Monday, November 28, 2011

A Trip Around the World for about $50 {Advent Calendar ~ 2011}

Our Around the World for Christmas List is shaping up beautifully! I put in all the cards in the Advent Calendar this morning and the kids, one by one, came out and asked me when we were going to start opening the cards. lol!

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We got some ideas from our curriculum “Children Around the World” from Winter’s Promise, but many other great ideas come from free websites. My two favorites:

http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/

http://www.teachingheart.net/worldmas.html

Each and every day has an activity or a craft and I shared as many links as I could just in case you wanted to join along!  I have chosen a treat, a tradition, a craft, a recipe, and a few stories for each country/culture to focus on each day and I will share our most loved ones as we go along.  This has been a labor of love, but I have to tell you that I am more excited about it than the kids are!

Our Christmas Around the World advent list:

1. Journey to Bethlehem!!

2. (China) Fried Wonton cookies

3.(Japan) Swan and Crane Origami Ornament

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4. (Russia) Metryoshka Doll and Russian Tea Cakes with Russian tart cherries

5. (Great Britain) Pomander oranges & put your shoes out for St Nicholas Day

6. (Great Britain) *Small gifts left in their shoes overnight* Christmas Party Crackers (Easy and Not So Easy party cracker instructions)  Shortbread & Wassail 

7. (Scandinavia) Straw Ornaments

8. (Germany) Hidden Coin Gingerbread Cake

9. (Italy) Gingerbread Manger Scene and making a St Lucy Wreath

10. Getting our Christmas Tree

11. Put up lights with daddy

12. Shopping with daddy

13. (Greece/Italy) Write love notes to parents to open on Christmas Eve & St Lucia Paper Dolls (for St Lucy’s Day)

14. (Africa) Make a Christmas drum

15. (Philippines) Make Christmas Stars out of whatever we can (sticks, straw, beads and wire... all kinds.

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16. (Australia) Celery Rose print wrapping paper & making S’mores

17. *This starts the weekend of lights that leads right up to Hanukkah* Zoo lights w/ hot cider

18. Fantasy Lights w/ cocoa

19. Driving through Gem Heights looking at lights w/ warm honeyed milk

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20.(USA) *Happy Hanukkah!* Dreidel for Chocolate coins and Challah bread. Hanukkah coloring sheet.

21. (Canada) Christmas tree cookies to our friends and neighbors

22. (Mexico) Making paper poinsettias

23. (Guatemala) Sawdust Ornaments

24. Family Christmas Movie

25. Open Stockings!!

I will send you the table I made with a treat, tradition, craft, story list, and recipe for each country if you would like. I spent so much time on it I would love for others to get something out of it!  Just drop me a comment or an email. 

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And now I am going to bed with this sweet young man.  Have a beautiful night!

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10 comments

Frannie said...

Yeah! After observing your Advent festivities for 3 years now, I'm so excited to finally start my own. I'm finishing my calendar today...Lord willing, and have a shopping trip tomorrow for activity supplies. I'm so excited about this Val! thanks for inspiring me to start some amazing traditions in my family!

Val in the Rose Garden said...

Frannie - You are amazing! I love that you feel inspired by me but just hearing the little tidbits I do from comments I have to say you inspire me too! I hope you have a beautiful week and a start to your advent traditions... and if you would email me BlueRoseMama @ hotmail .com that would be awesome. :) I'd love to chat about recent questions you have had.

Blessings and love,
Val

(PS I got most of my supplies at World Market (Cost Plus))

Melissa said...

Love Love this idea! I love the memories you are making with your family! I would love to see the table you made to go with this idea!

A newbie who will be back!

Melissa
xiaguan at att dot net

AMCutler said...

I love your Advent! Just made my first one this year, but it was very simple and I want to do more next year. Please email me what you will share Thanks, Ann
amcutler3@gmail.com
(I couldn't find your email address)!

Stephanie said...

I'm not familiar with blogs so I may have missed where your email was located. I can't even remember how I stumbled upon your blog but I'm happy I did. Anyhow, I loved your world advent and would be honored if you wouldn't mind sharing your table/outline with my family. Thank you.
Stephaniel.frantz@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I know this is an old post but I stumbled on your blog through a Pinterest link and thought I'd take a chance you might still have the table/outline you could email me to use with my family this year. I think it's important for the my kids to learn about different cultures and what better way than your idea!!! Thanks,
April

I like vanilla said...

This was a really great idea! If you still have your chart, I would love a copy!

Kalie said...

I am teaching a class about Christmas around the world to a group of 15 students and would love to use this resource. Thank you for all your hard work. Kalielindsay@msn.com

CarrieAnn said...

I would love to get any of your info that you may still have on this Christmas Around the World Advent chart you made- you have lots of crafts, recipes and such that you mentioned... do you still have these and can you share with me? What is your e-mail and I will e-mail you so you can share it through there?

Thank you! It is beautiful and very creative! Right what we are focusing on this year too. :-)

CarrieAnn

Shaz said...

Hi. I would really love to use these ideas where I work as an OT for the NHS working alongside those in recovery from psychosis. We currently have a running theme of cooking and walking around the world so this would fit perfectly. Cheers

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