It's Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

This weekend we celebrate the first week of advent, the official countdown to Christmas!

It is amazing that it has come round so fast and we will soon be getting all our Christmassy

Today I thought I would share a few advent calendar ideas with you that I have made myself and that are really effective especially with children.

This was the first Advent countdown calendar I made. I have used reclaimed, small terracotta pots which I place a chocolate coin in. As each day goes past we replace the chocolate with a candle so on an evening we can light each one as each day passes. I have used a chalk pen to write each number and have lined them all up along our mantle so it is tricky for little hands to reach into when I am not looking!

This second one I have used a reclaimed slate from a builders yard that I have drawn on. One side is a countdown that the kids can mark off each number as each day passes. On the other side is then a Christmas message that we turn over on Christmas eve after all of the days have been crossed off.

My third one is actually partly from a 'make your own' set my mum got me a couple of years ago. It came with bright coloured felts to make the little pockets out of but I opted for just a plain oatmeal colour and I then cut and stamped little labels for the numbers. I place little coins inside for the children.

Really all you could use to make something similar is a tea towel that you can then sew small pockets on to. It is a simple door hanger but looks really effective.

These are some of our little Christmas traditions. We also have the traditional nativity open flaps calendars that my parents get the kids and another sneaky Chocolate one!

Post by Emily