Let’s Talk Christmas, 😂

[nesser1981]

What are some of your favorite Advent Activities you do with your family.

I think this is the 11th year that I’ve done one activity a day leading up to Christmas with the kids, and yes all the traditional ones, cookies, gingerbread houses, hot cocoa bar, game night, etc.

We have cut at least 4 from our list this year because they involve large gatherings. I’m over making ornaments or crafts really, 😂 we have a couple movie nights with snacks planned.

I’d love to hear what your family does that might be a little different.

[kristalund]

Following..
This Christmas will for sure look different but I am excited to find new ways to celebrate and make it look special.
Drive around and look at nights in our Pjs w/ Hot Cocoa

[LynnZant]

This will be the first year I am cooking Christmas dinner as we usually visit relatives, so I'm thinking of having my girls help me make a festive centerpiece for the table. I'm not sure if it should be a paper craft or something edible and sweet.

[Kimberly27]

We will drive around and look at lights like usual but we are flying out the Friday the kids get out of school to go to my in laws house where we will be for 2 weeks. My parents, sister in law all live in the area so we will be there for Christmas. I have one grandparent left and she is not doing great mentally and this may be our last Christmas so I am determined to spend as much time with her and my family this year. We will be doing a lot of baking, games, movies but mostly just hanging out and catching up. I am horrible about the advent calendar/crafts. I have even turned the elf on the shelf over to the teenager now...LOL

[jacinda]

Sleeping in the lounge by the Christmas tree. Ours kids loved that. Like camping indoors. Maybe you could look at doing more service related activities this year that will help others in need. That will bring the spirit of christmas.

e.g.
Take cookies to neighbours
Donate a gift to a child in need
Write Christmas cards to people in retirement homes
etc.

[bcgal00]

We drive around and look at the Xmas lights too. We have a large park nearby that lights up the trees so we'll go for a night time walk thru the park.

We usually go to craft fairs so for the first time in my life we won't be doing that. We also won't be going to see a Xmas movie at the theater either, which is something we've done for at least the last 15 yrs or so.

This year will definitely be different. We will do some holiday baking together and decorate the tree at the end of the month.

[nesser1981]

Originally Posted by jacinda

Sleeping in the lounge by the Christmas tree. Ours kids loved that. Like camping indoors. Maybe you could look at doing more service related activities this year that will help others in need. That will bring the spirit of christmas.

e.g.
Take cookies to neighbours
Donate a gift to a child in need
Write Christmas cards to people in retirement homes
etc.

We do Toys for Tots every year, we use to take cookies to our neighbors, but with Covid, I don't know how people would feel about that.

Cards are a good idea, we've never done that.

[Tree City]

Originally Posted by kristalund

Following..
This Christmas will for sure look different but I am excited to find new ways to celebrate and make it look special.
Drive around and look at nights in our Pjs w/ Hot Cocoa

Agreed! We're trying to focus on what we CAN do instead of focusing what we can't. DH loves Christmas music. In "normal" years, I "forbid" him from playing it until after Thanksgiving. This year I relaxed my mandate lol and he started listening to it this weekend (in small doses, thank goodness!).

As far as looking at lights: we're going to go all-out with lights this year. I think it'll be fun for everyone to look at them, and it gets DS outside to "help" DH put them up lol! He's out of my hair, so it's a win-win!

We think we might do a zoom cookie decorating thing. So we aren't at each other's homes, but we can chat while decorating/eating cookies. My mom hates baking so I assume she could make a cup of cocoa and just chat.

[jacinda]

Here are some service ideas https://www.pinterest.fr/pin/513621532500835286/

[LeeAndra]

I bought Ali Edwards' cards for this exact purpose. I haven't looked at them all yet but they seem pretty COVID-friendly. You can see all the cards on her site.

[nesser1981]

I'd have to look at my list, but I think I have 22 things of the 24 I need. LOL!

This is our current list.
-Scavenger Hunt for Advent Calendars
-Letters to Santa
-Toys for Tots
-Christmas Chronicles 2 & Snack
-Gingerbread Houses
-Family Game Night
-Stained Glass Project (have this on my list, but can't remember what is is, must have bought something on clearance last year)
-Paint by Stickers
-Pingpong Ball Ornaments
-Saran Wrap Game
-Snack Plate Dinner w/ Movie
-Baking Day
-Cookies at Grandmas
-Make Hot chocolate dippers
-Mickey's Christmas Carol & Hot Cocoa
-Fair Fantasy Lights Drive Thru Dec 18th &19th $5 per car 6pm-9pm.
-Nailed It Christmas Edition
-Kids Make Dinner for Grandparents
-Smores (Maybe)
-Comstock Park Tree
-Cookies for Santa
-Open One Gift (Christmas Eve)

[rach3975]

If you usually have big gatherings to attend, is there anything you can do for people who would normally host or attend with you to let them know you're thinking of them? My first thought was putting together a gift basket to leave outside their homes, but if they're not local you could mail them something or arrange to play a game over Zoom.

[nesser1981]

Originally Posted by rach3975

If you usually have big gatherings to attend, is there anything you can do for people who would normally host or attend with you to let them know you're thinking of them? My first thought was putting together a gift basket to leave outside their homes, but if they're not local you could mail them something or arrange to play a game over Zoom.

We have a big extended family Christmas party with DH side. His dad is one of 7. We usually have just DH’s grandmother over for dinner so we can actually visit with her.

Another one is an ornament exchange

We usually do the movies

And our Town’s Christmas parade that is canceled. So nothing where I think anyone will really miss us. Just things we do every year.


I’m thinking maybe shopping for food to donate to a food pantry, but I really don’t want the kids out if they don’t need to be, so maybe not. I’ll just do that. Maybe they’ll sort or something.

I like Jacinda’s card idea.

I’m grateful we don’t have to miss anything like that, at least not yet.