https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 04 Apr 2026 02:48:06 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1218901 Fri, 15 Nov 2013 11:06:43 +0000 mediagirl 1218901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: this is an amazing nativity/advent calendar! Wow, beautiful!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1184466 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 10:56:37 +0000 AmandaB8 1184466@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We always did 2 advent calendars - one with candy, and one was symbolic with a tree. With the symbolic one, we'd open a drawer each day, and it'd have something like a lamb, and a story as to Jesus being the lamb of God, or a star, with a story about its guiding light, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1184009 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:14:36 +0000 GrapeCrush 1184009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't do them growing up, but DH did(his mom STILL sets Iran advent calendar for him and SIL...). I want to make some for DS and DD. I like the idea of incorporating activities as well as just candy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183995 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:11:18 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1183995@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It is a Christian event, Advent comes from the Latin word "coming" referring to the birth of Jesus. </p> <p>I think you could just do a countdown to Christmas and use the same ideas of Advent such as the gifts - pinterest has some good ideas.</p> <p>Although it is religious - I love this advent "calendar" - it's a puzzle. Each day of the 24 days preceding Christmas, you add a piece to the puzzle and on Christmas day the nativity is complete. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/35595359/nativity-advent-calendar-wooden-puzzle?ref=sr_gallery_2&#038;sref=sr_96a2738d7b76f0eb56e7842de9442c8311b1f85183fa82d36657ee1dd96df531_1383142257_14118591_advent&#038;ga_search_query=advent+puzzle&#038;ga_view_type=gallery&#038;ga_ship_to=US&#038;ga_search_type=all" rel="nofollow">http://www.etsy.com/listing/35595359/nativity-advent-calendar-wooden-puzzle?ref=sr_gallery_2&#038;sref=sr_96a2738d7b76f0eb56e7842de9442c8311b1f85183fa82d36657ee1dd96df531_1383142257_14118591_advent&#038;ga_search_query=advent+puzzle&#038;ga_view_type=gallery&#038;ga_ship_to=US&#038;ga_search_type=all</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183983 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:07:15 +0000 regberadaisy 1183983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't mind doing a few gifts because I know I will be buying her a book and Christmas PJs at the very least. So those can simply be wrapped to open! LoL<br /> But def like the idea of it being more activities to evoke the holiday spirit of family and giving. Grandparents watch her on Wednesdays so I might ask if they want to take the lead on those days. She can do those days with them when they come pick her up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183980 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:05:56 +0000 fancyfunction 1183980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My mom always bought me one that had a little piece of chocolate behind each day. She'll still buy them for me and my husband - ha! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183977 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:05:00 +0000 pui 1183977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I grew up in a non-religious family and we just had those little cardboard advent calendars with chocolate inside. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183972 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:03:04 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1183972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I posted a thread asking people about their Advent tradition last year. Here's a link: <a href="http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-your-advent-calendar-tradition#post-404891" rel="nofollow">http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tell-me-about-your-advent-calendar-tradition#post-404891</a></p> <p>As for my DH, he grew up Lutheran and it's part of the typical Christmas tradition around these parts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183968 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:02:26 +0000 honeybear 1183968@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: That calendar is beautiful. I toyed with the idea of ornaments after last year's spectacular failure, but I also like to have my tree fully decorated as soon as it's up and I don't sew, so I couldn't make one as nice as that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183965 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:01:13 +0000 Mrs. Train 1183965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Advent calendars are Lutheran in origin but are widely used even by non religious people. They usually have 24 things from December 1-24 (Christmas is not included). Since the first day of advent doesn't always land on the first day of advent they really are a more secular Christmas countdown calendar. We have several for the kids. I have a little story board with a bear looking through his house for Christmas. He moves through all the rooms looking for chritmas (which he finds on the 24). I also have one that builds a nativity scene with little magnets each day. I don't usually get the gift a day or chocolate a day ones just because we get enough on Christmas so I don't like to add to the presents. But I love our little story ones. My mom also has a felt Christmas tree with 24 ornaments that get pinned on. My kids love running over there and doing her advent calendars as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183955 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:58:29 +0000 mediagirl 1183955@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: @locavore_mama: @honeybear: the chain is a great idea! I don't like the idea of giving presents every day until Christmas and I liked how my mom did it - simple little calendar. I'm going to make this one and use it, hopefully, for many many years. </p> <p><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/114337312/pattern-felt-ornament-advent-calendar?utm_source=google&#038;utm_medium=product_listing_promoted&#038;utm_campaign=patterns_low&#038;gclid=CJb9o6fZvroCFY6Y4AodNVgAYg" rel="nofollow">https://www.etsy.com/listing/114337312/pattern-felt-ornament-advent-calendar?utm_source=google&#038;utm_medium=product_listing_promoted&#038;utm_campaign=patterns_low&#038;gclid=CJb9o6fZvroCFY6Y4AodNVgAYg</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183951 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:57:38 +0000 MamaG 1183951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We always had the chocolate calendar growing up. LO had one last year courtesy of my parents. I really want to do the 25 books and need to get on collecting them soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183935 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:54:36 +0000 looch 1183935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: That is a great idea! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183932 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:53:27 +0000 honeybear 1183932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: @looch: I like the "advent chain" idea here for a concrete countdown to Christmas that doesn't involve receiving stuff: <a href="http://www.osv.com/OSV4MeNav/ChurchSeasons/AdventResources/CustomsHistory/TraditionsAdventCalendar/tabid/8486/Default.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://www.osv.com/OSV4MeNav/ChurchSeasons/AdventResources/CustomsHistory/TraditionsAdventCalendar/tabid/8486/Default.aspx</a> . I might give this a go. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183899 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:46:38 +0000 regberadaisy 1183899@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: @honeybear: even though our LOs are still young I would love to start a precedent for volunteering. So one of the weekend days can be volunteer at a soup kitchen. We're sponsoring a local family for the holidays this year so I can see one day being wrap their gifts. You're right, I definitely don't want her to expect a gift every day. I want her to learn as well that the holidays are also about giving. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183890 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:45:21 +0000 mediagirl 1183890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was just a countdown to Christmas to us (but we grew up Catholic). We had a felt one growing up and when we were little, it was fun to put the "present" over the day of the week. We didn't get anything out of it (there was no candy in doors or hidden things in bags) it was just fun to say, "we have 16 more days till Christmas!!" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183881 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:43:48 +0000 looch 1183881@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: that is what I can see happening with my son...as it is he asks for things all the time, so I don't want him to just see the calendar strung up and expect it's a month of presents, plus christmas and birthday gifts! It's too much.</p> <p>@locavore_mama: I am going to try some activities and see how that goes over, I was thinking about making gingerbread scented playdough, but it involves the stove and I'd rather not start that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183871 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:41:44 +0000 regberadaisy 1183871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I love the Little People idea!! Not sure yet but probably small gifts, books and activities like @stine_ciro: posted. Things like bake holiday cookies, see lights, go sledding, decorate tree, watch A Christmas Story ;)...... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183864 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:40:51 +0000 honeybear 1183864@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: That sounds right. We had the wreath, and it was lit every Sunday at church. I had a chocolate Advent calendar maybe once growing up and I tried one with Legos and magnetic letters in it last year, but it was a total bust. LO started to expect a present every day after the first day, so I abandoned it after a couple days. I probably should have foreseen that problem. I'm trying to figure out how to fill the bags I made last year with something less likely to encourage materialism, since that defeated my purpose in putting the thing up in the first place. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183850 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:38:12 +0000 Cole 1183850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We always used it just as a count down to Christmas (I think from a more religious side we used an Advent wreath when we were kids but to be honest I don't really remember the details.)</p> <p>One year my mom did slips of paper in a jar with different activities like go for a drive to look at Christmas lights, hot chocolate with marshmallows, holiday crafts and that type of thing. </p> <p>With one family I worked with I wrapped 24 Christmas books up and they opened one and read it before bed each night. They weren't all new and they were reused the next year. In fact I think I even wrapped a few library books for a few of the books. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183844 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:37:26 +0000 mrs.shinerbock 1183844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We never did them growing up, but I love them! My sister sewed calendars for my brother's kids and send gifts every year. She wraps up little toys and candy (or treats like nail polish and lip gloss for the teenagers). </p> <p>I've seen some really cute alternative ones if you don't want to do the gifts/candy route. My favorites are wrapping up 25 Christmas books and unwrap a new one to read each night and doing holiday activities instead of a gift for each day. </p> [attach=4024/13/mvhhue.236x148.Book-Advent.jpg] [attach=4024/13/mvhhuf.404x583.Activity-Advent.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183842 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:37:06 +0000 looch 1183842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So what are you planning to put inside them, I need more ideas!!!!<br /> I forgot that I had a little people nativity, so I will put pieces from there in the calendar as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183835 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:35:50 +0000 regberadaisy 1183835@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Weagle: ooh oh Pick Your Plum has canvas bags a lot and I've been dying to find something to buy them for. I think I might next time they have them that way it's reusable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183827 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:34:22 +0000 regberadaisy 1183827@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cmomma17: sold. Dh is German and I have been trying to include more German customs into our life. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183807 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:31:01 +0000 looch 1183807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@honeybear: yes, we had the wreath with the candles growing up. I think the advent calendar is Lutheran in origin. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183805 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:30:23 +0000 immabeetoo 1183805@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did one growing up and it was just little surprises each day; no religiosity in it for us! I plan to make one out of fabric; there are lots of tutorials on Pinterest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183804 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:30:15 +0000 honeybear 1183804@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Catholics observe Advent, but Protestants do, too. Calendars are common (I think they're German in origin?), but the more prevalent symbol is an Advent wreath with four candles--three purple and one pink. You light one of the purple candles each Sunday during Advent and the pink one is the last Sunday before Christmas. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183800 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:29:32 +0000 Weagle 1183800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't do one growing up, and neither did other Protestant families I knew. However, we're going to start doing it this year with LO. We'll do it in place of our regular family devotional. Each night will have a verse/little story about Christmas and what it means. I don't think we'll do candy or toys each day at this point. LO is 17 months old and won't really miss that part :). </p> <p>I'm making ours based on one of these two. </p> [attach=624/13/mvhhh8.430x591.image.jpg] [attach=624/13/mvhhha.449x600.image.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183796 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:28:55 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1183796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm making one this year. It'll be my first year to do it, so I'm totally noob. Essentially, it's just a calendar that holds little gifts starting Dec 1st. DH says it should only lead up to Christmas, so it isn't a complete 25 day calendar because you open your Christmas gifts on Christmas instead, but I think it's a regional thing. All the Advent calendars I've seen online all have 25 days.</p> <p>Here's what I plan to do. I saved some of her NB stocks for it :)<br /> <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/857740/handmade-advent-calendars/@center/307034/christmas-workshop" rel="nofollow">http://www.marthastewart.com/857740/handmade-advent-calendars/@center/307034/christmas-workshop</a></p> <p>[attach=1448/13/mvhhl1.330x411.image.jpg] </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/advent-calendar#post-1183792 Wed, 30 Oct 2013 08:27:40 +0000 cmomma17 1183792@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I loooooove advent calendars! Always had them when I was little, and I am not from a religious family.<br /> They are German! </p>