Stocking Stuffers

Some people have asked me what I put in those advent calendar boxes.  I thought I would post about it since many would make good stocking stuffers too. Here are some ideas we used:

- Pretty cards with the activities we will be doing "tonight we are going to see the Christmas lights!"
- Little figurines (I used some I had stowed away when Mia got them too little to use them)
- Wind up toys
- Coloring Crafts from the Dollar Store
- A stamp that says "thank you" so we can be ready to make cards after the holidays.
- I also just finished making felt finger puppets (I put 2 in each box so this knocked out three days ;)

These were inspired by ornaments sold by Red Marionette at Etsy

- Ornaments

Advent Calendar

I can't ever remember doing an advent calendar as a kid (surely we did?) but this year I decided to make one for our family. I didn't want to spend any money on it but wanted something unique.  After searching a bit I found this post. Isn't that cute?

Here is our version:

I used this tutorial to make small origami boxes and pilfered some larger cereal boxes from our recycling.  I wrapped those in newsprint so the brands wouldn't show through. Then I decorated with stuff we had around the house: pictures, a dust jacket from a book, foam stickers, an old Santa card I saved, my scrapbook stash and wrapping paper.  I cut the ornaments from scrapbook paper and the 'metal' on them is tinfoil :)  Mia contributed some drawings and a popsicle stick reindeer.  She was very proud to see it on the wall when she got up this morning.  ("That's mine reindeer, mama!")