Hoffman Happenings: Advent Calendar Fun

I started a Christmas Advent Calendar last year with Liam that was so much fun that I decided to make it one of our yearly Christmas traditions. It was especially fun this year because Blake joined in the fun for his 1st Christmas celebration. From December 1st - 25th the boys got a treat & and we did a fun Christmas activity. I made the advent calendar myself out of stockings, clothes pins, and yarn. We had so much fun this year and now that Liam is 3 years old he is starting to understand it. He always looked forward to looking inside the stocking each morning to see what fun activity he would be doing. He also loves numbers and counting so he liked to read the numbers and had fun counting down to Christmas day. I wanted to take a picture of each activity we did but being busy with a newborn with colic it wasn't very easy so I did the best I could. I was just happy I was able to keep up this year. Here's a list of the activities we did.

Day 1
We went out for ice cream at Dairy Queen

I took Liam out to Dairy Queen and we both had yummy Pumpkin Pie Blizzards. We were both still sick getting over our bad colds we had on Thanksgiving but it tasted so yummy!

Day 2
Watched Frosty The Snowman & drank hot chocolate. This Liam's favorite Christmas movie!

Day 3

Made a scrap paper stocking

Day 4

Painted a cookie plate with Santa

A pottery making shop here in town called Bisque Bistro had a paint with Santa day. Liam painted a cookie plate, Santa ornament, and got to meet the big man in red himself. It was a blast. Its a great place to go and the lady who owns the shop is a member or our church and is always so sweet to us when we come.

Liam painting his Santa cookie plate

Painting a Santa Claus ornament

Close up of the handprints

What it looked like after

Santa's cookie plate with cookies Liam made

Liam & Santa

Day 5

Christmas shopping with Mommy

Day 6

Watched a Christmas movie & ate popcorn

Day 7

Decorated Christmas cookies

Day 8

School Christmas Concert

Liam's school put on a Christmas concert. It was so adorable! You'll have to read my other post about this day. Lots of memories made that day. It was so special to watch Liam sing. He did such a great job!

North Pole Village

This is such a wonderful family fun place to celebrate the Holidays. We have gone every year but this year it was special to have Chris come since he's always working he was able to take the night off. Its run by volunteers. They turn a warehouse into a Christmas wonderland village. Kids can decorate a cookie, write a letter to Santa, adopt a pet (AKA stuffed animal), pick out a book, go ice fishing for prize, pictures w/ Santa, hayrides, live nativity, caroling and lots lots more.

Our first family picture with Santa

Liam loves getting his face painted

Blake had fun hanging out

Day 9

Watched Muppets Christmas Carol & drank hot chocolate

Day 10

Made Rudolf craft & watched the movie Rudolf The Red Nose Reindeer

Day 11

Children's Choir Christmas concert at church

Day 12

Made Christmas gifts for teachers

Day 13

Made Christmas cards for teachers

Day 14

Made Reindeer cookies

These reindeer cookies were the death of me. I saw them on pinterest and thought they were so cute and looked like they would be easy to make. Well I was wrong. They were so ridiculously hard it was crazy. I could not for the life of me get the chocolate covered pretzels (AKA antlers) to stay on. The chocolate would melts and just fall off. These reindeer looked like they were being hunted. I have to say despite how they looked they tasted yummy. I guess that's all that really matters anyhow.

Day 15

Christmas party at school & watched Charlie Brown's Christmas & drank hot chocolate

Liam had such a great time at his school's Christmas party. He got lots of goodies and gifts from his friends.

This is Liam's new favorite movie thanks Grammy who bought him

a bunch of cool Charlie Brown Christmas stuff for Christmas one year. This is his favorite part watching them lift their head up when they sing.

Day 16

Went to a birthday party at The Jumpy Place

Day 17

Sang Christmas Carols

Day 18

Watched Twas The Night Before Christmas

Day 19

Went out for breakfast

Day 20

Drove around looking at Christmas lights

Day 21

Helped wrap presents

Day 22

Went to see lights at West Pole House

Every year after Thanksgiving this home turns on thousands of Christmas lights that are synchronized to music. They do this each year for the public to watch. Its so amazing. Its all controlled by a computer and you just tune your car radio to the radio station to hear the music. It's wonderful!!