Advent Calendar

Last year I saw this post for an advent calendar and I have slowly been working on one of our own since then, yes one whole year!!  But moving on.  This whole project cost me a whole $2 and some odd cents because I had everything else.

Materials:

25 small match boxes (purchased at Dollar Store two packages $1/package)

scrapbook paper

number stickers

tags

I used brads but aren't required

tape/adhesive

address labels

Of course you need to empty out all the little boxes and wrap each box with a strip of scrapbook paper.  The strips I cut were 4 inches long by 2 inches wide.  I made star tags with my cricket but a punch would work or nothing at all.  I attached the tags with mini brads, a few of the boxes have a little ribbon wrapped around them just for a little something extra.

In each box the hubby and I sat down and came up with 25 family oriented activities.  Activities that encourage time spent together and giving to others.  Here is what we came up with (I am lacking a couple so if you have suggestions please comment).

• Decorate Christmas Tree
• Make A Homemade Ornament
• Shop For Non Perishable Foods To Donate To The Local Food Bank (our church collects these)
• Host A Holiday Playdate
• Make Cookies
• Deliver Hot Chocolate and Cookies To College Class (my husband is a professor)
• Watch A Christmas Movie
• Shop For Angel Tree Gifts (our church collects these as well and we try and find kiddos the same age as our kiddos)
• Write Letters To Great Grandparents
• Invite Friends To Share Dinner
• Make Cookies And Deliver To The Fire Department
• Build Lego Nativity (my boys *husband* are really into Legos)
• Shovel Neighbors Sidewalks
• Decorate Gingerbread Houses
• Take A Drive And Look At Lights
• Redeem Cans/Bottles And Donate Money To Salvation Army Kettles/Ringers
• Build Snowman/Go Sledding
• Sleep In The Living Room With The Christmas Lights On
• Record A Holiday Greeting For Aunts and Uncle (all of our siblings live a pretty good distance)
• Read The Christmas Story/Make Hot Chocolate