What is the Christmas Jar?

I can't remember when or how I found this idea, but it's not an original idea. I wish that I had thought of this all by myself, but I read about it in a blog. Unfortunately, the activities were too old for my little 23 month old, so I had to make it up as I went along. He loved it and it kept us busy on those long, cold, winter days. Now my little one is almost 3, going to preschool 2 days a week, and there's another baby crawling (trying to walk) around this house. Amazing how much changes in a year! I'm excited to add new activities into the jar since he's a little older now.

So here's how the Christmas Jar works:

You need a jar or something to keep the little pieces of paper in. I bought our Christmas jar at the dollar store. It's cheap, it's festive, and it's not breakable.


Then write down 25 different Christmas activities on small pieces of paper and fold them up. One activity per day.



Because some of the activities may require prep work or planning for the next day (like going to see Santa), I let the kids draw from the jar the night before. That way I can gather supplies, etc after they go to bed and everything is ready for the next day's activity.

So that's about it on how to do the Christmas jar-it's super easy and the activities don't require a lot of time.

Last, but not least here are some of ideas to put in the jar. Some of these I will be using and some I won't. My goal is to post everyday with what activity we did for the day. So if you don't have 25 ideas in the jar at first, just keep reading my daily blog and add to the jar as you go along.

1. Watch a Christmas movie together as a family
2. Go see Santa at the mall
3. Make a snow globe (I'll post directions when we do this one)
4. Write a letter to Santa
5. Make Christmas cards
6. Bake cookies to take to the firestation
7. Have an indoor snowstorm
8. Take a tour of Christmas lights around your neighborhood
9. Open one gift early (my fave activity!)
10. Make homemade ornaments
11. Go to the library and pick out Christmas books/movies
12. Read the true story of Christmas
13. Make a snowman
14. Drink hot cocoa under the Christmas tree
15. Write a note (or draw a picture) for each family member and put in their stocking
16. Tour the lights of the Opryland Hotel
17. Gather old toys/clothes to give to charity (great way to teach giving)
18. Make jello out of Christmas molds
19. Play Christmas music during bathtime (or some other activity that the kids don't like)
20. Bake cookies for yourselves
21. Make a Christmas tree
22. Make a snowman
23. Shop or make stocking stuffers for Dad
24. Visit a nursing home and take homemade gifts to residents
25. Have kids help wrap gifts

You are welcome to send me more ideas and of course take mine as I post them. I can't wait to start this tomorrow!