Advent Calendar Activities

To be perfectly honest, I feel pretty burnt out on life. I get a little flicker of "oh that was cute" or "love that sky" or "that sure smells good" every once in a while...and it feels real nice. But I'm not dancing around the room and making delicious treats every day and singing my socks off like I wish I was.

I'm lying on the couch with my toddler, while the big one blows his whistle to stop traffic. I'm staring blankly at the computer screen, searching desperately for inspiration. I know. It comes and goes.

So, in the practice of intention, I write out a list. A list of fun things for us to do together, a list of things we can do to help others, a list of holiday mood setting. Cause I'd love my kids to remember the festive season for its joys. Now for the energy to make that happen.

We're gonna need a few naps to do some of these evening things {hear that kiddos?}...

Here's my makeshift, made it in stages, hid the glue stick and put away the paper cutter before anything bad happened, without fancy numbering, just my sharpie scrawl. Course I wish it was nicer, but I'm doing what I can here. :) And that's enough.
candle lit bubble bath
parade of lights
wrap gifts for needy children
use puppets for interactive bedtime story
go out for frozen yogurt
take gifts to teachers
carol in our neighborhood
sing at the nursing home
attend Handel's Messiah concert
make cookie cutter cookies
take silly pictures wearing santa hats
take treats to friends
popcorn and movie {Charlie Brown}
ice skating
Christmas brunch with friends
gingerbread houses with Gma/Gpa
Christmas smoothie {spinach & cranberry swirl}
drive around town to see the lights
hot chocolate on road trip
snowball fight

The activities are on sticky notes affixed to the back of these papers 
{they used to be little boxes...I cut them into two of these} 
and after each day, we'll turn it around to show the pretty paper I glued onto the back.
Are you planning to do any of these activities next month? What are your holiday countdown traditions?