Resource #2:
Christmas Tradition Ideas
The ideas listed below are for Advent Calendars that can hold notes and presents. Many of these calendars
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have numbered doors with openings behind them. Start on December 1
and end on December 24
. Each day
have a child open a door to reveal what’s inside. (The present could be for one child or many, depending upon
the gift.) If a prize is too big to fit in the box, put a note behind the door giving clues as to where the item is
located in the house. Get creative and have fun!
• Secret Sibling day- Draw names and get creative! This can be done for one day
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only, or for the whole Advent season, revealing names on December 24
.
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• You can stay up ½ an hour past your bedtime
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• Extra dessert tonight
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• You don’t have to finish something on your plate
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• You can sleep in mom and dad’s bed tonight
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• You can pick one thing from the Dollar store (or roll up a new dollar bill)
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• Good for one trip to the library
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• Game night – your choice!
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• You pick – movie night!
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• Skip a day of music practice
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• Dinner out with mom or dad
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• Special treat – Dad’s bringing you a happy meal for school lunch!
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• After family pictures, you’ve earned a trip to the ice cream store (don’t forget about
extended family pictures as well – make reservations early for large groups!)
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• Off to the mall – for pictures with Santa! (Don’t forget to write your list!)
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• Free bed-making for a week
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• Your afternoon chores are forgiven
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• Night of pampering – bubble bath, nails painted
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• Foot and back massage – compliments of mom
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• Dinner of your choice
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• Family Christmas movie time - Grab your popcorn and pillow!
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• Get ready for a day of BAKING!
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• Grab a Christmas book – and let’s read! (or give a new one)
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• Grab some hot chocolate, jump in the car and let’s go see Christmas lights!
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• Let’s make a Gingerbread House!
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• Open the present under the tree with the gold ribbon!
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(Done on the 24
– presents contain kids’ Christmas PJs)
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• First seven days could be the “What God wants for Christmas” nativity boxes
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• Day of crafts with mom (paper chains, fingerknit chains, snowflakes, etc.)
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• Let’s go Christmas caroling to the neighbors!
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• Plan a nice night out – “The Nutcracker”, a traveling Broadway show, etc.
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• Don’t forget your spouse! – use a door and fill their needs as well – day of
Christmas shopping, round of golf, night out (or in) at the movies - personalize it!
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• Assign each child a door – they’re in charge of that day’s prize
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• Let’s make food for Santa’s reindeer! (recipe on resource #3)
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• _________________________________________________________________
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• _________________________________________________________________
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Resource #3: