Christmas Stocking Advent Calendar

Update: A few people have asked me to share some of the Christmas activities I put inside the stockings. I have included a list at the bottom of the post.

Did you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday?  I had a great Thanksgiving day, but by that evening I was getting a sore throat. Turns out I had strep again. I know. I sound like a broken record player: “I’m sick. Oh, I’m sick again. Guess what, I’m sick again.” Trust me, I am more tired of saying it than you are of hearing it. 🙂

I was feeling better yesterday, but was still contagious, so I had to stay home from church. While my hubbie and boys were gone, I worked on a project that I have been so excited for. I am absolutely thrilled with the way it turned out!! Thrilled I tell you!!

I love Christmas advent calendars. Not only are they darn cute, but they are so much fun for kids. I’ve seen a few around that hung across mantles and had pockets for goodies. I’ve been dying to make one for my boys. It took a lot of brainstorming and a couple of failures, but I finally came up with an idea that worked. I made stockings out of the miles of leftover canvas that I have lying around. Instead of hanging them across my mantle, I hung them on a little tree that we already had.

Isn’t it cute?!?

I sewed the fabric together and then just cut around the edge. I stenciled on some numbers, then glued on a cuff made from warm & natural batting. Then I added a fabric bow and a twine hanger.

Here is a close up of one of the stockings:

I made a list of Christmas activities, and I will be putting one activity in each stocking. My boys are so excited for tomorrow when they get to pull the slip out of stocking #1! I’m sure this advent calendar will be a favorite tradition for years to come.

I considered making up a pattern and set of stencils and selling it in my Etsy store, but since December starts tomorrow, I thought it might be too late. If some of you are interested, let me know and I will work one up.

Here are some of the activities that I put inside our advent calendar:
-Drop and run: We make treats and drop them on a neighbor’s porch, ring the bell, and run away before they answer the door.
-Sub for Santa: We host a family every year and it is a wonderful opportunity!
-Decorate sugar cookies
-Pop popcorn and watch a Christmas movie
-Play Don’t Eat Santa (This is one of my boys’ very favorite games!)
-Visit Temple Square and see the lights
-Sleep under the Christmas tree (we usually do this the day we decorate the tree)
-Write letters to Santa
-Learn about how another country celebrates Christmas and eat foods from that country. (We did a Mexican Fiesta this year.)
-Make gingerbread houses
-Go Christmas shopping and wrap presents
-Read the real story of Christmas from the Bible (on Christmas Eve)