Growing up, my family made Christmas really special. Every year, I looked forward to setting up the Christmas village with my mom, stringing lights outdoors with my dad, going to meet Santa with Poppy and Grammy, opening one present on Christmas Eve, and making my mom’s famous family recipe: gooey balls! Now with two little toddlers of my own, creating family traditions is really important to me as well. I want to bring to my family my husband’s and my favorite traditions from growing up and also discover new traditions to grow together.
As a parent, seeing Christmas through my kids’ eyes is extra special.
There’s so much magic in every single experience. And more than anything, I see how much my kids cherish our time together. (Cuteness overload: My three-year-old daughter frequently busts out a Daniel Tiger song that says, “I love to be with family,” and hugs us.) This year I came across the concept of togetherness with an advent calendar, and I am so excited to grow this into a beloved family tradition.
Whether you make your advent calendar or buy one as I did, the idea is the same. You’ll come up with a different family activity for each of the first 24 days of December, leading up to Christmas. From simple, like singing Christmas songs, to fun outings, like watching Christmas tree lightings, you can tailor your calendar to fit your kids’ interests and ages.
Below is the list I am going to use for my family, which includes plenty of local Charleston activities!
25 days of family activities
December 1
- Cut down a Christmas tree at Lebanon Christmas Tree Farm.
December 2
December 3
- Write a letter to Santa (give it to him tomorrow!)
December 4
Pick one:
- Breakfast with Santa (Dec. 4).
- Attend the IOP Holiday Street Festival (Dec. 4).
- Old Village Holiday Fest (Dec. 4).
- Visit Santa in the Swamp (Dec. 4).
December 5
- Attend the Charleston Holiday Parade (Dec. 5).
December 6
- Have a holiday song and dance party by the Christmas tree.
December 7
- Make hot cocoa and watch The Grinch in matching jammies.
December 8
- Make paper snowflakes or paper chains to decorate bedrooms.
- Decorate outside of the house.
December 9
- Go on a candy cane hunt.
December 10
- Attend the Holiday Festival of Lights in our pajamas.
December 11
Pick one:
- Attend Folly Beach Parade (Dec. 11).
- Toot Toot! Watch the Charleston Holiday Boat Parade (Dec. 11).
December 12
December 13
- Set up snacks for delivery workers.
December 14
- Decorate Christmas cookies.
December 15
- Craft time! Make a wreath or red, green, and white dough.
December 16
- Roast s’mores by a campfire.
December 17
- Watch the sunset at the beach, while listening to Christmas music.
December 18
- See lights and animals at Bee City Zoo’s Christmas Wonderland of Lights.
December 19
- Walk downtown to the holiday market at Marion Square.
December 20
- Visit the aquarium at night, covered in lights.
December 21
- Volunteer as a family (with toddlers, I’m thinking a beach cleanup or street cleanup).
December 22
- Build a gingerbread house.
December 23
- Donate old toys (we leave Santa a bag of toys to take with him on Christmas Eve!)
December 24
- Make Gooey Balls (a family recipe).
- Open one Christmas present.
However you choose to celebrate the holiday season, my family is wishing you and yours the merriest of times together.
