Advent Calendars

There are so many fun and different ways you can countdown to Christmas! I bought a Nativity Advent Calendar last year and my boys love it. We always do some Christmas activities over the break, but a little planning and organization go a long way.

Instagram is one of the best places to stay in touch with your friends and family. Kerri is one of my good friends and sorority sisters from Texas State. We have remained close and I have always loved her Advent traditions with her family. I knew now was the perfect time to chat with her about all the details on how she does what she does!

Kerri has been doing Advent activities for the past five years with her family. She started them during her daughter Lucy’s 2nd Christmas. She borrowed the idea from another friend, Katie, who’d done it for a few years before with her kids. Ellis, Lucy’s younger brother got in on the fun three years ago, too!

Kerri and her husband Jesse hide the activities inside their Christmas tree and the kids love to go searching for them every evening. Once they’ve done the Advent activity, they display them on the tree like ornaments as daily reminders of the fun they had!

I love the idea of adding it as an ornament on the tree! Look how cute this looks!

Advent Activity Support

To make things a little easier this year, Kerri got some help from the Advent Prep Club subscription. They provide so much guidance on fun activities, supply lists, and a Facebook community of other families all doing different activities each night. She starts each December with a daily plan, but a lot comes up during the month so they’re kind of flying by the seat of their pants on any given day.

I think this would make it much easier to come up with 25 days of fun for my crew! Kerri also includes some local Christmas fun in some of her activities. I know Beaumont always does big tree lighting Downtown so that would definitely be an easy one to add to my list.

SOS! When do I start planning?

Now as soon as I started thinking about adding in this “project” during one of the busiest times of the year, I started to have some hesitation. So I asked Kerri what advice would she give a mom wanting to try it out next year? She highly recommended to plan ahead! They don’t decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving but she has to start planning for advent in early November. If she doesn’t, she really struggles through the first few days of December. But equally important is to give yourself some grace – with her kids, they’ve already fought illness, sports practices, and grinchy attitudes. So it doesn’t always work out as planned and that’s okay! And probably the MOST important – ENJOY IT! It is such a  magical time of year and as crazy as it is, she always tries to remind herself to slow down and cherish it, they’ll never be in this same place again.

Okay Okay okay…. she sold me!

The Parkison Family Favorites

If this doesn’t get you excited about family Christmas fun, I’m not sure what will! I am already getting ideas for my crew for next year! I’ll be sure to add a list of ideas in November if any of you are joining in on this project!

Other Advent Calendars

I know all of our homes look a little different! Maybe your fur babies need to partake on the advent fun or you have older kids that would roll their eyes the second you bring up calling Santa. Maybe you’re living your best life with me, myself, and I….don’t worry their is an advent calendar for everyone! Here are some of my favorites:

I hope you have yourself a very Merry Christmas!