Since we've moved to Australia, Christmas time is usually the hardest, it's the time we miss family and all our family traditions the most. I miss the cold, and well, it just doesn't quite feel like Christmas when it's 90+ degrees and your swimming and having BBQ's, but hey we've decided to embrace the differences.
This year, since Tilly is now old enough to really start enjoying it, we have decided to do an advent calendar and spend the whole month celebrating and doing special things as a family. We want Christmas to be fore than just gifts, we wanted it to be more about family and doing things together and with and for other people.
I made this one, it's a bit wonky so don't look to closely. I still have to sew button ornaments on, and do the numbers, but at least I had the main part done before December started which is good for me.
Here are some of our ideas in no particular order. Hope you enjoy :)
Decorate Christmas tree
Make cinnamon ornaments
for the tree
Open a special present
Go to the beach
Unwrap a book to read
Go to get picture with
Santa
Make Jammie and Papa and
Nana and Grandad Presents
Make Christmas cards
Make gumdrop Christmas
tree
Go to the Christmas
party at church
Go see Christmas lights
Make ornaments
Have a family Christmas
movie night with treats
Choose a special treat
Open Christmas Eve gift (for our family this is always p.j's and read Night before Christmas
Bake cookies and
decorate them with friends then take to neighbours
Have lunch at a special
restaurant with our family
Go for a picnic at the park
Make rice crispy trees
to take to kids at church
Read a Christmas story
together
Open presents and Call
grandparents on Skype
Write Santa a letter
Prepare treats for Santa and reindeer
Go to Carols by candlelight
What kind of things do you do as a family? What traditions do you have?
3 comments:
I love your advent calendar! I think we'll be able to do one next year, if I'm not too out of it. I have been thinking a lot about Christmas lately, and I, too, want it to be about more than gifts. I really want it to be about doing for others.
So awesome start! Love the new blog, good luck with it! I should do a family one or something, but, eh, who'd read it? :)
Nice calendar -- be sure to show a pic when you have it completed! I was so much lazier. We always made a construction paper chain to hang in the wide doorway between the LR and kitchen. We tore off a link each day for a month until xmas.
And I think embracing the hot weather traditions there is wise. Eventually, the idea of snowmen and hot chocolate will seem weird to you, I expect.
^ The construction-paper chain was a high point of my childhood. Don't sell it short!
Good on ya Melaine! I think it's cool to have something fun like your calendar and a daily holiday activity for the family.
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