Advent Anticipation

I love the Christmas season and am excited every year to make it last all month long. It is such a special season and a time to really reflect, give thanks, give back, and teach our children. In an effort to be more organized this year, we decided to make a calendar and focus on one thing each day. It's actually much easier and less stressful this way. We have a few traditions we've been doing, but are looking for a few more ideas. Here are some of our favorites:

We have an advent wreath in the center of our table. We light the candle each Sunday and discuss it's meaning (thanks Pastor Don for all the additional insight to add this year!). Then each night at dinner we light that weeks candles and review what the kids know. The highlight is blowing them out, but they still get the idea.

Every November we participate in Operation Christmas Child. It's too late to make boxes for this year, but if you've never done it, I highly recommend it. This year we actually got a group of our four-year olds together and let them watch the some of the online videos on the website.
Then we talked about the children, read books about the Christian mission, and learned a little about other cultures. The kids made cards for their boxes and we let them fill them.
They lovingly and very thoughtfully chose each item they put in their boxes.
Then we prayed for the children that would receive them. It is amazing to think that God knows exactly which child will receive each box! In the end we had filled 25 boxes!
We also save up our change to help Toys for Tots. They also add some money from each of their piggy banks. We cash in the stash at the Coinstar machine and let the kids each pick a special toy they want to give to a needy child.

This is an organization I just discovered this year, called Make a Child Smile. They represent children with life threatening and chronic diseases who could use a little cheer. Each month they choose three children to highlight. Then you can send them letters, care packages, etc. to let them know you care and are praying for them. What kid doesn't like getting mail? What an awesome opportunity. This is something we will do other times of the year, too.

We also read a Christmas book each day and open a door on our Advent calendar.

We also have a plain wooden manger that we put baby Jesus in on Christmas morning. During the month of December the kids get a piece of straw for the manger every time they are generous, compassionate, or humble without being asked. The idea is to give baby Jesus a soft place to sleep and to prepare our hearts for Him. (I got this one from a family advent book.)

Any more ideas to fill up our empty calendar boxes? What does your family do or do you wish you could do or want to try?