Advent Calendar – from two packs of gum
2011
Advent Calendar from Two Packs of Gum
Our boys love gum. Someone gave Wesley 4 packs for his birthday this summer and both boys still talk about it.
Gum = best thing ever.
Last year I saw an idea to use a pack of gum for a Christmas advent calendar and I tucked it away in my mind to use this year – I can’t wait to give each boy their packs of gum on December 1!
Their very own packs of gum = better than the best thing ever.
I scrambled up all the numbers. To make things tricky.
Did you know packs of gum come with 12 pieces? Two packs are perfect for a countdown from the 1st through Christmas Eve. {And I may end up putting some gum in their stocking!}
What is a Christmas Advent Calendar?
Our advent calendar is simply a way to count down from December 1 – December 24. A lot of people connect the calendar to an activity, a part of the nativity story or a mix of both. I am keeping it simple and ours simply is being used as a count down. We do plenty of other activities throughout the month to talk about the Christmas story and what the season is about. Maybe one day I’ll be organized enough to coordinate daily things with a calendar they open every day. But for now that doesn’t sound like much fun.
If your kids are fanatic about gum too next time you’re at the store buy:
-two packs (per child) of gum (I bought Dentyne Ice, 12 per pack)
Decorate with extra paper (gift wrap, scrapbook paper, whatever you have on hand!) and number each foil side of the gum with numbers 1-24.
Store until December 1st.
It took me maybe 20 minutes to collect the paper, stickers and double sided tape and then decorate the 4 packs of gum and clean everything up.
If a piece of gum a day isn’t your style of a Christmas Advent Calendar here is a list of neat ones I found online:
-You could make something similar to this Library Card Advent
-This is in Italian, but Google translates and it’s easy to figure out regardless. Trim Santa’s beard countdown
- Candy countdown (you could buy marked down Halloween candy now and recover with Christmas paper!)
-Countdown Christmas tree – move the wooden beads up the tree. This is super unique and beautiful! Just not a very child-friendly advent
-A list of activities you could do each day for your advent calendar
And I caught this just in time to add to this post – my friend Tracie did Random Acts of Christmas Kindness last year with her girls and just today posted about it with links to downloads and other advent ideas too!
I hope this has inspired you to get a step ahead on whatever it is you’d like to do for your Christmas advent this year.
Click here to see a round up from my Preparing for Christmas series.
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Very cute! We have a no gum until you are five rule that was set after I spent a lot of time a few years ago getting gum out of hte carpet and cutting it out of some hair. Since two of my kiddos are below that age, I am going to save this idea. I'm thinking that it would be a good countdown for other events too.
Thanks for the links! I am thinking that I will be combining a few of the ideas for our family. Last year I really did no planning ahead of time so anything is really an improvement.
cute idea!! i'm stopping by from the lovely poppy and would love for you to come by and checkout the huge giveaway going on that ends thursday- http://thelovelypoppy.blogspot.com/2011/10/blog-f… xoxo nicole
What an awesome idea! My boys think gum is the bomb too. Can't wait to use this wonderful, inexpensive idea this Advent season!
And, I'm your newest follower!
I LOVE this idea and my kids love gum! It's so simple… and yet, so perfect. I haven't bought gum in a while and they've been begging for it, so I'm sure this will be very exciting for them!
I made this and posted about it too. Thanks again for the great idea!
Thanks for showing the idea… REALLY cool instead of plain old calendars,c a gum calendar. Thanks SO much!:)