Christmas {Advent}

I'm not quite finished with our advent calendar yet.
 Who am I kidding, I'll probably get to finishing it up right after Thanksgiving?! I keep seeing all these adorable advent calendars being posted. They are so inspiring.
There are so many types of advent calendars: a treat for each day, a surprise, an activity, a prayer. In our home, each day leading up to Christmas we have an activity planned.
Every year I have just used a countdown chain with the activity written on each link. I wanted to try something new this year. Hopefully it works {fingers crossed.}
 However, our activities are pretty much the same each year. We have alot of traditions that we love to do. I wanted to post some of our traditions just in case someone is looking for a few ideas.

This is our advent calendar/to-do list for Christmas:

1. Make a paper countdown chain.

2. Write and mail letters to Santa.

3. Decorate house and listen to Christmas music. {Another Check, although couldn't find my Christmas CD. Luckily there's Christmas music on the radio. Now I have to clean my radio cabinet.}
4. Watch a Christmas movie.

5. Take Christmas card pictures and order cards.

6. Camp out next to fireplace in living room with hot chocolate and smores.

7. Make jam. {Made Grape and Strawberry}

8. Make snowflakes.

9. Finish up all the Christmas gifts and wrap.

10. Read a Christmas story.

11. Mom does kids chore day.

12. Cut down our tree and decorate.

13. Make ornaments.

14. Bake bread.

15. Eat dinner backwards, starting with dessert.

16. Drive around and look at Christmas lights.

17. Wrap teachers gifts.

18. Bake and decorate cookies.

19. Cookie party and pass out cookies to neighbors.

20. Donate canned goods. {Fed people in the community instead}

21. Make gingerbread houses.

22. Have an early Christmas with my side of the family.

23. Bake cupcakes. {Made Cake and Cookies}

24. Christmas Eve dinner and Bible story.

25. Christmas Day.