It feels early to start sharing holiday things, but advent calendars are out and it’s one thing that’s easy to check off my list! This family tradition is near and dear to my heart. We started our Advent Calendar tradition when Marisa was in preschool and continued with Andrew. It’s a sweet tradition that has grown with us!
An Advent Calendar gives us something to look forward to daily leading up to Christmas and an intentional time to reflect on why we celebrate.
As the kids have grown older we’ve incorporated more slips of paper with bible verses and acts of kindness to complete the refillable calendar (filled with chocolates, stickers, and other treats). We’ve also used an advent guide with short daily readings to go along with it. I love to get the kids involved in understanding the tradition and feeling the joy of giving to others. (They especially love to surprise people with holiday treats to say thank you, or I appreciate you!) And a daily dose of chocolate doesn’t hurt! We have also followed Emily Ley’s Acts of Kindness printables, for a creative way to mix it up…
I’ve included two types of calendars in this round up!
Reusable, To fill with treats/bible verses/decorative items/mini ornaments. Prefilled, with chocolates, toys, etc. We currently use both types, but do what works best for your family and is age appropriate! (Some years we have done verses/chocolates only, no toys.)
Each year our family uses a refillable calendar that is part of our decor and a special prefilled calendar for each child based on their interests.
Marisa has moved from daily toys to beauty products (love Sephora’s selection!). Andrew’s favorite for several years has been the LEGO calendar with a mini figure to build each day to create a scene. He loves the Star Wars version, but City, Friends, and Harry Potter are also available!
Do you use an Advent Calendar? If so, please share your tradition in the comments! I’ve included more to browse below. If you’re thinking of ordering one don’t wait! They sell out quickly. Thanks for stopping by…have a great day!
