Christmas Should Be About Giving – DIY Advents Calendar

As I was looking through my social media feed this morning, I felt a sense of guilt that I hadn’t yet bought an advents calendar for my kids but what I also felt was a sense of unease.

I felt uneasy because I didn’t like what I saw ( please don’t take this personally, if any of my friends are reading this). A lot of my friends had gone through a lot of hard work preparing Christmas to be a special time for their kids. They’d bought and beautifully wrapped all of 24 gifts for the countdown of Christmas, for each of their children. I think it is wonderful …. but why ?! Why are we giving our kids 24 things that ultimately they don’t need ?! And imagine what they are then going to get and expect to get at Christmas !

Ok, I think it is wonderful and actually really nice but it is not for me.

I love Christmas but i really don’t like this idea of over the top and wasteful consumerism.

Anyway, as I was scrolling through my Instagram feed this morning, I came across this wonderful idea that was originally shared by The Swedish Church in Umeå.

It is an advents calendar of good deeds. Instead of a gift, a piece of chocolate or whatever you get in your advents calendar, you get a task to complete each day, a task of showing kindness, love and giving back.

Perfect, I thought. THAT is what Christmas should be about. It should be about giving not receiving.

I quickly started to create my own Good Deeds Advents Calendar, using paper, old cards and packaging, old wrapping paper and PVA glue. I also created a template for you so you can create one too !

Print out Template
Glue on recycled card or cardboard
Decorate the other side (if necessary. The pink of is an old birthday card that I just put template on reverse side of) using old wrapping paper, magazines, paint etc.
Punch a hole at the top.
Thread through yarn, ribbon etc.
Done. Get enjoy a giving Christmas time.

Enjoy giving this Christmas

Here is a pdf for you to download, if you would like to make your own. It won’t take long. Most of the work has already been done by me ( because I am nice like that).

I have in one of the templates written all the good deeds already but left one set of the templates blank, should you wish to set your own tasks.

Enjoy your day. I have to get back to making my calendar now. x