Advent calendars used to be all the rage.  They were forgotten for a while, but they are now making a comeback. Maybe this year, instead of focusing on getting the right number of gifts for family members, you might elect to focus on advent activities all month long.

There are so many creative people out in the world who have come up with some very cute ways to display your advent calendar. A quick search on-line will give you pictures of ideas.

·         There are so many cute miniature ornaments that you can hang in a variety of ways:  on a miniature tree, on a branch painted white, on a felt tree, on a fabric calendar.
·         If you have a collection of old Christmas cards: string them up somewhere and hang around the fireplace, door, or staircase.
·         Use colorful baby socks, mini stockings, mittens, or hats of various styles, shapes and sizes.
·         Using a long tapered candle, or possibly a candle per week, mark sections off to burn each night before Christmas.
·         Print off a calendar from the computer and mark each day with a big colorful X or design as you count down the days.
·         Create a long construction paper chain, removing or adding on with every night.
·         Wrap a whole chain of hard candy in cellophane, tie them off individually and eat a candy every day till Christmas.
·         Use blocks, ornaments, or maybe paper cranes, to count your days along a table, stairs, basket, or mantel.

As fun, beautiful, and creative as these ideas are, the most important part of the advent calendar is to create an activity of some kind that brings the family together. Don’t let December slip by without enriching this holiday with meaningful moments.

There are a number of activities you can dream up to do with your family.  Because it is the busiest month, make sure the activities don’t demand a lot of prep time. Ten minutes of concentrated family time, each evening, can go a long way to feeling the Spirit this Holiday Season. Some of these ideas might be on your schedule anyway. Combine things with a more spiritual list. Here are just a few ideas:

1. Go Christmas caroling
2. Make cookies, pies, or a traditional treat together
3. Watch a Christmas movie together
4. Visit the widows in your neighborhood with a homemade treat
5. Drive around and look at the Christmas lights
6. Go to a Christmas concert
7. Sing songs around the piano, fireplace, or around each other
8. Spend an evening making homemade gifts for one another or friends

You may include some of these simple, but powerful, ideas:

1. Every night, read a scripture having to do with Jesus Christ
2. Every night, read a Christmas story together
3. Every night, sing a Christmas song together
4. Every night, do a Secret Santa to someone
5. Every night, spend any amount of time with one another; voicing gratitude and love
6. Every night, perform an act of random kindness to one another, or anyone outside of the home
7. Every night, pick someone you would like to thank for any reason, and write them a note, visit them, give them a treat, tell them in some way
8. Every night, read a quote from a prophet about Jesus Christ (it’s not hard to find quotes from old conference addresses on lds.org)

Of course, you might try a combination of any of the above. Here are some additional ideas that never fail to bring the Spirit and often promote good discussions.

1. Bear testimony to one another
2. List as many names of Jesus Christ as you can
3. What were the signs of His coming in both the old and new continents
4. What does “Jesus” and “Christ” mean in various languages and to us as members of His Church
5. Sing a mixture of Christmas and Sacrament hymns together
6. Read the testimonies of the prophets as they have testified of Jesus Christ
7. Read Luke 2 or act it out
8. Read what Jesus said and did when he visited the Nephites in 3 Nephi

Maybe you could do something really radical and suggest this Advent BE your Christmas.  On Christmas morning, instead of opening gifts, spend the time recalling the things you did together during the whole month; act out or read the Christmas story and discuss the blessings you have received because of what Jesus Christ has offered you; sing praises unto the Babe in a Manger; take your gifts over to the shelter in case they didn’t have enough to go around; visit a Retirement Home and go from door to door singing to the residents; enjoy one another’s company without pressures or disappointment.