Soooo if you haven’t figured this out yet, I’m all about keeping things simple when it comes to things I do with my kids. I’m not into activities that require a ton of prep in materials or in knowledge beforehand. So when I tell you these family and service activities are easy, well . . . they are! I’m going to explain how we do our advent calendar, as well as provide a free list for you with some fun and easy ideas.

1. Design

I saw this post on Pinterest one day and loved the design and the idea and I just knew I had to do it! I already had this frame that my husband built out of old wood that had a rustic feel to it which I thought was perfect to go with the vintage feel of these envelopes. Even if you don’t have a frame, I think hanging the envelopes on some wire pinned to the wall would be just as cute! I also found little Christmas trees and other little things to decorate it with in the Target cheap-o section (don’t know the real name ha ha) so all in all it was a very cheap project. I bought off-white cardstock to print on, but I think white would also be pretty. It takes a bit of setup in the beginning, but once it’s setup you’re done!

2. The activities

It was really important to me to do fun stuff as a family, but also remember the reason for the season and incorporate some fun easy service activities that wouldn’t feel like it was taking on too much to try to accomplish. Most of them center around just noticing the people around them and being grateful for what they do for them every day. I have a FREE printable of our master list of activities down at the bottom of this post, so head there if you’re interested!

3. How i organize the activities

I store all the envelopes in a bag with a master list of activities I’ve written on the cards that go on the envelopes. Most years I will look at the list, look at our calendar, and assign things that will fit in with our calendar. Most things are quick and easy, but there are some (like making gingerbread houses) that require just a bit of prep and time so it’s helpful to have those mapped out. This year has felt busier so that didn’t happen! The cards stayed in the same envelopes they were in last year, and that’s ok too.

4. Remember to keep it breezy

Maybe that’s a dumb way to say it, but the point of this advent calendar isn’t to add more to your already crazy schedule that has a million to do tasks at this time of year (trust me, I get it!). If you forget to do some days, that’s ok! If you pull out a card and it ends up not working for that day, just choose a different day to do it! It’s really just about facilitating ways to spend time together, have fun, and spread joy to those around you.