Christmas Book Countdown and Activity Advent Calendar

I'm excited to share some things I'm doing this year for the Holiday Season. In the past few years I've noticed that Christmastime wasn't the same as when I was young. It feels like Christmas sneaks up on me and I'm thinking, "is Christmas seriously this week? Definitely doesn't feel like it!" Then I feel panic and stress trying to cram traditions and shopping all in one week. This year I have a plan. I am going to make every day special by making some advent calendars! I've planned a Book Countdown and an Activity Advent Calendar. I'm also doing Elf on the Shelf for the first time this year.  I'm going to photograph everything and make a scrapbook album of the holiday season. 

Book Countdown:

Beginning Thanksgiving night, we are going to read a holiday book each day until Christmas. I gathered all of my Christmas books and went to the dollar store to purchase a few more. 

I wrapped all of the books and using a paper punch and some extra Thickers (alphabet stickers), I made tags so you can clearly see which books go with each day. I then put all of the books on an empty book shelf in the living room where the tree will go in December. I think my son (4 yrs) will really enjoy it and he's already been staring at the packages wondering which book will be first! 

Here is the list of books I have for this Book Advent Calendar: 

1. Elf on the Shelf

2. Thomas' Night Before Christmas

3. The Polar Bear Express

4. Sesame Street Snowy Day

5. The Sweet Smell Of Christmas

6. Frosty the Snowman

7. Un Nino Dios 

8. Woody's White Christmas

9. Disney's Christmas Dreams

10. The Poky Little Puppy's First Christmas

11. If You Take a Mouse to the Movies

12. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer- Santa's Big Day

13. Land of Snow and Ice

14. Dora's Christmas Carol 

15. The Little Christmas Elf

16. King of the North Pole

17. Jingle Wheels

18. Guess Who's Coming to Santa's for Dinner?

19. The Animals' Christmas Eve

20. Dora's Counting Christmas

21. Elmo's Night Before Christmas

22. Beauty on Ice

23. The Christmas Story

24. I've Seen Santa! 

25. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Rudolph Helps Out

26. Dinosaur VS Santa

27. The Night Before Christmas

For the Activity Advent Calendar, I used a ton of my Christmas Scrapbook Stash that has been sitting around begging to be used. I also used a lot of envelopes. Basically, I came up with different activities that we can do throughout December, starting on the first. Some of the activities are small, free, and don't require leaving the house. Others are events that we've planned or places to go. I'm excited to give this a try and really make it feel like Christmas all month long!

Here is the list of Activities:

12/1- Decorate the House and Make a Decoration

12/2- Write a Letter to Santa using the Mega Monkey Mash Printable

12/3- Take a Family Photo

12/4- Make/Order Christmas Cards 

12/5- Hot Chocolate Day

12/6- Make a Christmas Craft 

12/7- Visit Santa at the Mall

12/8- String Lights Outside

12/9- Christmas Family Game Night

12/10- Watch Christmas Movie

12/11- Dinner Date 

12/12- Go Ice Skating

12/13- See the light show at the farm

12/14- Decorate Tree (we get a real tree so we do this in the middle of the month)

12/15- Bake Cookies

12/16- Check out the Lights in the Neighborhood

12/17- Watch Elf

12/18- City Date 

12/19- Christmas Carols and Dance Party

12/20- Decorate Gingerbread House

12/21- Winter Walk in the Park 

12/22- Make a New Ornament for the tree

12/23- Wrap Gifts

12/24- Cookies and Milk for Santa

I hope this gives you some ideas to make your holiday special this year! Do you have any holiday traditions?