I love this time of year, so many wonderful memories to be made, and so much fun to have. Usually it’s pretty busy though and if I don’t make a plan I always forget to enjoy some of the simple joyous traditions of the holidays. So this year I am going to make an Advent Calendar with all kinds of great fun ideas me and the family can do.
Here are some of the cutest and thrifty ideas for Advent Calendars I have found online (PS – I am still deciding which one I will do…what’s your vote?)
This Advent in a Jar was made by JustaGirlblog.com. All you do is take matchboxes, cover with scrapbook paper and insert a little note or idea in each day! I noticed you can get large packages of match boxes at the dollar store even. Super thrifty and adorably cute.
My friend Christy over at Thrifty and Thriving made this ADVENT Magnets on the Fridge using scrapbook paper and all those magnets businesses give you. On the back of each number is something fun they will do. Love this one.
Just buy some of those little craft bead holder sets and add cute paper with numbers. This one is found on Etsy. Easy and frugal!
Or add magnets to these and stick them on your fridge! 
Sorry, and this one is not Thrifty – but so cute I had to share. You can find this advent calendar at Pottery Barn. Just add little notecards with fun things to do and you will be good to go.
Here are some ideas of the activities you can add to your Advent Calendar:
Decorate your tree
Local Festival Activities
Shop for gifts for other children in your family
Unwrap a book to read
Have hot cocoa and cookies with your neighbors
Open your/a special ornament and put in on your tree
Have an Elf on the Shelf Breakfast
Make a craft with Mom
Write a letter to Santa
Go to the Christmas party at church
Go sledding with Dad
Have a family Christmas movie night with treats
Have lunch at a special restaurant with our family
Wear new jammies to bed
Decorate cookies
Read the story about the birth of Jesus
Play a board game together
Build a fort and have dinner in it
Cut out paper snowflakes
Pick out a toy for Toys for Tots
Find a special treat
Make a Christmas craft
Breakfast for dinner
Find a special present and open it
Make a card for someone and mail it
Go to dollar store and shop for family
Go out to a movie
Decorate a gingerbread house
Kids make dinner for Mom and Dad
Make a pinecone bird feeder
Make a Christmas craft
Go bowling
Bake Christmas cookies
Drive around looking at all the Christmas Lights
Go Caroling
Update: Kendra emailed me her list she used for her MOPS group. See her list here. She just did this with toilet paper rolls… wrapped them super cute and then tied them together one on top of another like a chain and then stuffed each one with a note or candy… what a thrifty idea! Thanks Kendra.
(Thanks JustaGirlblog.com, and All things Simple.com for many of these ideas!)
What other fun stuff do you add to your Advent Calendars? Please share, as I will totally be working on mine this weekend. 
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
You could probably adapt one of the above ideas to “mesh” it with ours… We hang our advent calendar on our tree! Each day is a separate numbered ornament. The kids LOVE hunting for each days’ number and then either eating what is inside (we’ve hung the small wooden craft chests from Michaels before) or doing whatever activity is scripted and tagged on the ornament.
What a great idea Wendi, use ornaments. I might do that too. Thank you. And thank you Karrie for these great ideas.
You’re welcome! Glad to help
I like the tins with magnets idea.
They have a cheaper version of the Pottery Barn tree at JoAnn Fabrics for a lot less. I would say $25 ish, not bad as you can use it year after year.
For our advent calendar tonight we had a sock snowball fight. So. much. fun!