An Advent calendar has been a treasured tradition in our family for years. Weathered, worn and perhaps not as pretty as a new model (much like myself), it is still a beloved past time during the holidays.

But our Advent calendar is so much more than a door hiding chocolate. When my children open a door to our family’s Advent calendar, they will find Christmas activity to celebrate the season as well as a morsel of peppermint chocolate.

The Christmas activities mostly include simple, inexpensive fun crafts and places to visit around the Tampa Bay area. I try to plan the activities around school functions, my adult engagements/commitments and sadly, the occasional sick child. Even the best laid plans need a back of plan when someone ends up puking. To keep it all organized the best I can, I use a blank printable which you can download for free here.

Our 2016 Advent Calendar – Countdown to Christmas

• If you don’t ask, you don’t get. You’d better write those Christmas lists!
• Pizza and a movie night!  Snack on Christmas pizza while watching a Christmas movie.
• Make popcorn and gum drop garland to hang on the homemade craft tree.
• Smile and say, “CHEESE!”  Let’s snap some Christmas photos for our Christmas cards.
• Take a moment to Experience Bethlehem. We’ll walk through the city of Bethlehem to find the manger where Jesus was born.
• Find time today to fold up some paper to create origami ornaments and Christmas fortune tellers for some silly seasonal fun.
• Create pipe cleaner candy canes while snacking on candy canes.
• Make snowflakes and drink milkshakes.
• Christmas is coming to town!  Meet Rudolph, Clarice and the rest of the Red-Nosed gang at Busch Gardens’s Christmas Town!
• Seas the day and castaway for the Christmas Boat Parade.
• Let’s bake cookies with Grandma.  It’s sure to be a sweet time!
• Roll out the blanket.  Let’s have an indoor picnic by the Christmas tree.
• Santa stop here! Let’s make reindeer dust so the reindeer know where to land and have some extra energy to make the long flight back home.
• We’re just hanging around today. Let’s make some Pinterest inspired ornaments for the Christmas tree.
• ‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, a family snuggled together to read Christmas stories on their couch.
• Time to be merry and bright! We’re headed to a Christmas party tonight!
• All aboard!  Next stop Crews Lake for a Christmas train ride to the North Pole.
• No hard hats necessary just plenty of creative juices for today’s fun!  Let’s build a gingerbread house and make sugar cone Christmas trees!
• The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. Let’s go caroling and collect cans for needy families at Christmas.
• Visit with Santa at the clubhouse.
• Take a drive through our neighborhood tonight to gaze at Christmas lights while sipping hot cocoa.
• Grab the popcorn and grab a blanket. Time for a double feature movie night on the lawn. Now playing:  The Polar Express and Elf!
•  Let’s have a Holiday Pampering Party complete with mud masks, pedicures, make-up and glittery hairdos.
•  Set out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer.  Then, sprinkle the reindeer dust in the yard.
• Santa arrives!  Merry Christmas! xox

Additional Advent Calendar Ideas

•  Jesus is the reason for the season. Let’s create a nativity scene to celebrate the birth our Lord and Savior.
• Make a paper chain to hang on the homemade craft tree.
• Smile and say, “CHEESE!” Let’s snap some silly Christmas photos in the photo booth.
• Make wrapping paper and create Christmas cards for our family members
• Let’s rock around the Christmas time with a Christmas music dance party!
• Adopt an Angel Tree child and shop for items on his/her wish list.
• Shop ‘til you drop! Time to shop for Christmas presents for family members.
• The season is slipping away! Let’s (ice) skate our way through the holidays.
• Let’s rock around the Christmas time with a Christmas music dance party!

Need more Advent calendar Pinspirations?

See some our Advent calendars from previous years here, here and here. For adults who want to get in on the fun, try planning a Christmas Craft Beer Advent Calendar.

Or visit, my Pinterest board Christmas Fun Pinterest board and check out my Elf on the Shelf Pinterest Board.