Advent Calendar of Family Christmas Traditions

Blame National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, but I have always wanted an advent calendar. While shopping for some decorations today, I found a cool one. I was excited that I'd have a treat to look forward to each day leading up to Christmas, but I wasn't quite sure what to put in it. Candy? Definitely. But, I wanted more. Searching the web, I came across a great blog post where it was suggested to use it to inspire family activities.

To be honest, I've been in the dumps over Christmas. I think that as I've grown older and my family has moved apart, I have started to lose all of the Christmas traditions that make the holidays so much fun. So, in my advent calendar (even though I'm starting really late this year), I decided to make each day of December remind me of all of my family's traditions and find ways to make new ones. I'm also going to eat candy.

Advent Calendar Traditions:

1. Decorate the Christmas Tree.
2. Drink Silk Egg Nog – yum!
3. Watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
4. Create a new tradition for the advent calendar.
5. Pick out this year’s Christmas cookies.
6. Make an ornament. Add the date, so you remember the year.
7. Go Christmas shopping to remind yourself why you love to make presents. Figure out the craft idea for the year.
8. Write a Dear Santa letter.
9. Find a charity. Commit to helping in some way.
10. Look at the family Christmas photos. Send some of the fun ones to family. 
11. Treat yourself to a box of Cherry Cordials. You know they are your favorite!
12. Make a Christmas music mix.
13. Make something sparkle. 
14. Donate to Hospice for Grandma and Grandpa.
15. Write a blog post about Christmas.
16. Make popcorn and watch Elf.
17. Write a Christmas card with a note for faraway family to tell them you care.
18. Make hot chocolate and enjoy the Christmas lights.
19. Make a paper snowflake (Very important when living in Florida away from real snow).
20. Paint a Christmas picture.
21. Buy new pajamas to wear Christmas Eve. This makes up for growing up and not getting pajamas on Christmas Eve anymore.
22. Wrap presents. Make them extra special pretty.
23. Write a letter to yourself for next Christmas.
24. Read The Night Before Christmas (best ornament ever, keep the tradition alive!) and then leave a treat for Santa (cookies) and the reindeer (carrots & celery).
25. Merry Christmas! Enjoy time with family! Take a Christmas photo (if you have stairs, stagger down the steps) and watch A Christmas Story (24-hours on TBS).

And just so annoy my sisters, I have included a lovely stair photo with our stockings as an example. I'm the goofy one with the monster bangs in the front.

If you have other traditions, I would love to hear them!