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?!

bump - does anyone else have any good ones? I'm watching this with baited breath to get a few more!!

x

Oh I'm stealing this too!

Some more christmassy recipe ideas:

peppermint creams
coconutice mice
playdough gingerbread men, baked, then painted for the tree.
One of the early days write letter to santa, then a later day could have a reply back from santa.

Ummmmmm....

go see a christmas ballet (eg the snowman at the peacock theatre in london), film, christmas craft making workshop (Geffryre museum is doing them for all ages)

and i suppose you could just have a day when you do something you know dcs love and you rarely get to do. for us that would be going to see daddy for lunch in town or spend the day playing dress up with her bf

i thought of something else but can't remember it now...

oh yes,
spend the afternoon in hamleys playing with all the toys that are on display. they have loads out, and cos you can play with them all, it seems more like a day at playgroup rather than a shop. suppose you could always tell older ones that they are allowed to buy just one thing under a certain price if they are desperate to buy. my dd just likes to play with it all and hasn't yet realised that she could get me to buy some of it to take home!

visit santa's grotto at a big london store (very london-centric this, my apologies) or go to a park in town that you don't often get to eg coram's fields - you can have tasty hot choc in a yummy cafe afterwards

I love this idea; I'm just gutted that DD is only 14 months. It's getting me all festive...

How about:
Go and buy cat/dog/rabbit etc. a small gift (in order to help out the big man, of course)
Paint your own mug for Grandma/Grandad/Great Auntie Thingy
Choose Christmas charity
Visit ducks in the park to wish them a very Happy Christmas and give them some bread
Make secret den in order to discuss secret Christmassy stuff and wrap presents
Plan Christmas show for Daddy/Grandma/Grandad etc.

Still thinking...

Just thought - the buying of pet gifts could come with a personal request letter from Father Christmas (As I am so busy...etc. etc.)

Getting over-excited now !

A few more fab suggestions there thanks!

I'm after a few more 'insidey' lazy ones for week days after work school when I really won't want to be getting out crafty bits & cooking - got some good ones of those for when they break up/weekends.

I have:
watch a christmas book under the duvet
Read a christmassy book
do some Christmassy puzzles (will find some online to print off I'm sure)
Write cards to school friends
write & post a letter to the big man

but I'm still about 7 or 8 short.. help please??

ta very much!

I've just bought a cats cradle (with instructions!) for us to learn to do (because I never could and thought it'd be fun). I also have some mini snowflakes and a xmas tree that you put in water and they grow (from Claire's acc).

oops meant a christmas film not book!

Have a look at 'cafe traditions' and 'elf' a neighbour or friend with a treat!

Read/write some Christmas poetry

Sing carols or Christmas songs while you do the washing up (or some other chore)

Have a Christmas-sy bath. Use "Christmas scented" bubble bath/bath oil/essential oils or Lush bath bombs. Think orange, tangerine, cinnamon...

Get some of the pre-glued strips to lick and stick paper chains (don't think it is advanced enough to count as a craft)

I am also putting a couple in with 'surprise day - be good & wait & see!' to buy me a window to buy them a treat such as a favourite comic, or in the case of my eldest DS - packs of football cards after school.
We are also taking thenm to Lapland new forest 1 evening after school so will put this in for that day as we're not going to tell them about it beforehand.

Any more?... x

ha - I need an advent calendar like this. 'Liquidate boxes of junk in spare room' - that sort of thing.

Actually some little housework-type things for children might not be a bad idea. Polishing something, for example?

Ive had this thread in my watched list for 3 years, now dd's are finally old enough i've just written out a list for this year very excited, they will love it

Apologies if its been done since, just love the ideas on here!

Decorate a bauble
Visit a garden centre
Bake cookies/ mince pies etc
Make paper chains
Make snowflakes
Christmas colouring books/ sheets
Watch a Christmas film
Listen to Christmas songs
Nativity/ Carol service
Make a ginger bread house/ decorations
Make Christmas cards

Damn just saw how old this thread is!

Funny! I was just looking through the christmas threads and thought I'd watch this and read it through later for ideas!

Bumping for those asking for it

Some grea ideas on this thread.
My lot like camping around the tree night, basically sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags around the Christmas tree. Hot chocolate, a new Christmas story book and some old favourites. They love being in the dark with just the Christmas lights on.

Thanks for bumping this, llynnnn. What a fantastic thread! PlasticFlamingo - I am sooo going to do that! Maybe not this year, but in a year or two...

I have just realised how old this thread is! I put it onto watch yesterday as I was planning on doing this this year.

Activity Village have lots of printable crafts which could help bulk things up a bit.

Last year in the sale we got the playmobil nativity and three wise men sets and plan to use them with the 'activity' advent. DD is 4 and DS is only 15m so mostly things to do for DD this year.

So far I have got:

Read the Christmas story
Make paper snowflakes
Watch a Christmas film
Make salt dough (last year I did their handprints)
Make cards
Buy stamps
Post cards
Christmas baking
Reindeer food

That is all I can remember, but will be back on with more later :)

Another one to add to the list is to sign up for the NORAD Christmas site to watch his countdown and then on Christmas eve night they have a special Santa tracking website on (almost!) the same systems they track planes and stuff.

They do it each year and

Argh. Posted too early by mistake

Meant to say they do it really nicely and it's a sneaky good way of doing geography too as it shows how he moves across the time zones and the main places he visits.

Christmastastic!!

I've just bought a wooden advent calendar so will be pinching lots of ideas from this thread - thanx all!!

Think I will intersperse the activities with chocolate coins, I'm good but not that good