So, we used to have a really nice advent calendar.  It was this cute little wooden box with little doors.  I painted it a few years back and was honestly sooo excited that this year was the first year that my “big” girl would really be able to get into the whole advent calendar thing.  We USED to have a really nice advent calendar.  Then we moved.  Now I have a really nice BROKEN advent calendar.  I’ve tried to salvage it.  No amount of glue or paint seems to make it look quite whole again.

I do not however want to miss out on doing an advent calendar with A this year.  So after much pondering of the situation…I have decided that our advent calendar activity this year will be to MAKE our advent calendar together.  I have decided on the format for the calendar and each night, instead of doing the advent calendar activity…we will make the piece for that day’s activity and decide what we want the activity to be.  (Considering that she’s two…I will decide what the activity will be, otherwise EVERY day next year will be spent eating cookies and watching a princess movie).

I have been scouring the internet lately looking at all the AMAZING advent calendars out there.  I have been in awe of how super duper creative sooo many people are.  There are some truly OUTSTANDING advent calendar choices.  I have compiled a pinterest board of some of my favorite advent calendar finds.

 

There seems to be a great divide between the traditional calendars and the “funky” calendars.  I think the decision of whether or not to have a traditional advent calendar or a fun, family time advent calendar comes down to a matter of personal choice.  In our house, I feel like we spend a great deal of the holiday season focused on the true meaning of Christmas and the traditional aspects, so our advent calendar is geared toward family togetherness and a fun activity.  With the holidays being crazy busy we sometimes have a hard time making room to just hang out and enjoy one another.  I’m really excited to show off my advent calendar…but it will have to wait until after Christmas!!!