Can it be Advent already?!  My time flies!

One of the things I love about having children, is they remind you of how you used to see things when you were little.  Everything is exciting again!  Searching for pumpkins around Halloween, and now being on the hunt for Christmas lights and trees whenever we are out.  One of the things I would like to make for the boys is an Advent calendar of some sort.  (Advent=basically the month of December when we wait and prepare for the arrival of the Baby Jesus on Christmas–the Savior of the world!  Party!!!)   I put some ideas I ran across on Pinterest on my Advent board.   (Pinterest is awsome!  Come follow me–I’m Ingrid Barlow, duh, on there!)

This idea is cute, but maybe a bit time consuming to make.

I like this idea for “action” activities or Bible verses or quotes, or family conversation starters…

This is darling, but limits you to what kinds of items you can use.

This is the one I am leaning towards making–Advent bags.  I like the idea of them opening something each day.  Yippee!!  I don’t want it to be food everyday–I don’t think we need to encourage that.  I want some of the items to be for them, but also some to be for other people, or “actions” they are instructed to do for other people.  Some of the items may be new and for them, but other things will be items that are reminder gifts.  Like maybe a baby Jesus from our home that they don’t necessarily get to keep.  The bags allow me to do small items or chunkier objects.   And I like that it has an old/rustic yet modern feel to it.  I think the kids will love it year after year!