Advent Calendar Activities for Adventurous Families

For many of us, the holiday season is a time for honouring traditions and revisiting the meaningful holiday family activities we’ve always enjoyed. But it can also be the perfect season to try something new and different—maybe even something downright adventurous.

If your family isn’t afraid to try, taste, learn and mix it up—or even if you simply aspire to be more like that—then why not approach the holidays with a spirit of “advent-ure”?

We’ve brainstormed a list of twists on traditional holiday family fun, making sure to include a range of big and small, as well as free and inexpensive activities. We invite you to try one every day as you count down to your big holiday celebration.

Who knows? You may even find a few things you want to make a permanent part of your holidays. Hey, traditions have to start somewhere, right?

• Pull out that cookie recipe you thought looked too complicated and give it a try. (We believe in you!)
• Have a cookout in the cold…then go inside to enjoy the hot food.
• Invent a snack your favourite holiday character would like. Santa Sub? Grinch Chow? Tiny tater tots with their eyes all aglow?
• Make Reindeer Crunch for Santa’s reindeer. Eat it yourselves. Don’t tell Santa.
• Decorate a designated cookie plate for Santa with food-safe markers.
• Instead of sipping plain old hot cocoa, try some spicy Mexican hot chocolate. You can find Ibarra or Abuelita hot chocolate in many grocery stores.
• Or whip up some white hot cocoa, honey hot chocolate or set up a whole hot chocolate bar.
• Learn about Hanukkah and try your hand at making latkes.
• Or try a traditional holiday food from another culture: lutefisk, tamales and mince pies are just a few of the endless options.

• ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas is great, but it’s not the only read-aloud option. Try The Best Christmas Pageant Ever or another holiday classic instead.
• See The Nutcracker in whatever genre you vibe with—ballet, hip-hop, tap, jazz or contemporary.
• Put some oompah in your holidays with a Tuba Christmas performance. Or look for a holiday concert by the Lesbian and Gay Band Association.
• Skip the usual holiday pop, and relax or work together with Medieval or Renaissance Christmas music.
• Catch a hand-bell choir in action—live or online.
• Learn a carol from another language or culture. And while you’re enjoying a favorite holiday song, take a minute to learn about its history.

• Instead of a cookie exchange, have friends and their dogs over for a treat exchange.
• Take a holiday from holiday busy-ness and institute a family do-nothing day: Don’t shop, don’t wrap, don’t cook, don’t clean, don’t get out of your jammies…you get the idea.
• Add a signature touch: Gather around the table and add handwritten notes and family signatures to your holiday cards.
• Schedule a video call with someone special you won’t see in person this holiday season.
• Make up new, funny lyrics for a familiar holiday song. Record yourselves singing it and share for all to enjoy.
• Write and deliver a thank-you to your favourite barista, supermarket checker or someone else who brightens your day throughout the year.
• Plan a holiday scavenger hunt—around the house, around the neighbourhood, or around the whole town!
• Use geography puzzles to help kids learn about states and countries Santa will visit, and follow Santa on NORAD.
• Have a tiny snowball fight with mini marshmallows. (Take the showdown outside if you’re worried about the mess.)
• Some homes have an elf who lurks around in December. Give yours something a little different: Penguin in the Pantry? Mouse in the House? Gingerbread Boy in the John? Doll on the Wall? Use your imagination!

• Attend a service at a different church or temple than you usually go to—or at a place of worship from a different faith tradition.
• Gratitude—it’s not just for Thanksgiving! Keep a holiday-season gratitude journal or post a “daily grateful” on social media.
• Take time out to pray for, or send good thoughts to, the people who mean the most to you.
• Meditate for ten minutes. (We all could use a little more holiday peace, right?)
• Instead of re-gifting, try “pre-gifting”: Buy something you love, then give it away. (Or donate the money you would have spent on it.)
• Choose meaningful stories, prayers or poems to read at family dinners in December.
• Light a candle for someone you find difficult. Say a prayer for them and think about their good qualities.
  • Light a candle in honour of someone you’ve lost. Talk about what made that person special.
  • Brainstorm together to make a wish list for the world and humankind.
  • Send an out-of-the-blue card to your pastor or spiritual leader, thanking them for their dedication—especially at this busy time of year.

• Choose a local charity to learn about. Make a commitment to volunteer there if you feel called to do so.
• Visit a care home and spend time talking, playing games, reading, decorating, writing letters or doing puzzles with residents.
• Make arrangements to host an international student who can’t go home for the holidays at your celebration.
• Caring challenge: Everyone pick five possessions to give away and go donate them together.
• Smile at, wave to or hug five people today. (Make sure the hugs are okay with them first.)
• Shop for a food bank while doing your family grocery shopping.
• Pick out a good cause to support with a monthly donation. Put your heads together to plan how you will budget for (or earn) the monthly amount.