One of the things that our kids look forward to most come December 1st is the family fun advent calendar. In an easy homemade advent calendar, or envelopes or pieces of paper numbered, we write down 24 family activities (you can use printed on paper, an inexpensive card set with envelopes they open each day, cut this down to twelve days before Christmas if you have a busy season or use this printable option, here.

1. Winter Wonderland. Turn your house into a winter wonderland! Make snowflakes and paper chains with white paper!

2. Movie Night! Everyone choose their favourite Christmas movie. Write each one down on a piece of paper, and place the slips of paper in a jar, or cup - whichever one you pick, is the movie you watch! (This is a fun way to make your way through the list!)

3. Find the Best Christmas lights in your Neighbourhood. Bundle up, walk around and hunt for lights with hot cocoa in hand - and pick the best Christmas lights in your neighbourhood.

4. Hot Chocolate Bar. Get out the hot cocoa, marshmallows and simple toppings and host a hot chocolate bar around the kitchen table. This one is a fun set-up for after dinner!

5. Read a Christmas book with the kids. If you have no kids Christmas books on hand, you can find digital versions online, or even listen to a Christmas audio story podcast.

6. Christmas Lights Adventure. Drive around, and look at the best Christmas lights in the city. You can use this map to find the best Christmas lights in the city.

7. S’more Adventure. Make a fire outdoors, at one of the parks, or in your backyard and roast S’mores. To take the planning out of this one there’s a fantastic campfire songs and s’mores event coming up all month long.

8. Make a Gingerbread Village. You can buy a pre-made gingerbread kit, or pick up a package of graham crackers and a few bags of icing to create a gingerbread village with the entire family.

9. Make Salt-Dough Ornaments. Use this recipe to make white salt dough ornaments, and make ornaments

10. Visit Greenland Garden Centre to view the Christmas trees, it’s gorgeous at night, and you can get inspired by the gorgeous Christmas decor.

11. Write letters to Santa. Drop them off at the Christmas house at 97 Street and 144 Ave and check out the incredible Christmas display while you’re there.

12. Give Back. Find a way to give back together this holiday season. Choose a toy to donate, donate to the food bank, or find a local organization who needs time or items this holiday season and give back together.

13. Hang an Ornament on the Wish Tree in the River Valley. Visit Whitemud Ravine and bring an ornament or wish, to hang on the wish tree in the River Valley.

14. Go Tobogganing. Use this tobogganing map to find a great hill, and get outside and enjoy winter with the kids. Don’t forget a thermos of hot cocoa!

15. Visit Candy Cane Lane! This year, the sleigh rides are back, and you’ve got the option of parking and walking down the lane.

16. Catch a Christmas movie on the big screen. Visit your local theatre to find special showings of holiday movies. Tuesdays have discounted tickets, or Sundays are kids day out at Landmark Cinema for a reduced rate for the movie and a treat! You can buy tickets in advance, and number this one specifically on the family fun advent calendar.

17. Get a Christmas Treat. You can visit Doughnut Party for one of their delicious, holiday themed doughnuts in Edmonton or choose another local bakery.

18. Visit Santa! Here are the places that you can visit with Santa in Edmonton. You can even pre-book your time to visit Santa’s Chalet in West Edmonton Mall for a private visit and you’ll get every photo taken of the experience.

19. Make Christmas Cookies. Make Christmas cookies and deliver a dozen to your neighbours. Who knows, you might just start a Christmas cookie exchange!

20. Christmas Mad Libs. You can find these, right here. Who can make the funniest mad libs in your family? This is always an entertaining way to spend an evening with the kids.

21. Make a DIY project that you can keep for years to come. A few years ago, we painted a green canvas and added buttons in the shape of a Christmas tree, and it’s one of my favourite pieces of art. Create something that you’ll treasure for years to come!

22. Snowman pancakes. This one’s easy, all you need is pancake mix, and no extra tools. Add on some whipped cream for the snow - and chocolate chips for the face!

23. Make Trees to go with the Gingerbread village. Use Waffle cones covered in green icing and candy to decorate the trees and add Christmas trees to the tiny village of edible decorations!

24. Christmas Pizza Night! Make pizza dough in the shape or ornaments, or Christmas trees (hello, pesto!) and create a fun pizza night. Pitas cut with cookie cutters make for a fun, bite-sized pizza dough!

Finding simple ways to celebrate the holidays doesn’t have to be expensive - the holidays are expensive enough! The key to the family fun advent calendar is planning activities (if you have ticketed events, even cooler) into the calendar, and combining these activities with simple things that you can complete, at home, as a family.