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Here are 24 filler ideas for your kiddo’s Christmas advent calendar. While it does take some time to research the dates and plan appropriate activities and gifts, it’s all worth it when you see the sparkle in your child’s eyes. Each night, they’ll wonder, “What’s in the bag? Will it be a present? A Christmas activity?” The surprises never end.
Two years ago, I created a full 24-day advent calendar for both of my kids. Honestly, I was drained from all the preparation and overwhelmed by the extra, unnecessary toys. If you have a large family or friends who will shower your kids with gifts, adding extra toys to the advent calendar may not be the best idea. For this reason, I was hesitant to do it again this year. Preparing for non-toy activities can be exhausting, but it’s the holiday season, and I want to make it special. Selfishly, I also want to create memories we’ll cherish for years to come. So, once again, it’s worth it!
This year, rather than starting from scratch, I’ve included items and activities suited to the month of December. After Black Friday, for example, I purchased new clothes, pajamas, and other essentials that will last a few months. Instead of just giving these openly, I’m using some as calendar fillers. Additionally, annual events like the photoshoot with Santa, holiday lights, and seasonal activities are perfect additions. The kids don’t know what’s planned, so everything will be a delightful surprise.
Before you start laying out and labeling each date, double-check the event dates to make sure they align with the corresponding days. For example, if your Santa photoshoot is scheduled for Saturday, December 2nd (day 2), but you labeled it for envelope #6 on December 6th (the following Wednesday), you’d miss Santa’s visit! So, keeping the dates in sync is key.
If you don’t have time to create your own Advent calendar, don’t stress. There are plenty of amazing advent calendars available on Amazon.
Day #1 – Decorate the Christmas Tree & The House
First and foremost, let’s bring out all those amazing decorations that have been stashed away for a year, collecting dust on the top shelf of the garage. Don’t be surprised this is on the list—Christmas decorating is a huge job! Just the thought of unpacking all those ornaments gives me anxiety, so why not enlist the whole gang to help? Plus, my kids love putting up decorations! They always hang the ornaments on the lower half of the Christmas tree, and then I move them around to balance the look. This process can easily take up half the day, with the other half spent resting to recover our energy!
Day #2 – Letters to Santa
Now that the whole house and the Christmas tree are all set up, let’s move on to the next big thing—writing to Santa! I bet this is what your kids have been looking forward to since last year. Have them write to the big guy, explaining why they should be on the NICE list this year and deserve the gifts of their dreams. This should be a stress-free activity! My son usually has his list ready before we even start. Writing on a blank piece of paper works just fine, but if you’re looking for something more festive, check out these letters to Santa kits.
Day #3 – Visit Santa & Family Photoshoot
Again, make sure this aligns with the studio you want to book, and reschedule it for another day if needed. Including a copy of the photoshoot brochure in the calendar envelope would be great; otherwise, a simple note saying, ‘WE ARE VISITING SANTA TODAY!‘ works just fine.
If you’ve purchased new Christmas sweaters for the kids to wear for the photoshoot, this is the perfect time to give them!
Day #4 – Christmas Tree Ornament Craft
You can’t complete the tree without a brand new ornament to represent the current year! I usually prepare photo-related crafts to show the kids’ growth each year. Hip2Save has great ideas using empty plastic Christmas balls that you can find at Dollar Tree or 99-cent stores. If that doesn’t work, there are plenty of other Christmas crafts available online.
Day #5 – Toy Drive
When my kids were younger, we didn’t ask them to contribute from their own savings for the toy drive. But this year, as they’re getting older, especially my son, we’ve asked them to take some money from their piggy banks to buy toys for kids in need. We hope this helps them understand that there are things more important than just toys and games. Holiday giving doesn’t have to be limited to toy drives; it could be any donation to local charities or families in need. The goal is to spread love and share the holiday spirit, while also showing appreciation for what we have.
Day #6 – A Little Gift of Their Favorites
After five days of endless work with full supervision, why not take a break?! On this day, give a small gift you know your children will enjoy—nothing expensive or big. Simple fillers like Play-Doh in a new color, a harmonica, toy jewelry, or a new coloring book work perfectly. My son, for example, always asks for new packs of Pokémon cards, so I spent $5 on a pack from Target. For my daughter, I included a new pair of hair pins, also from Target.
Day 7 – Handmade Christmas Cards
Every year, we ask our kids to make gifts for their grandparents and close relatives. Since they’re still learning the concepts of money and gifting, we encourage them to create the gifts or cards themselves, helping them understand the love and appreciation that goes into spending time to make something special. In the past, we used blank paper and made our own envelopes, but this year, I thought we’d enhance the look by using pre-cut, white greeting cards with envelops.
If you have toddlers, consider using these premade cards with stickers that allow them to practice their motor skills while having fun.
If you need to mail these out instead of delivering them in person, be sure to include this activity at the beginning of your calendar so they can be sent and arrive before Christmas.
Day #8 – Movie Night with Hot Chocolate
What better way to experience the holiday spirit than watch a Christmas movie with your family! Get that hot chocolate and add in as many marshmallow as you wish. Change into holiday themed pajamas and fluffy slippers. The night can’t get better than this. Some of our favorite Christmas movies are The Santa Clause series by Tim Allen, How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Jim Carrey, The Grinch cartoon by Benedict Cumberbatch, and Jingle All The Way by Arnold Schwarzenegger. If you have Netflix, check out Klaus and for Disney Plus, Nightmare Before Christmas is my absolute favorite, but not so much for my little ones.
Day #9 – Ice Skating
While the indoor ice rink is open year-round, it feels especially festive during the Christmas season. Put on earmuffs, cozy gloves, and scarves, and enjoy gliding on the ice to the sound of holiday music in the background. If ice skating isn’t your family’s favorite, look for other holiday-themed events to enjoy together.
To make this day extra special, include a new pair of earmuffs or a scarf as a filler, with a note that says, ‘Who’s ready to glide? Let’s hit the ice rink!‘
Day #10 – Read a Christmas Book
Read one or several holiday-themed books together, and spice things up by changing your voice for each character! My kids love it when I switch from a deep, friendly grandpa voice to a high-pitched, anxiety-prone mom. They giggle every time I transition between characters. It’s super fun, but it can get exhausting after two books! Here are some of our favorite Christmas books: Peter the Cat , Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Sleigh, and How The Grinch Stole The Christmas.
Day #11 – Gift of Their Necessities
If you’ve bought some new pajamas, winter sweater or underwear, this is the time to use them as fillers. I gave my kids new toothbrushes. It’s time to change anyway so why not use it as fillers, right? You get the idea.
You could also make this gift extra special by giving them the gifts in their favorite characters. I used to put in Pokemon and princess pajamas for my kids.
Day #12 – Bookmarks DIY
We’ve done a few bookmarks in the past but they always seem to disappear. Here are some kits you can buy but if you already have cardboards and clear package tape, you can already make amazing bookmars. Check out my Pinterest page under Christmas Advent Calendar for some DIY ideas.
Day #13 – Act of Kindness
This is often overlooked, but Christmas is about sharing love and gratitude not just with family and friends, but with everyone you encounter. On this day, wherever you take the kids, encourage them to be kind, friendly, generous, and considerate. They don’t have to pay for someone’s bill; simple gestures like holding doors open for strangers or helping elderly individuals load groceries into their cars can make a difference.
After a day of practicing kindness, ask them about their favorite moments. Which person’s reaction surprised them the most? How did they feel after being kind? What do they think the recipients felt receiving kindness from strangers? Be sure to stay by their side during this time, ready to explain their actions if needed—just in case anyone raises an eyebrow.
Day #14 – Gift of The Day
We’re planning to check out the Christmas lights tomorrow, so today, I gave both kids a brand new scarf. It’s a perfect calendar filler that they can use right away! You can also include other necessities or small gifts that you know your kids will love and need.
Day #15 – Holiday Event (check the schedule ahead of time)
I previously checked out a couple of holiday events before laying out the calendar, including options from local cities, downtown areas, and amusement parks. While most of these events have scheduled dates, some last for a month starting at the end of November. Today, we’re taking the kids to see the Naples Christmas Lights at Long Beach, CA. If you live in Southern California, this is a must-visit attraction during this time of year! More information about the event can be found on their website, where you can also download a copy of the map.
Day #16 – End of Year Accomplishment & Failures
We’ve done act of kindnes and toy drive, it’s time for the kids to review their accomplishments and failures for this year. You cannot just enjoy what you’ve succeeded, you must also embrace what you are lacked of. Why? Because that’s how you learn to accept the past and look forward. Teach the kids to straight up face the failures and the reasons behind it. Do not be afraid of embarassment because it’s all in the past now. For this 24-idea advent calendar ideas for kids, write both accomplishements and failures on a piece of paper and then design around it. In the end, share with the family and take in both appraisals and encouragements.
Day #17 – Craft Day
If you have stocked up on toy kits or craft packs, now is the perfect time to use them! Enjoy building a brand new LEGO set, creating holiday-themed bookmarks, or making a volcano with baking soda and vinegar. This is a family activity, so even if your supervision isn’t required, be sure to get involved and enjoy every moment together. Here are some holiday themed crafts to try out. Our favorites are snow globe kit and nutcracker paint kits.
My advice, after sixteen days of planning and preparing, is to buy a pre-packed complete kit that comes with all the materials instead of spending time searching for the right activity and gathering the supplies. Save yourself the frustration and time by getting a complete kit.
Day #18 – Wrap Christmas Gifts & Favors
With just a week left until Christmas, it’s time to wrap up all those goodies for family, friends, and school. Have the children help with the wrapping, stuffing, and labeling, especially for the Christmas favors they’ll bring to school. Don’t worry if the finished products aren’t perfect; the extra sweetness of knowing they were done by the kids will surely bring joy to your guests, don’t you think?
Day #19 – Family Activity
Enjoy the day by doing an activity together as a family. Try having each person paint a piece of pizza, watermelon, or anything that forms a complete picture when assembled. Alternatively, you could do face painting or makeup for one another. It might sound a little crazy, but these activities can strengthen family bonds and bring everyone closer together.
Day #20 – Sing Christmas Carols & Dance
You can’t fully embrace the holiday spirit without singing some Christmas carols! My kids love to dance whenever we play the music. We may not remember most of the lyrics, but we still enjoy humming along to the melodies, as this is the only time of year we can sing Christmas carols. After December, it just feels strange to hum Jingle Bells.
Day #21 – Work Hard with Reward
For this particular advent calendar idea, I’m asking my kids to do some homework. Why, you ask? Because I simply want to make their lives miserable so they can experience my frustration and exhaustion as a mother. Just kidding! (Now, am I?!)
The filler for the next day is so grand, in my opinion, that I want the kids to learn that nothing is free and they need to work to earn their rewards. For this day, I included a few pages of math and literacy worksheets for first and fourth graders, along with a note that says, ‘Complete these, and you shall receive your reward tomorrow!’ Will my kids fight and complain about it? Of course! I would encourage them to give it a try since they all know how to do these tasks and they wouldn’t be disappointed with the reward.
As tempting as it is to use this opportunity to make your kids work hard, you don’t want to give them assignments that will take hours. The worksheets I included will only take my kids no more than an hour, even with some messing around and snacking in between. But they were still able to complete without hating the day itself.
Day #22 – Yes Day
I got this idea from the movie Yes Day starring Jennifer Garner on Netflix. It’s a crazy concept, and I’m still hesitant about it, but I’ve been mentally preparing myself and my husband. Our goal is to set some rules and a budget so the kids don’t go overboard asking for a real spaceship! For now, we’re aiming for a budget of $50 per kid, excluding toys, but they are welcome to spend on gifts for others. We’ve also set a travel limit of 30 miles and made it clear that there will be no destruction of houses, cars, or anything that could lead to costly damages or jail time.
My husband and I are brainstorming ideas that could work for us without too much effort, which we’ll feed to our kids as they think about what to do. Hopefully, my kids won’t come up with too many outrageous ideas!
Day #23 – Get The House Ready
Let’s get the house ready for the big day! While the adults clean and declutter, have the kids do the same in their rooms. It seems like my kids’ rooms have been hit by a hurricane over and over again, so today is the perfect opportunity to get everything organized. Once they’re done, reward them for their hard work with a small gift, a bubble bath, or a movie night with hot cocoa. We all know they don’t enjoy this task but still put in the effort!
Day #24 – Bake Goodies for Santa & The Reindeers
If you’re not a baker like me, then go for the baking mixes and icing. They make things so much easier! Just be sure to read the instructions and let the butter or eggs come to room temperature if needed. None of us liked icing before, so we usually just make regular cookies with chocolate chips. They’re simple and taste great, even if slightly overbaked.
Once the cookies are done, pour a glass of milk, wash some carrots, and set them out by the fireplace for the big guy. And guess what? You’re all set for the night and have successfully completed 24 days of the advent calendar with your kids. Great job, Mom! You’ve nailed it for another year! Now sit back, kick off those slippers, and pour yourself a glass of wine or a hot latte (for me!). It’s time to relax.
Merry Christmas and have a splendid holiday!