24 FAMILY CHRISTMAS ADVENT IDEAS

Happy 1st of December everyone! Now it's no secret that I'm a HUGE fan of Christmas and the whole magic of the festive season but I normally manage to contain my excitement until at least the 12th, but this year I have been sooooooo ready for December to arrive in the hopes it will wash away all of the crappier events of 2016. So the kiddo and I came up with 24 family Christmas advent ideas, a little list of all the activities we might like to do this month, so I thought I'd share them here incase you need a little inspiration.

Aswell as having his Star Wars lego Advent calendar (the boy is obsessed!) we have a few nice family activies popped up on the fridge to keep us going and we can tick them off as we go along.

1. Drink hot chocolate and marshmallows outside.
2. Go Christmas tree spotting on a walk around the neighbourhood.
3. Go tobogganing with friends.
4. Watch a Christmas film under a blanket with popcorn.
5. Decorate the house in fairy lights.
6. Visit a Christmas Market.
7. Go iceskating with friends and family.
8. Write a letter to Father Christmas and post it.
9. Bake festive cupcakes and hand out instead of Christmas cards.
10. Decorate the Christmas tree.
11. Attend a Christmas carol service.
12. Donate to your local food bank.
13. Buy someone behind you in the queue their coffee/tea/drink
14. Make your own Christmas wreath out of foraged twigs and branches.
15. Wear a fun Christmas jumper.
16. Bake christmas cookies for your local postie to say thanks.
17. Volunteer at your local shelter or donate to the White Helemets to help civilians in Syria.
18. Make your own snow globe out of a mason jar.
19. Decorate a gingerbread house.
20. Wrap presents together.
21. Go for a winter walk in the woods and decorate a tree.
22. Make mulled wine or spicy cider.
23. Gift friends a bauble for their tree with a note to say why they are loved.
24. Snuggle in bed together to read a Christmas story.

I really believe that Christmas should be about giving back as well as sharing gifts with loved ones, whether it's small acts of kindness to spread happiness or supporting those who are less fortunate. I hope you like some our the ideas and you can pin the image above as a reminder.

I'd love to hear what you get up to at Christmas?

AN ADVENTUROUS ADVENT

As a child I would get super excited about my advent calendar, you know the ones filled with little chocolates, well what kid wouldn't right? So obviously I was keen to get F one too, but after him waking early to get his chocolate fix every morning at crazy o'clock I soon changed my mind and swapped over to a Lego advent calendar the following year. This pretty had the same effect but this time swap sugar fuelled child for tiny bits of coloured plastic strewn over the floor at 6am, while a barefoot bleary eyed me is trying to find coffee... not so good.

So this year we've taken a different approach and bought a red wooden house with numbered drawers to open, but this time each one has a Christmas activity instead of that chocolate high.

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ARE YOU READY FOR ADVENT?

Image via Sweet Paul Magazine

Are you ready for advent? Have you opted for a shop bought advent calendar with the rewards of chocolate behind each door or have you taken the much more fun and creative route of making your own? We've been pushed for time this month and I can admit I'm not quite prepared for December 1st. Thankfully F's Uncle and Grandpa have saved the day with advent calendars that give both chocolate and toys so that should keep him going until I cobble something together.

If you're feeling creative and still have time to spare then why not try making some of the beauties over on my Christmas board to delight the kid in you.