Help me think of 24 Christmassy things to do ...

[Smithagain]

As a result of various gifts, our two girls now have three refillable cloth advent calendars between them. And I'd quite like to use them all, but don't want to fill them all with tat/chocolate/money!

So I'm thinking that one of them will have 24 little cards in the pockets, with a "thing to do today" written on them. Some of them will be useful (like "remind Mummy that today is the last day for posting cards ") Some of them will be just for fun (e.g. "snuggle up in a duvet and watch The Snowman") and some of them might be a bit serious.

Any ideas? Will this work or is it too cheesy?!

this is such a lovely thread..i went and brought my christmas sweet bags today from lakeland for our reindeer food as presents for some of dc's friends and homemade biscuits...am beginning to enjoy the gradual buildup to christmas..

This is going to be my new Christmas tradition. I have a cloth Advent calendar that is useless for the traditional treats (5 things won't fit in one pocket), so this is a lovely way to finally make use of it. Thanks.

another one stealing the idea here. fantastic thread

A little bump to see if anyone else has anuy ideas - I am busy stealing this idea and am typing up Santa letters as we speak!

My own contribution is to have a decorated box that can appear each day "magically" filled with all the bits you need to use that day (card, porridge oats, pine cones etc) to make sure there is no last minute rushing around to find stuff!

Last year, each day, Santa would leave a mini treasure hunt map to get the choc/toy for that advent day, I think I may combine the two this year!

Please ignore my terrible grammer, spelling, typing ...

lovely idea - will try to be organised enough to carry out with the DC.

My list for the last 3 years is

What did the three wise men bring?

What do you think the Wise men would bring today?

Name three things you need to make christmas pudding?

Sing jingle bells backwards?

Name three things that glitter?

Imitate a turkey?

Do 5 star jumps

Think of 3 words that rhyme with "Yule"?

Think up the next line of this poem:
At Christmas time the thing I like the best

Name 3 plants or trees associated with Christmas?

Name 3 animals or birds associated with Christmas?

Name 4 reindeer?

Sing a Christmas Song

Name 5 carols?

4 3-letter words from Christmas?

4 3-letter words from stocking?

Name a carol with someone's name in the title?

Name a song with Santa in the title?

What was given on the 9th day of christmas?

In the 12 days of Christmas - how many birds altogether were given?

Name two animals in the traditional nativity scene?

Make a snowflake out of paper?

Tell the story of the first christmas in less than a minute?

Name 5 christmas foods?

Make something to hang on the christmas tree?

Think of 3 names for father Christmas?

I guess I need some new ones now

This is a fabby idea. My 2 DD have a cloth advent calender, they pick a star out of the pocket and hang it on the nativity scene sewn onto the calender but I think I will add the some of the above mentioned ideas to they pockets! Thank you.

Lovely, lovely idea which I am so going to steal

Can someone expand on the "reindeer food"? What exactly do you do/does it involve?

What a fantastic idea i am going to do this its fab

How about making a nice Xmas card to send Santa?

My DS is 7 and thinks Santa/FC is 'the kindest man in the whole world'.

Research the history of some Christmas traditions (that is an idea for what to do one day, not an instruction to you!)

Btw if you're in or near London I would strongly recommend going to the Christmas Past exhibition at the Geffrye Museum. It's great!

Reindeer food is basically a mix of porridge oats and glitter, the idea is that the reindeer will see it twinkling from the sky and come down and stand nicely for Santa to do his thing whilst filling their tums! A lot of people spread it outside, I find a bowl is easier as the DC can see just how much the reindeer have eaten in the morning.

Write list of things needed for Christmas crafts

Buy things for Christmas Crafts

Make glittery tree decorations using cookie cutters as templates to draw round on card. Cover in glue, add glitter and thread on a red ribbon to hang.

ANother MNetter nabbing the idea - aorry! Haven;t yet read the thread properly but what about putting things on like if weather is fine go to park and feed ducks (how old are your DCS?), if its raining/cold, have carpet picnic?

I love this idea, what about making some place cards/ a decoration with names for Christmas lunch guests?

I didn't mean I loved my idea, I meant yours...

NCbirdy - thanks . I thought that might be the "recipe" for reindeer food but was suddenly filled with "not quite good enough mum for Christmas ideas" doubt!!!

Am loving this thread

Thanks all

I have now written my shortlist of ideas, based on this thread. I have got over 60 ideas, even after I've eliminated the ones I don't think will appeal to us!

I'm going to enjoy choosing one each evening, for the next day.

It is great isn't it? I have started shopping for the bits to do it already, I am so excited by the whole hting! I have worked out which ones can share ingrediants/accesories etc. I can incorporate dazmum's idea too as it is more card and glitter type thing!

I have split them into smaller "after school" type things and longer/more involved ones for weekends and the hols! Did ou see the crayon thread? I am using that one to make presants for younger friends (and it should take most of a weekend too )

Thank you so much for the idea Smithagain, I would never have come up with it on my own!

This is lovely Wish I had LOs again.
One I don't think has been mentioned - making paper chains. Mine used to love this.

Was going to add the reindeer food too it's basically porridge oats with glitter in here!We put them in a little bag and sprinkle them down the path and basically the porridge feeds the reindeers and the glitter lights their way!
Just remember to sweep it up!
Usually add something like this tied by a little ribbon to the bag
?Sprinkle this on Christmas Eve night. The light of the moon will make it sparkle bright. As Santa?s reindeer fly and roam, this will guide them to your home!?

We also go down to our local garden centre where they do lovely xmas display and let the dc choose a bauble each for the tree!
Lol always brings back a memory for me when we get the decs out but not a good idea if you like coordianted trees
We have a soldier , a robin and a snowman made of polystyrene courtesy of ds (bless him) and some sparkly pink thing dd1 chose last year!
Can imagine getting them out when dc all grown up though and feeling really emotional!

what a lovely thread another one stealing here.

some bigger ideas but things that happen here -

victorian christmas market - we have a local one on the 1st dec.
visit santa - if anyone is near warwick go to hatton country world to see him
tea / breakfast with santa - wyevale garden centres offer this

breakfast/tea with santa