Top Activities Ideas and Gifts to Make Your Advent Calendar Joyous
As humans, we love festivals and the celebration of them, often ‘personalizing’ them to match our surroundings and personalities. Christmas is one such festival that speaks of love, joy, new hope, and new beginnings. It focuses on togetherness as a family and the importance of engaging in good deeds. The most exciting part of this festival is the build-up – yes, the 24 days of Advent, which is a time of fun, shopping, and most importantly engaging in activities that strengthen family bonds and friendships. We give you some simple yet impactful activity ideas and gifting options that speak of love, sharing, deep connection, and precious memories.
- Put together items and gifts as a donation
There is immense joy in sharing and advent is one of the best times to show it. Doesn’t your heart just melt when you look around and see the many children and others, and stray animals, with barely enough to take them through a day? Put together sets of items that could be given as ‘gifts’, either to an orphanage, an old age home, or a homeless shelter. It’s all about feeling the ‘pinch’ a bit, to make it worthwhile for those less fortunate. Our children will remember this for years to come, and it will help them to stay grounded and caring.
- Make the Christmas Ornaments
Engaging in this activity as a family is a great way to encourage creativity, thinking in unison, and sharing a load of laughs. Our kids would feel proud to see their creations hung on the tree and around the house. In the spirit of giving, you could also make some special gifts and ornaments for your lovely neighbors too!
- Make or Buy Gifts for Teachers, School Staff, and Health Workers
These are the people that help shape the lives and future of our children and are those professionals who care for us when we are ill. The most exciting part is that because they do not expect it, the look of happiness and surprise on their faces would be all the thanks we need. After hours of back-breaking work, these selfless workers deserve some me time. A gift set of a variety of teas, or some tea accessories, and a good book make for a great way to say you care.
- Leave a Tip or an Extra Tip
We are fortunate to be able to visit the malls, buy high-end gifts, shop at some of the best places, and dine at fancy restaurants. There are a number of workers at all these places who could use a smile and that something extra that will make their festival bright. Why not leave an extra-large tip for your server at the restaurant you dine at, or maybe tip the helpful store staff and thank them for what they do, even during the festivals away from their families?
- Serve Meals at a ‘Soup Kitchen’
A soup kitchen is any place that serves food to the homeless and poor. Engaging in this activity as a family can prove to be an immensely powerful time – reiterating the importance of family, having a home, hot food and refreshing water, and other things we often take for granted. There are several such places where you could volunteer your time to serve meals.
- Be the ‘Santa’ for Animals
Take food and treats to an animal shelter – the joy in watching those wagging tails and jumps of happiness – is inexplicable. If there is no such place around your area, you could take food, milk, and water out on the streets to feed the lonely stray animals. This experience is probably nonpareil in terms of its impact and the warmth you would feel – much like a hug on the inside – like a hot soothing cup of tea.
- Make Your Own Wrapping Paper
Christmas is the time of giving and gifting and making your own wrapping paper is an activity that kids will remember for a lifetime. Plain sheets of paper covered in little fingerprints and maybe paw prints too. You could also use bubble wrap imprints, or even vegetable or flower prints. Not only will this be a cost-saving activity but would be good for the environment too.
- Sing Songs and Make Videos
Make funny videos of your family singing (even if poorly 😊) and laughing, and send them to your family and friends. This is a great way to share yourself and your family with your loved ones living far away and those you don’t get to meet often
- Their Favorite Christmas and Other Music Playlist
Your spouse or partner or a colleague or friend may have a long commute to their workplace or have a job that requires them to work alone. Gifting them a playlist with their favorite songs and music could be just the way to say you care, and they will think of you each time they listen to it.
- Say Thanks
If you are behind on gratefulness, make saying thanks part of your advent calendar activity list. Handwritten notes to say thanks or even sorry is possibly the most heartfelt and personal way to express your feelings and thoughts. And it’s free!
- Compliment Your Loved Ones – Say it With Tea
The ones closest to us are also the ones we see every day – mostly. We often forget to tell them how we feel about them – use your advent calendar theme to make sure to say thanks and give them a compliment. You could even accompany this with a beautiful tea gift set, that could contain wellness teas with beautiful accessories to further elevate their tea drinking experience!
- Thoughtful Tea Gift Set
The best way to start and or end your day is a cup of steaming healthy tea! Include this as part of your advent calendar gift, especially the ones that contain a new tea for each of the 24 days of advent. This makes a great gift for yourself too! The appealing and maybe even ‘theatrical’ tea gift sets, numbered for your convenience, are a delightful way to try different premium teas.
- Say it with a Flower or Plant
It’s the most environmentally friendly gift that you can think of – apart from it being a long-term and beautiful gift. A plant or a flowering plant in a tasteful planter with a handwritten note would be a great way of making someone happy and is a great advent calendar gifting idea.
- Late Night Drive
The whole family can hop into a vehicle, pick up other family members and friends, and drive around places with Christmas lights, while also singing carols as you drive along.
- Surprise Someone
If you know of someone who is probably alone or is alone for the festival, go over to their home with some Christmas treats and sing carols with them.
These are just some of the activities and gifting ideas to make your advent calendar ‘jolly’, while also spreading smiles and cheer! The fact is:
– You can do something simple and maybe on every alternate day or on the weekends. The point is to add care and empathy to your advent calendar while making a lifetime of memories for the family. Sipping on hot and delicious tea will be the kick that you need!
– When you plan family time and activities, it would be good to refuse any other commitments and stay focused on this precious time with family
– Make sure to make a plan that is doable – allowing enough time for each one to attend to other tasks as well
Finally
