Christmas Countdown

With all this talk about activities leading up to Christmas, what are some fun things you do with kids leading up to Christmas?

I bought an advent calendar and got DD a personalized book from Santa to read. She’s almost 3 and gets excited over the smallest things so I feel like she would adore some type of daily ritual.

Was hoping I could steal some ideas from you guys!

Re: Christmas Countdown

we always do a drive thru light show, either the girls scouts at smiths point or jones beach

we decorate gingerbread houses, I usually get the kit from Bjs

we always go to our Fire Depts parade of lights- the put lights all over the trucks and have santa on the truck - my kids are little 6 &4 so they love it

we also drive around and just look at lights, I look in Newsday and they list the houses that go all out with the decorations and we drive by them

Re: Christmas Countdown

We have something Christmas-y to do every weekend til the holiday. I love the holidays and this is the first year DD is super into it (she's 2.5) and the only year she gets to do it solo so we're going all in.

This weekend we'll finish decorating the outside of the house (it better not rain! ), take Christmas pictures (because I'm a procrastinator) and meet Santa.

Since we get a real tree, we'll get our tree next weekend and decorate it.

The following weekend we're planning to see The Grinch movie. It's also DD's first movie in the theater and she's obsessed with the live action movie so I'm very excited to go to this with her. We're also planning to go to IHOP for the grinch pancakes. lol!

And then the weekend right before Christmas we'll be baking cookies and finishing up wrapping any presents.

On Christmas Eve, DD gets a Christmas Eve box with a Christmas book and her Christmas PJs. We also watch Christmas movies. DH and I have watched Christmas Vacation on Christmas Eve for years, but that's probably after DD goes to bed.

I can't wait. I got some great gifts for people this year and I got something for DD that she saw (it's a really big box) but doesn't know is for her. So she keeps talking about saying she's going to ask Santa for it. I can't wait to see her face on Christmas morning when the big guy comes through.

ETA: We have an advent calendar, too. Mostly filled with candy/Christmas fruit snacks but there's a couple special surprises- a kinder egg, a spiderman lip gloss (because she's 50/50 girly and tomboy which I love), little paw patrol blind squishies, etc. And we're planning to do Elf on the Shelf. I'm enthusiastic about it now but by the 3rd I'm sure I'm going to be sick of it!

Message edited 11/29/2018 1:55:44 PM.

Re: Christmas Countdown

Do you do the Elf yet?
Not sure you want to get started with that because some people see it as a huge PIA but I don't go crazy with it- setting up scenarios etc.

Basically the Elf moves from location to location each day (that I remember to move it- i can't tell you how many nights I have hopped out of bed just as I was drifting off to sleep to move it! And how many nights I just forgot totally!) That's it- nothing creative at all.

DD loves looking for it in the morning. So if you DD gets super exicted and likes daily rituals this might be good for you. Just set expectations low from the start (as in don't start all the crazy stuff that Elf is doing and jsut move it each night) and she won't know any better!

The Elf comes on Dec 1 and brings Xmas pj's for my DD and lately matching ones for her American Girl Doll.
It also brings an ornament for her to put our tree

The Grinch movie was great- we saw it last weekend. If you think she can sit through a movie (my DD at 3 wasn't ready for a movie) then maybe try that.

Do you have a breakfast or brunch with Santa you can attend locally? We haven't done that, but I always said I wanted to.... just never pulled the trigger

We bake cookies for Santa on Xmas eve.

Message edited 11/29/2018 2:22:06 PM.

Re: Christmas Countdown

Ds usually gets a chocolate advent calendar from grandma and loves opening it first thing in the morning.
This year she also got him the lego advent calendar and he can't wait!
we might try to see the nutcracker movie this weekend.

the weekend of the 7-9th we'll do all the decorating. DH and I are going to a show that saturday, so DS is staying at grandma's and helping her bake christmas cookies.

the 15th we're seeing the nutcracker at queens college (which i am very excited for!)

the weekend before christmas is cleaning and shopping and cooking because i host christmas day.

christmas eve is children's mass and then christmas eve dinner and gifts at grandma's.

christmas day is gifts and waffle breakfast. then cooking and getting ready for dinner with our families and DS's godfather and wife at our house

Re: Christmas Countdown

Thanks guys!

She is unaware of THE Elf's existence and I'd like to keep it that way because his creepy little face gives me nightmares.

We're going to see the grinch at MSG. She only knows who he is because she had grinch pancakes at IHOP DH wants to take her to see the movie. He thinks she'll sit through it but I have my doubts.

I like the idea of driving around to look at the lights, she likes to spot them on the way home from school. She might be into baking cookies. I think she's going to love the advent calendar, even though its a cheapie from TJs.

We did a santa brunch last year and videoed her meeting santa. The video won DH a funniest video contest at work. She was not a fan but we'll try again this year.

Re: Christmas Countdown

Posted by LuckyStar

Thanks guys!

She is unaware of THE Elf's existence and I'd like to keep it that way because his creepy little face gives me nightmares.

We're going to see the grinch at MSG. She only knows who he is because she had grinch pancakes at IHOP DH wants to take her to see the movie. He thinks she'll sit through it but I have my doubts.

I like the idea of driving around to look at the lights, she likes to spot them on the way home from school. She might be into baking cookies. I think she's going to love the advent calendar, even though its a cheapie from TJs.

We did a santa brunch last year and videoed her meeting santa. The video won DH a funniest video contest at work. She was not a fan but we'll try again this year.

Re: Christmas Countdown

I had started this Holiday Traditions thread a few years ago, there are many cute ideas! Check it out.

Holiday Traditions Thread

Re: Christmas Countdown

We see the Nutcracker at the Tilles Center, some years the Rockettes, Hicks nursery. This year we are doing milleridge (just walking around). We have a December countdown calendar where they open a door each day, we do the elf (just moving her). Gingerbread house at the library. Dd goes to catholic school so there’s also Christmas around the world, breakfast with Santa, and things like that at her school. We also have 5 December bdays between me, my 2 dds, my mom, and grandmother, so we keep busy!