One of our holiday traditions that was… ahem… lovingly forced upon me (insert sarcasm here) is our advent calendar.
Several years ago, my mother-in-law gifted it to our kids — one of those adorable wooden ones with 25 tiny boxes you’re supposed to fill, starting on December 1st. Sweet, right? Except it’s also a lot of work to come up with 25 surprises, especially in the middle of an already packed holiday season.
At first, I’ll be honest — it felt overwhelming. I remember thinking, who signed me up for this? (Oh right, my mother-in-law.)
Of course, I could’ve made it simple and stuck a piece of candy in each box… but I really didn’t want my kids starting every December morning with sugar. And, truthfully, even the novelty of candy would wear off after a few days.
So instead, I decided to make the advent calendar something meaningful, fun, and easy to plan — without it feeling like one more thing on my plate.
Here’s my little strategy: I take all the holiday festivities we already enjoy — things like baking cookies, driving to see lights, or watching Christmas movies — and sprinkle them into the calendar. Then I mix in a few simple surprises and treats.
Not everything physically fits inside those tiny boxes, so for the bigger experiences, I leave a note or clue instead.
Here’s a master list of ideas I’ve used over the years:
- No chores for the day
- $10 for a dollar store trip
- Gum
- Twist cone
- Soda with dinner
- Cereal Saturday buffet
- Sparkling water
- Hidden snacks
- Sleep by the Christmas tree
- Shop for a buddy & leave a Christmas card on a stranger’s car
- Treat in their stocking (leave a note in the box!)
- Chocolates
- Watch a Christmas movie & have hot cocoa with breakfast
- Coupon to stay up late
- Christmas in Color
- Ding-dong-ditch with goody plates
- Paint together
- Pizza & drive to see lights
- Christmas puzzle night
- Make and deliver cards/treats
- Hot cocoa bar with friends
- Walk the neighborhood lights
- Shop for and mail packages to out-of-town friends
- Christmas crafts
- Holiday scavenger hunt
Mixing in experiences like these made the whole thing feel manageable and meaningful — not like a Pinterest project gone wrong.
This little advent tradition fits right into a larger shift we made as a family a few years ago — one that completely changed how we experience the holidays.
I remember when I was deep in the thick of running my jewelry business. We had hundreds of orders to fulfill, and I was trying to do it all — working every spare second I could, keeping up with homeschooling, and somehow trying to make space for all the holiday magic.
It just wasn’t working. I was exhausted and missing the moments I actually wanted to enjoy.
That’s when I asked myself, what do I want this Christmas season of our life to look like?
The answer came quickly: slower, simpler, and more connected.
So, I made a decision that year — we would take a full break from formal schooling between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
Most schools take short breaks for the holidays, but we close our books the week of Thanksgiving and don’t open them again until after New Year’s.
People are often surprised when I tell them that. But this shift has been one of the best decisions we’ve made as a homeschooling, entrepreneurial family.
It allows me to keep up with my jewelry business during my busiest season and gives us space to enjoy the holidays together — without the guilt.
And the learning doesn’t stop just because the workbooks do.
The kids help pack and ship orders, manage small responsibilities, and contribute to the business. Some might call that child labor… but honestly, it’s one of the best learning experiences they could have.
When you give kids responsibilities that stretch them, they rise to the occasion. They learn discipline, teamwork, time management, and pride in their work — lessons that no worksheet can replicate.
Our December “curriculum” is full of real-life lessons.
We bake sugar cookies and make eggnog. We prep for family dinners and holiday parties. The kids read recipes, measure ingredients, plan timing, and manage their share of the work.
These are practical, life-building skills — and they’re woven right into the rhythm of our days.
Since we started doing this, the holidays have gone from something I used to survive to something we all truly look forward to.
Some of our favorite holiday traditions include:
- Decorating (the kids get their own tree!)
- Making candy and cookies
- Reading through our 25-day Advent Nativity of Bible verses
- Driving to see Christmas lights
- Ding-dong-ditching friends with goody plates
- Going to The Nutcracker Junior in Caldwell, Idaho — a condensed, one-hour version that my girls adore
All of it feels like a celebration of the season — simple, joy-filled, and centered around what matters most.
The most beautiful thing about homeschooling is the flexibility. We get to design our days to match the season we’re in.
I know my kids will hold on to the memories, lessons, and laughter we’ve shared — not the pages we skipped in December.
So if you’re feeling stretched thin this time of year, consider giving yourself permission to pause. Step back from the busy, and let learning look like living.
Because the greatest lessons often happen when we put the books aside and simply make room for the joy of the season.
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