Ideas for Your Own Holiday Activity Advent Calendar

I have always loved putting together special advent calendars for the countdown to Christmas, but especially in recent years, our family has enjoyed shifting the focus from “stuff” to experiences and quality time. 

In the early years, I would include small gifts that encouraged creativity, such as stickers, stamps, and other craft supplies, but I soon realised I wasn’t comfortable purchasing so many cheap, disposable products that only added clutter to our home.

The first year we started an Advent Activity Calendar, when we were still living in the inner city – now almost a decade ago!

Then I read this great idea by Esther at Babyccino Kids, whose advent projects were mostly about giving to others and having fun together as a family over Christmas. However, many of the ideas were heavily geared towards a European winter, such as drinking hot chocolate or taking walks together in the dark at night. As summer is such a big part of the Australian Christmas, I set about adapting some of the ideas and giving them a slightly different spin. 

(We have also added an Advent Book Calendar to the season’s festivities – read more here!)

Here is a list of some of our favourite holiday activities we have included over the years:

Holiday Activity Advent Calendar Ideas

1. Invite friends to join us for ice skating

2. Create a card or bake treats for postal workers

3. Paint pine cones for Christmas decorations

4. Make a favourite snack and watch a family Christmas movie

5. Make and then drop off treats at a friends’ house

6. Create and deliver holiday cards

7. Learn how to make a seasonal recipe together

8. Go around the table at dinner and share three things we love about each person

9. Put together a present for someone in need

10. Make our own Christmas wreaths

11. Learn how other cultures celebrate the holidays and try a new idea

12. Invite friends to join us for ice skating

13. Create a card or bake treats for postal workers

14. Paint pine cones for Christmas decorations

15. Make a favourite snack and watch a family Christmas movie

16. Make and then drop off treats at a friends’ house

17. Create and deliver holiday cards

18. Learn how to make a seasonal recipe together

19. Go around the table at dinner and share three things we love about each person

20. Put together a present for someone in need

21. Make our own Christmas wreaths

22. Have a family game night 

23. Work together to complete a puzzle

24. Make fruit mince pies

25. Create paper origami decorations

26. Make snowballs out of pom poms 

27. Go for a drive to find the best Christmas lights

28. Learn to play a Christmas song on an instrument

29. Watch The Nutcracker 

30. Create garlands with popcorn, cranberry, or dried oranges 

31. Learn about charities, choose one, and make a donation

32. Make a blessing basket for a neighbour in need

33. Decorate your bedroom door 

34. Create a themed scavenger hunt with clues

35. Put on a Christmas play based on a favourite book

36. Go outside in pyjamas and look for shooting stars

37. Make Christmas pancakes using cookie cutters

38. Build a blanket fort to camp in overnight

I would love to hear about your favourite traditions and see how you display your holiday activity advent calendar! Comment below or tag @nataliewalton on Instagram to share.

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P.S. If you’re craving a simpler, more restful holiday season, take a look at my latest guide: The Holidays Simplified – 5 easy ways to simplify the busy season.

Inside, you’ll find strategies for prioritising what’s most important to you and letting go of stress, clutter, and excess.

Click here to grab your copy of the guide!