Every year, we try to think of some way to count down the days to Christmas. We have done paper chains, marking on a calender, to even getting these cardboard countdowns that have a piece of chocolate behind the 24 doors.

Well, this year I planned on trying something different. Originally it was going to be a wreath (and it still may be one later on) but I haven't had the time (or the nerve) to hit the craft store. So, we are putting these on our Christmas (Yule) tree instead.

I took Christmas themed card board photo matting and an ornament shape and created  "ornaments".

There are 24 ornaments total, one for each day for the Holiday countdown. On the back of each orament, is an activity to do. Some are as simple as watching a holiday movie, but others require more work such as making a gingerbread house. Here is our activit list:

1, Decorate the house and listen to holiday music

2. Take a holiday picture in front of the tree (we do this every year and put this photo in our Christmas cards)

3. Read a holiday story

4. Make gingerbread men cutout ornaments (made from craft foam)

5. Learn and sing holiday songs

6. Watch a holiday movie

7. Make out cards and mail them

8. Make a gingerbread house or tree

9. Make wooden snowflake ornaments

10. Read a holiday story

11. Build a snowman

12. Bake cookies

13. Make a gift for Papa

14. Watch a holiday movie

15. Make toys for Gracie (our cat)

16. Make a gift for Grumma (my mom)

17. Make salt dough ornaments

18. Make Hot Cocoa Mix

19. Make popcorn garland (first day of our Yule celebrations)

20. Read about the Winter Solstice

21. Make suet forthe birds

22. Watch a holiday movie

23. Bake cookies

24. Drive around and look at lights. Come home open one gift (always jammies for that night) and listen to "Twas the Night Before Christmas"

We have duplicated some activities ebcause we enjoy those. I always love adding a holiday movie to our growing collection every year.  Some other activities you could do would be donating used winter coats to a charity, donating toys to Toys for Tots (I haven't seen any of these bins around at all yet this year). Matt helped the workers at our local Build-A-Bear stuff animals to give to Toys for Tots. He was actually happy to not bring them home. So nice seeing as we have like 20 already. LOL.

So what kinds of things are you doing to make this month more meaning full instead of material?