a peek inside the fishbowl

Oh my pretties. You have NO IDEA what I’ve been doing today.

I will give you a clue. Feast your eyes on this:

It’s not what you think.

I’m on deadline and don’t have time to write right now. But I’ll be back later.

Subtitle: Because memories last longer than a sugar high.

I’ve had a couple people email me, wondering what kind of activities would be best for the Family Advent Calendar.

I like mixing it up with things we need to do anyway – like pick out our tree and decorate the house –  and others that just make for some easy (and cheap!) holiday fun.

Off the top of my head:

• write and mail our letters to Santa
• cookie baking and decorating
• share some of our baking with our neighbors
• buy/set up the Christmas tree (this counts for two days for us (1) picking the tree (we get a live one) and (2) decorating it the next day (it always needs to defrost first!)
• a neighborhood night walk with our DIY lanterns
• buy a gift for charity (we like Toy Mountain)
• choose a gift from the World Vision catalogue
• write/decorate our Christmas cards
• Christmas crafting! Marble magnets, beaded bobby pins, paper chains, paper snowflakes etc.
• toboganning
• ice skating at the local arena
• rent snowshoes and feed the birds
• “fancy dress” at dinnertime
• paint toenails
• host a tea party
• visit Santa
• find some puppets and make up a bedtime story
• write a story and “publish” it
• Is the sky clear? Do some star gazing.
• make edible gifts for the squirrels and birds
• make a list of ten things you are thankful for. Hang it where you can see it every day.
• dessert before dinner
• go for a drive to see the Christmas lights downtown

Looking for other kinds of events? If you’re in Ottawa-Gatineau you may already be familiar with Kids Ottawa? This website is an excellent resource for events/activities in our region. If you can’t find something to do in their extensive holiday pages, well, I don’t know what to tell you.

As for the big days, the 24th and 25th, I think I’ll keep the same activities as last year:

24. Unwrap one present after dinner (mum and dad get to pick which one).

25.  It’s Christmas Day. Remember you have a family who loves you. And that’s the most important gift of all.

What say you? Anything else to add? Help me brainstorm and come up with some really good ideas!

Hat tip to Martha!

Sarah and I made bunch of beaded hair pins based on an idea in a recent holiday craft issue. Sarah also designed her own packaging.

Pretty sweet huh? I’m totally chuffed.

This was a very easy craft to do with kids, and I would totally recommend it for the 7+ age group. Instructions are here.

 I hope to post more craft ideas in the weeks to come. (DIY Christmas is the way to go!)