Oh, I couldn’t help myself–I had to show you this cute little thing.
Twenty-four origami envelopes–each with a different family friendly activity to do sometime during the day before bedtime. You’ll want to start out by making a list of things you and the kids would love to do as a family–then pick your favorite 24.
Next, write one activity on a sheet of origami paper–or Christmas scrapbook paper then, fold each paper into a cute little envelope. I’ve included an Origami Envelope Tutorial in the post below–if you want to use the one that we did.
Each envelope is either numbered or dated–that gives Mom the ability to plan the slightly longer activities on the weekend–and to put the simpler ones on the days when you might have a bit more going on. You might want to plan something really special for Christmas Eve.
Let your kids take turns reading the envelopes each morning. You’ll be surprised at how much fun they’ll have all day long as they look forward to drinking hot chocolate by the Christmas tree, or painting each others toenails.
After all…
so much of Christmas is about anticipation–isn’t it?
Activity Ideas
Read a favorite Christmas picture book—if you love books like us, this one could work for 20 of the activities!
Paint everyone’s toenails–even dad.
Sing “Silent Night” around the Christmas tree.
Take a Christmas treat to the neighbors.
Make hot chocolate with real chocolate bars and whip cream.
Read the Nativity story by candlelight
Bundle up–go outside and find the Big Dipper.
Write letters to Santa
Act out the Nativity story
Write service swap love notes to each other
Have breakfast for dinner
Make gingerbread men
String popcorn and cranberries
Make a Christmas paper chain
Choose and wrap toys for charity
Watch a Christmas movie with popcorn
Go out for milkshakes
Drive around to look at the Christmas lights
Write “what I love about you” notes to each other
Hand make Christmas tags
Make Peppermint Bark
Most of all—just enjoy being together!
Love it! Great idea! I will have to do this this year, but I might have to find an alternative to Christmas scrapbook paper. I don’t have any.
We bought a Christmas pack at JoAnn Fabric. It was way cheaper than buying the papers individually–sometimes $1.00 and up each! Origami paper was quite pricey too.
Each time you tell me an idea for another project or post… I LOVE seeing how it really turns out! 🙂 These are super cute! I like that you write on the paper itself… I thought they were envelopes and you put more paper inside. I suppose you could… but this way is faster! 🙂 I love how it looks with all the different kinds of paper! I can’t wait to open each one and see what we get to do!