A Turtle's Life for Me

Just a wife, mother, daughter, sister, girl... trying her hardest to slow down and take the turtle approach to life. It's a sweet life, but it goes by too fast...

It Takes a Village Advent

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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.

It Takes a Village Advent Calendar ROAK

“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.”

And I just kept thinking, EXACTLY.

 

That’s exactly right.  Because of all the obvious reasons, but also because it teaches the kids an important lesson.  Growing up, I remember vividly kissing my parents goodnight one evening, and my Dad gave me a kiss and said, “What did you do to make your Mom feel like a queen today?”.

 

I still think about that all these years later, because laying in bed that night, I remember thinking it wasn’t just about how much he loved my Mom, it wasn’t just about watching a true example of a loving relationship… it was about thinking about somebody else before you thought of yourself. What did I do that day, that was helpful to my mom and made her feel special, even if I had to go out of my way to do it?

 

I love the holiday season.  I adore it.  It doesn’t feel like a chore to me, and while there are definitely chaotic moments and rushing here and there… it’s not stressful.  We’re lucky we have all these people who want to see us.

 

And don’t get me wrong, I love being indulgent too.  I think the mall (and maybe even Wal-Mart), have a place in all of this!  I look forward to spoiling those I love and finding that perfect gift.  When my family gets together on Christmas Eve to kick off our running around, we always ask each other what gift we’re excited to give.  Not what are you hoping to get… but there are always those gifts that are just perfect for someone and you are positively giddy with the anticipation of them opening it!

 

I love this part of the holidays too, but I wanted it to be more.  I wanted to indulge those I love, but also those in our “village” who may not realize that I care about them having a great day too.

 

And I adore Advent too… the activities keep us centered and together.  The kids rush for it every morning, not to see what the candy is, but to see what we get to do that day.  What fun lies in store for us??  It helps us celebrate the entire season!  And while our activity Advent has always focused on us being together as a family… this year, I wanted it to also be about who we are in relation to other people.  What did we do that day, to make somebody else feel like a queen?

 

So I built an It Takes a Village Advent calendar this year, because we are part of something bigger than just what happens in our own little home.

 

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.

“Remember, if Christmas isn’t found in your heart, you won’t find it under a tree.”

 

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!!

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Anonymous says

    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!

    Reply

  13. Ariel says

    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. 🙂

    Reply

  15. Natasha @ Keeping the Christmas Spirit Alive, 365 says

    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.

    Reply

  17. Jen says

    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!)

    Reply

  19. Brooke (Siayla) says

    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.

    Reply

  20. Lissa says

    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.

    Reply

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