by Aesop, on Flickr - some rights reserved
Each year at our house, particularly now that we have young children, our Advent-House makes an appearance. This is a wooden advent calendar that has drawers in it. These drawers are meant to be filled with "treats" for the children to enjoy each day leading up to Christmas Day. No doubt many who read this might share a similar tradition. Rather than focus on treats though, I really want the advent season to help celebrate our family.
I've arrived at something I believe to be worthy of sharing. I call it "12 Days of Dadvent". Something for Dad to do with his children to celebrate another year end, and bring relationship to the forefront of family life during arguably the most fundamental season for bringing families together (whether they like it or not).
In order to participate (yes, I am asking you to participate) you don't even need an actual advent calendar. What you need is a drawer, a shoe-box, a container, or a pocket and then follow the instructions below. You might need a couple days to get together your resources, but I promise you they won't cost much (if anything) and they won't be hard to find.
How it works, in a nutshell: Each day of advent your children will open a drawer, envelope, fireproof safe, containing a surprise. This surprise might simply be their favorite candy, or it might be one of the following 12 suggestions which they get to enjoy with you during that day! You'll need to write-down, or print off a list ahead of time to ensure they're in there - if you don't want to go that far, you could just follow @stayathomegang on Twitter, and I'll be posting my advent list tagged #dadvent2012)
My Suggestions
feel free to comment with your own extra-specially great ideas use the comment feed below or add to the conversation on Twitter- Cook an extra meal and deliver it - We all know someone, or some family that has had a tough time this year, and could use a "pick-me-up". Discuss with your children who it might be fun to surprise with a meal, and then (if they're old enough) prepare it with them. Create a simple card to go with it that says something akin to: Thought you could use the night off. Then deliver it, anonymously or as a family.
- Make a Christmas Card, or write a Christmas Letter - You might want to do this for someone in your life in particular who is special to you and your children, or it might just be something that you mean to do every year and you put off. Whether it's a letter that you simply write to each other, or it's something you choose to send out take the time to tell someone in your life about the things you've gone through, or are thankful for this year.
- Go for a walk during the evening - Pretty straightforward, but when it's something that you're children start anticipating through the course of the day it can quickly become something bigger than "just another night to walk the dog". Around here, there's all kinds of reasons to be out at night during the winter.
- Video yourself singing Christmas Songs - Whether you post them to your social network of choice or just watch them over and over yourselves a family that sings together laughs together. And who doesn't want a family who laughs together?!
- Make a Gingerbread House (if ambitious, do it from scratch) - There's something about bringing together baking with building. This activity is both frustrating, and at times hugely rewarding but more importantly it is an activity that requires many hands, and time together. If you're a stay-at-home or you're just looking for something to do in the evening this is an activity that can highlight strengths and weaknesses and helps celebrate each other.
- Go to a Seasonal Event - There are lots of artists and venues out there hosting holiday events during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Why not spend some time as a family choosing one at random and trying it out? Many are free, and many you won't try otherwise so why not pick one some morning and book the day/evening off to go and take it in?
- Cuddle up with a good old Christmas Movie - I am nearing the end of #noTVnovember and realizing the joy that a good old family movie night can bring.
- Learn about a Christmas Charity - Notice I didn't say donate? Sometimes learning about charities can be as important as choosing one to support. Do this together. Let your children lead the discussion. Enjoy the time poking around at the organizations that are active this time of year.
- Do something on your "Honey-Do-List" - Your children will love discovering that their treat of the day is to watch Daddy have to do some menial job that needs to get done, and they can put their feet up an enjoy the sweat and frustration as he tries to patch that hole, paint, or repair. We've all got chores hanging over our heads, whether it's finally stripping the beds to do the sheets, or dusting the baseboards there is some odd job that you can all do together, ideally to blaring music that the advent calendar has instructed you to do.
- Take a funny Family Portrait - if you're a stay-at-home then send it to your spouse at work. If you're up to it, post it publicly for all to laugh at. If not, just enjoy it at home.
- Decorate a room - No doubt you have extra christmas lights, or decorations, or oddities and knick-knacks that you wouldn't put out publicly. Get the kids together and choose a room that you can all decorate together.
- Read about Christmas - It turns out there's a lot of history about the Christmas Season that the common layperson doesn't know. I know this because today while I researched the tradition of advent (a tradition I've followed for years without asking why) I found out all kinds of great stuff that I didn't know -- for instance why Shakespeare wrote "12th Night" and how it is (or isn't) related to the 12 days of Christmas.
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