Every year we use the same advent calendar and rather than filling it with chocolate, candies or toys I fill it with vouchers for Christmas themed activities. Ok, I do add chocolates every now and then for an extra treat too.
Activity filled advent calendars are becoming a popular choice for a lot of families, but I often hear from people asking just what kind of activities to include.
Today I'm sharing a list of my favorite Christmas activities to include in our advent calendar. Some of them are location specific for the Bay Area while others are general, so I've broken the list into two parts. I've also included links to some of the activities for further inspiration.
General Christmas Activities
Write a letter to Santa
Choose a Christmas tree
Decorate the Christmas tree
Visit Santa
Build a snowman
Go ice skating
Make Christmas crafts
Read a Christmas story
Go out for hot chocolate
Decorate a gingerbread house
Make gingerbread cookies (or in our case, honey biscuits)
Watch a Christmas movie
Make Christmas pudding
Attend a local tree lighting festival
Watch a performance of the Nutcracker
Check out the holiday window displays in Macy's (or other local department stores)
We often repeat activities like making Christmas crafts, watching a Christmas movie, going out for hot chocolate and reading a Christmas story, so there's no need to come up with a brand new activity for each day.
Bay Area Activities
Visit the giant gingerbread cottage at the Fairmont Hotel
Visit the sugar castle at the Westin Hotel in Union Square
See the reindeer and snow flurries at California Academy of Sciences
Play in the snow at the Snow? In Berkeley? festival
Visit Christmas Tree Lane in Alameda
See the Holiday Circle of Lights at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland
Ride the carousel and meet Santa in Tilden Park
Experience Zoo Lights at Oakland Zoo or San Francisco Zoo
See the Union Street Fantasy of Lights in San Francisco
See the light display at Oakland LDS Temple
Take a trip to Nevada City for the Victorian Christmas Fair
Step back in time at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco
Check out the giant Christmas tree, giant menorah and ice skating rink in Union Square
Do you make an activity filled advent calendar for your kids? I'd love to hear what sort of activities you include in it. I'm looking forward to a month filled with holiday fun!
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