I am both a list-maker and a procrastinator. I think this is because of my enneagram 9 wing 1-ness. 🙂 (If you’re not familiar with the enneagram it’s a type of personality type system and procrastination is a common trait of people who are enneagram 9s and planning and order are common traits of people who are enneagram 1s.) So I love thinking and planning for things but they’re not always executed. Haha!

This year though I’m on top of it and have put together our family’s advent calendar activities: 25 days of fun, festive and meaningful holiday activities to countdown to Christmas.

I have memories of my sister and I opening our advent calendar every day in December (it was always a treat inside!), and getting excited about Christmas. So I love the idea of including treats, plus other holiday traditions in our advent calendar to get the girls excited and in the holiday spirit.

If you’re looking for ideas for your family advent calendar, (especially this year with some limitations because of 2020), here’s what we have planned! Lot’s of fun, festiveness but also kindness and activities that give back. I hope you find some ideas for your family too.

Here are more specifics of what we have planned:

1. Tuesday, Dec. 1: The girls get matching PJs. This year, I got them these cute holiday safari ones.

2. Wednesday, Dec. 2: Find the Elf on the Shelf! (If we don’t give in and bring him out earlier.) Or a small treat.

3. Thursday, Dec. 3: Write letters to Santa. Here’s a resource for how to mail them to the North Pole before Christmas. (It takes some work on parents’ end to create the letter back from Santa, but my girls loved it!) (If you do this, make sure you send it before Dec. 14 so your kids get it back before Christmas.)

4. Friday, Dec. 4: Family Movie Night + popcorn. Some of our favorite family Christmas movies are Elf, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, The Grinch, Christmas Vacation.

5. Saturday, Dec. 5: Decorate a gingerbread house. Trader Joe’s has a cute one we’ve done the last few years.

6. Sunday, Dec. 6: Family game night + hot cocoa. Some of our favorite family games are Mouse Trap, Candy Land, Guess Who, Tenzi dice game, Uno. (They would all make great gifts too!)

7. Monday, Dec. 7: Make paper snowflakes.

8. Tuesday, Dec. 8: Make a donation to and learn about the Sacramento Children’s Home. We usually go out and buy a gift for a child through their holiday program, but this year with covid, they’re requesting donations instead.

9. Wednesday, Dec. 9: Go through the toys and donate some to kids in need.

10. Thursday, Dec. 10: A treat. I love finding small treats to stick in there the night before like candy canes, mini gingerbread cookies, a piece of chocolate, etc.

11. Friday, Dec. 11: Family Movie Night + popcorn. Some of our favorite family Christmas movies are Elf, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, The Grinch, Christmas Vacation.

12. Saturday, Dec. 12: Bake Christmas cookies! Our favorites are always Peanut Butter Blossoms (the peanut butter ones with chocolate kisses on top). We also love making Lemon Bars, Coconut Dream Bars, and trying a new recipe.

13. Sunday, Dec. 13: Deliver cookies to friends & neighbors.

14. Monday, Dec. 14: Make cards for the girls’ teachers.

15. Tuesday, Dec. 15: Random Act of Kindness. Some ideas for the girls are: picking up trash in the neighborhood, making cards for neighbors, paint rocks and place them around the neighborhood, do something kind for siblings, etc.

16. Wednesday, Dec. 16: Donate food to The Sacramento Community Fridge. It’s a local group and they have a couple small pantries in Sac where you can donate food for people in need. Food banks are also great places to support too.

17. Thursday, Dec. 17: Make Christmas ornaments. The girls love pulling out ornaments they’ve made in the past and remembering them (especially ones with photos of themselves. 🙂 ) These DIY photo ornaments look so cute with reindeer noses (from Hello Wonderful), my girls would love them!

18. Friday, Dec. 18: Family Movie Night + popcorn. Some of our favorite family Christmas movies are Elf, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, The Grinch, Christmas Vacation.

19. Saturday, Dec. 19: Christmas light spotting + hot cocoa.

20. Sunday, Dec. 20: Family game night + hot cocoa. Some of our favorite family games are Mouse Trap, Candy Land, Guess Who, (They would all make great gifts too!)

21. Monday, Dec. 21: Random Act of Kindness. Some ideas for the girls are: picking up trash in the neighborhood, making cards for neighbors, paint rocks and place them around the neighborhood, do something kind for siblings, etc.

22. Tuesday, Dec. 22: Thursday, Dec. 10: A treat. I love finding small treats to stick in there the night before like candy canes, mini gingerbread cookies, a piece of chocolate, etc.

23. Wednesday, Dec. 23: Christmas light spotting + hot cocoa.

24. Thursday, Dec. 24: Make chocolate chip cookies for Santa. Watch a Christmas movie & open one present. 🙂

25. Friday, Dec. 25: MERRY CHRISTMAS!

{Our advent calendar is from Pottery Barn a few years ago (I love it!). Unfortunately it’s no longer available but they have others that are cute too!}

I hope you find these family-friendly advent calendar ideas helpful!

Do you do an advent calendar in your family? What type of activities or treats do you include?