This is the first year since Jude’s birth that Josh and I are celebrating Advent in any real sort of way. I got the idea to make an Advent calendar out of mini (homemade!) envelopes from a 2007 post by Andrea over at a peek inside the fishbowl. The idea is to stuff the envelopes with a piece of paper upon which is written a special activity. Each day during Advent, you open the corresponding envelope to find out what the day’s activity is going to be. When I saw Andrea’s finished product (and list of activities she was planning to do with her family), I got so excited that I made Josh take me shopping supplies that night.

Here’s a list of the activities we’re planning for this wonderful season of Advent. I’m a few short at the moment, so I’ll update this list as I think of more fun things to do!

Light Advent Candle 11/29 — Done!
Make paper snowflakes and decorate windows 11/30 — Done!
Make pumpkin cranberry bread for COS college freshmen 12/1 — Done!
Read lots of Christmas-themed books 12/2
Bake cookies 12/3
Movie Night-Claymation Movie(s) 12/4
Get/Decorate Christmas Tree 12/5
Celebrate St. Nicholas’ Day/Light Advent Candle 12/6
Make Christmas cards for family and friends 12/7
12/8
Make Styrofoam snowmen 12/9
Zoo Lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo 12/10
Movie Night-How the Grinch Stole Christmas 12/11
Make cinnamon rolls 12/12
Light Advent Candle 12/13
Go to Charmers for a sweet treat and a hot drink 12/14
12/15
12/16
COS Christmas Pageant 12/17
Movie Night-Charlie Brown Christmas 12/18
Go downtown and look at all the window displays 12/19
Light Advent Candle 12/20
12/21
Ride the CTA Holiday Train 12/22
Wrap presents 12/23
Unwrap “Christmas Eve gifts” 12/24

***Christmas celebration w/friends (not sure of a date, yet).

Here are some pictures of the finished Advent calendar, our Advent wreath, and the activities we’ve completed! (Sorry for the poor photo quality. I’m having a tough time with our fancy camera. I think it’s time to admit that I just don’t have a knack for photography.)

Our completed Advent calendar:

First Day of Advent:

Second Day of Advent:

Third Day of Advent:

I’m going to try to post a picture from each of our daily Advent activities. If you have any suggestions for fun thing we can do on our “empty” days, feel free to leave a comment on this post!