In The Event of An Advent

I love advent calendars.  Adds to the antic-eee-pation of the season doesn't it?  When we were little my mom made the coolest advent calendars for us.

Now, bear in mind this is a copy and it dates back to 1994.  She drew the tree and put 31 "ornaments" on it.  We got to color in the tree but not the ornaments.  When we did what the ornament said... like, "Put out crumbs for the birds."  We put one of those circle dot stickers on it.  You know the ones, they come in red, green, blue, and yellow?  You get them in a pack of like 500 for seventy-five cents.  Yeah.  Those.  Then, at the end of the month your tree would be all decorated and your heart would be all warm from all the nice things you did.

Last night I whipped my own up.  Meaning I traced my Mom's tree but used my own handwriting to make one for my Activity Day girls.  I am only doing 25 ornaments.  (And I only filled in 20... they have to think of 5 ideas on their own.)  It'll take them right up to Christmas Day.  When the little Koley Fazoli gets big enough I'll do one for him too.  I think I'm going to try computerizing it.  So!  If you want to do it for your kiddos (young or old does not matter) here are the ideas my mom had on hers. 

1. Say "I Love You" to someone.
2. Make a Christmas card for your Primary teacher.
3. Surprise your sister by doing her after school job.
4. Use a happy voice all day long.
5. Draw a Christmas picture of your family.
6. List the good things that happened to you for 1994 in your journal.
7. Read or listen to a scripture story.
8. Write a thank-you note to a friend.
9. Share a smile with as many people as you can.
10. Thanks Heavenly Father for your blessings.
11. Help make the house look clean.
12. Write a Christmas letter to a missionary.
13. Say "Merry Christmas" to a neighbor.
14. Ask mom what you can do to help.
15. Do something nice for someone you don't know very well.
16. Make a gift to give as a surprise.
17. Do something nice for Dad.
18. Say something nice to a person you know.
19. Tell a friend why you like her or him.
20. Put out crumbs for the birds.
21. Write your feelings about Jesus in your journal.
22. Leave love notes for your mother and father.
23. Write a letter of thanks to the bishop.
24. Draw a picture and give it away.
25. Memorize a scripture and recite it for someone.
26. Clean your room really good.
27. Call Grandma Morelli.
28. Talk to someone who seems lonely.
29. Practice a Christmas hymn from the hymn book.
30. Make a list of ways you can be like Jesus for 1995.
31. Sing Christmas songs as you work.

Ma mere.

Now, don't fear, I'm not going all "how-to" on you.  I just love this idea.  And I remember being in 3rd grade and being really excited to get my whole tree full.  My Mom took her role so seriously.  I'm really glad I have a Mom that did that.  And a mom who saved all this stuff for when I need a good idea for Activity Days.