I love the countdown to Christmas almost more than the big day itself. And it doesn’t have to mean oodles of plastic tat or cheap chocolate (hello Palm Oil). Although, there’s probably a place for quality chocolate… as my 5yo described it to my sister in law, “I like your advent calendar, it has chocolate. Mine just has jobs…”

Jobs? Jobs?! We have an active advent, where we do something Christmassy each day. One day we give a gift to the Foodbank, another it might be a wintry woodland walk. A full list of ideas is below, but we make gifts/ decorations, Christmas parties get allocated in, and day by day uncover the Christmas toys that I only allow out in December. Some days it might just be a family movie or a sweet treat (she does get some!). It makes every day a new adventure - well for me at least, for the 5yo - “jobs!”

A quick google will find you any kind of advent you want. There are advents for random acts of kindness - some aimed at adults, some at kids. The Red Cross has one with teaching resources for a whole class, or this one for families. I also love the ‘reverse advent’ where you start with an empty box and fill it with something each day either for the Foodbank or a charity shop (declutter/ make way for new ones!). One friend did a Gumtree reverse advent with her daughters: her girls chose toys to sell, got some extra Christmas pocket money and my girls got great toys that were new-to-them.

We use the same calendar every year, and write notes on gift tags. I’ve also seen ideas that you can hide the notes around the house with kindness elves (or adapt your own soft toys with a well placed hat or sprig of holly). Or you can have a mason’s jar full of ideas. The pot luck of this appeals, except for scheduling the family movie for the day after that very fun Christmas party…

More advent ideas? There are some great decorative advent calendars where you reveal a Christmas decoration or part of a scene every. Or check out the Lil Pinterest page, I have gone a Lil Advent nuts… Love the calendar you can make (and give) from toilet roll!