I love my job as a voice actor. I love it so much that I don’t mind working full-time while the kids play and explore the world. Except during December. In December I get a bit fussy about missing out on all the magical energy that comes from holiday fun with the kids.
One of our holiday traditions that we have been doing for years now, makes it easier to get a little dose of the Christmas fun everyday. It keeps me from feeling quite so left out and the kids love it more than anything else we do (except maybe for Santa). It’s out countdown to Christmas (advent calendar).
Each year I fill 24 envelopes with activities and each day of December the kids wake up with excitement and joy to see which one we will be doing that day. Many of the activities are things we would do anyway like decorating gingerbread houses but having the calendar helps to make sure we do a little something every day. I try to include some community service activities, some outings, and some at home activities. Each year the make up of the envelopes are different depending on what is happening in our lives at the time. It helps me stay focused on together time and simple joy throughout the month when it can be easy to deep dive into the consumerism, the hustle, and the trappings of the holidays.
This year I made a printable pdf and an explanation video of what we do and how we do it. The pdf has a calendar, a list of activities, and cards for each day. I’m hopeful that it provides other busy parents with an easy way to implement a holiday countdown that can become a tradition bringing your family joy the way it does ours.
I’m always looking for new ideas so if you add some of your traditions please share!
I tried to make a brief video that explains what we do with the countdown and how it woks best for us.
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