DIY ADVENT CALENDAR : 31 simple ideas to celebrate the holidays.

Once the first sign of Christmas shows up, i get the daily question from finn, “is it Christmas yet?” I mean I feel him cause it is my all time favorite time of the year! I have the best childhood memories from the holidays at home and have always wanted to create my own traditions with my family. Here we are, the dream is actually happening. I get to celebrate at home with my family of four! A boy and a girl, it can be girly and modern all at the same time!

As much as I love the holiday, I realize it can get overwhelming real quick. Even on Christmas morning, after Finns opened 3 presents he just wants to play with them and not have to open more and more things. So this year, we’re doing a very small amount of gifts under the tree and more fun activities and adventures as we countdown to the big day. Here’s the full list, and then I’ll go through and add pics and resources as the month goes on!

this blog post is a work in progress and will be updated as we open each day!

The complete Advent idea list :

1. Wear Christmas Jammies

2. Peppermint bubble bath

3. Decorate the tree

4. Set up train (train book)

5. Holiday Movie Night (popcorn machine)

6. Make holiday cards (teachers, grandparents, neighbors, friends)

7. Write a letter to Santa

8. Visit Santa

9. Make gingerbread houses

10. Go through old toys and donate toys for tots

11. Homemade garland (orange + popcorn or paper)

12. Build a snowman (fake snow)

13. Paint filled ornaments

14. Holiday music dance party

15. Make magic reindeer food for friends (oliveandeveco)

16. Make hot cocoa (shopsweetlulu marshmallows + mugs)

17. Holiday Music Dance Party

18. Make a snow globe

19. Do Holiday craft (lacing cards)

20. Enjoy a candy cane

21. Photo ornaments for grandparents

22. Enjoy a sweet treat with a new waffle maker

23. Homemade peppermint Playdough

24. Have a snowball fight (faux snowballs)

25. Salt dough ornaments

26. Read a Christmas book

27. Paint wooden trains or nutcrackers

28. Santa stop here flag wand

29. Xmas lights drive around town

30. Bake cookies for Santa

31. Game night around the tree (candy land)

Favorite Holiday Jammies Here

Favorite Holiday Books HERE

Reindeer Food Supplies — Oats | Silver Glitter | White Glitter | Container |

Advent Printables (I made mine with OVER, but got inspo from @oliveandeveco). I used the graphics from Christy Beasley’s monthly subscription. It’s $15 and FULLY worth it for all the fun items she makes monthly. Oily recipes, homeschool worksheets and graphics, and more! Here’s the link to join me!

For extra fun, I added a fun book to spruce up our holiday book collection. This touchy-feely one was perfect for Shay - That’s not my reindeer!

These would also make super cute gifts for friends or neighbors. Make them in bulk with these muslin bags and just attach some ribbon.

Hot Chocolate Party! — Mugs | Hot Cocoa | snowflake Marshmallows | Smash Mellows

I love adding a tiny bit of peppermint essential oils to mine for a fun adult peppermint Hot Chocolate.

Peppermint + Christmas Tree Smelling PlayDough —

you can make your own playdough easily with items from your pantry, and add essential oils to make them smell super yummy! RECIPE HERE.

Or you can turn ordinary playdough into Holiday playdough with a few drops of Christmas Spirit and Northern Lights Black Spruce oils. I love this non toxic playdough from @shopbitte.

And to be extra you must grab these perfect wooden clay rolling pins, they are SO FUN and amazing quality for the price! The cookie cutters you grabbed for salt dough ornaments work too!

These are on sale and we’ve had them 3 years!! Snowballs