas music! I thought that sounded ace!

IKEA do great gingerbread house kits along with the 'glue' and icing pens.

Deliver cards

Random act of kindness?

Walk around lights locally and post a card to the best one (one each) thanking them for making us smile.
Make paper chains
Make paper snowflakes
Hot chocolate bar
Receive Santa message on PNP
Watch elf
Put outside lights up
Make a gingerbread house.
Christmas lights bingo.
Collect holly
Make a wreath
Make your own wrapping paper
Fire pit with marshmallows to toast
Charity gift
Buy family presents
Wrap presents
Decorate tree
Watch the snowman
Grow your own Christmas tree
Bake cookies
Make cards
Write cards
An evening of Christmas music and party food
Christmas themed breakfast
Make Christmas crackers
Make mince pies

Lots of places are doing a box of afternoon tea that you can have at hole for those who usually do afternoon tea. We had one yesterday with a coffee from our coffee machine (hot chocolate for DS) and it was lovely. Or you could easily make your own but ours came with a hand written note thanking us for supporting those small, local business so it felt good to do that.

Another idea is to get a free trial/ pay for a month of a streaming site that you don’t have for December. We’re getting Disney Plus.

My little one is much younger but sharing our list so far in case it helps anyone else. Also hoping to pick up one more idea to add!

Receive Christmas pjs
Decorate felt Christmas tree
Tree day - put our tree up / receive this years xmas bauble
Winter light walk pre-booked with a local place
Cebebies Christmas Show
Walk to see the deer (another local place)
Christmas walk for pine cones, ivy and evergreen so I can decorate the table
Xmas movie - duvets, pillows and popcorn
Online panto hopefully with nanny and grandad
Christmas colouring in book
Christmas story book
Christmas Balloons - little one loves them so will blow them up in the evening so he comes down to them in the morning
Bubble machine night - another thing he loves!
Hot chocolate bar
Xmas disco - bought a cheap disco light and will play cheesy music!
Indoor snowball fight
Mulled wine - adult only night as I am banking on at least one night that he sleeps after nursery!!!
Salt dough hand print decorations
Christmas neighbourhood lights walk
Toasted marshmallows as he missed this on guy fawkes as he fell asleep
Christmas Carol's at home
Receive letter from santa
North pole breakfast

oh, thought of another one. Going to stock up the craft supplies, then will do a bedroom door decorating competition! Did this with our office doors one year, there were some amazing creations. LOL

We do this still with older children, they still like it and I find it spreads the prep out!

I'm just placemarking for others' ideas really. Most of ours are covered above, my only trouble is I am impatient to start this year!

I am loving all these ideas. I used to do a lot with mine when they were younger lots of crafts with trips adding in like feeding the reindeer, panto etc but they are 14 and 16 now with the eldest 2 at university but I think this year I may start it again with older activities.

I've noticed a few mention Christmas themed or north pole breakfast what is this please

Most of mine are food related
Make mince pies
Dd wants to make cheese stars . I made them for a party last year!
Chocolate lollipops - recipe in Christmas good housekeeping mag
I will buy a gingerbread house to put together
Christmas cupcakes - got lots of Christmas sprinkles etc the other day.
I've got Christmas cards to colour in
Make wreaths from tissue paper, ribbons etc using paper plates as wreaths.
Forest walk for pinecones.
We always watch the muppets Christmas Carol
Find online pantomime. Dd loves going usually.