Advent and the entire Christmas season is about so much more than just what’s happening in our own little home. I built an It Takes a Village Advent Calendar to show my kids the importance of being kind to others.
“You can’t have a perfect day without doing something for someone who’ll never be able to repay you.” __ John Wooden
For a number of years, we’ve been doing activity advents. Along with their candy, I slip a piece of paper into that slot and we do a special holiday activity together. This year, I wanted to do more. I was inspired by this Holiday Hands post at Momastery and have spent quite a bit of time dwelling on it for the past month. I thought maybe for my birthday, I’d do 35 random acts of kindness. I thought, well I already do many things and maybe that’s enough as it is. But, I was stuck on this line in her post,
“I’d rather my kids have three Christmas gifts and your kids have three Christmas gifts, than my kids have six gifts and your kids have no gifts.”
I took food boxes (that I used for my Thanksgiving meal!), cut off the bottom and cut and taped till they looked like little houses.
Covered them in pretty scrapbook paper and added a number
I found small boxes in my gift wrap stash, and I cut up old Christmas cards I had saved and glued the cards to the tops of the boxes. This part took me WAY too long, because I couldn’t help but read all the cards and smile remembering all those past Christmases and some of the people who are no longer with us.
I used more scrapbook paper to make trees, because what’s a village without a little greenery?
I typed up our activity for the day and then cut and glued it to cardstock.
I left everything open at the bottom, so I can just tuck 2 pieces of candy and an activity slip up inside it.
And I had a piece of scrapbook paper with a quote I loved, that I just stuck to a frame using double-sided tape.
Then I arranged it all on top of our piano.
Here are the activities that we will be doing this holiday season:
1. Holiday Parade
2. Leave change in a vending machine
3. Write thank you notes for teachers
4. Watch Elf
5. Leave treat for mailman
6. Make a time capsule ornament
7. Decorate gingerbread houses with friends
8. Visit trains at library
9. Make and deliver cookies
10. Buy gift card and give to person behind us in line
11. Take towels/blankets to animal shelter
12. Watch A Christmas Story
13. S’mores and hot chocolate
14. Buy flowers and give to someone in parking lot
15. Call grandparents
16. Go to Poconos
17. Sleep-over at grandparents
18.Make meal for neighborhood family
19. Pay for order of car behind us in drive-thru
20. Living room picnic with Christmas movie
21. Put birdseed out for birds
22. Write letter and send to friend
23. Donate gifts to holiday family
24. Merry Christmas Eve! Go to Nana’s
Merry Christmas to you and your village!!
This is so cute! I was thinking of doing a village for my daughter.
What a great idea…one of our favourite movies is ELF..and the random acts of kindness are beautiful lessons for your kiddies… ! xo
Lucy
This is so lovely. I love your little village, and all of the great little notes inside 🙂 So creative!
I really love this, and plan to borrow several of your activities! I made my daughter an advent calendar with little pockets, so I will write the activities on tiny ‘scrolls’ and tuck them in with the candy. Thank you for the inspiration!
Such a great idea! I love it. I will try to do that this year.
What a wonderful idea! I’d love to know how they turn out!
What neat ideas! I love when activities focus teaching children to help and encourage others! 🙂
I love this idea! Going to get busy now!
LOVE this idea!!!! Oh my little guys will think this is the greatest! Thank you so much for sharing!
This is like THE coolest! Love this idea! I’d love for you to link up to my Homemade in December Link Carnival.
http://blissfulanddomestic.blogspot.com/2011/11/homemade-in-december-link-carnival.html
I love, love, love your activites! Your villiage is awesome, too. I’m going to add these to our Christmas fun.
I love this idea. I may “steal” this for my kids.
I love this so much! I am a newlywed so my husband and I are enjoying the fun of blending our Christmas traditions and making some of our own. This post has gotten me all excited for when I have kids. I am SO doing this with them and it will be a much loved tradition. Thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas. I especially love the activities you’ve chosen. So wonderful! I even posted to my facebook for all to see. Merry Christmas to you and yours. 🙂
Your village is so cute! I am going to have to add a few of your activities to our list!
(I came over from your comment on MSM)
Wow, what a beautiful post! I love your advent calendar but your story and message meant so much to me. Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful Christmas message!
I am hosting an Advent calendar link up as part of my 12 Days of Christmas series at my Christmas blog. I sure do hope you can pop by and link up this truly inspiring post!
Best Christmas wishes,
Natasha.
Yup, that is pretty much the best advent calendar I have ever seen! I love it! I’d love you to link up with us.
http://www.toysinthedryer.com/2011/12/fun-stuff-fridays-2.html
Great post! I love the idea of reenforcing the “village” concept to your children. And I especially love the simple thought of asking them what they are excited to GIVE this year. Thanks for sharing! (Saw you at Gallamore West’s link up party!)
I really like this idea and that includes service. Here is our advent for the year http://inspirationthief.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-book-advent-calendar-day-1.html
WoW!!! An amazing idea! Visiting from Toys in the dryer but I will be passing on this post in my blog and on facebbo as I love the idea, I love the message and I love how giving some of your ideas are. I can tell you, you have inspired me consider more ways to give then to just family and friends, or one box for donation. The gift card in line is one I will do! Thanks for sharing this wonderful idea.
I’m new to your blog- followed a pin on Pinterest about your freezer meals… and I am hooked! Thank you for sharing your kindness and creativity with me. I’m honored to read your words and ideas, and I’ve already shared some quotes and links.