60+ Fun Advent Calendar Activities & Free Printable (For 2024)

3. Write a Letter to Santa

Write a fun letter to Santa and/or have the kids fill out this more meaningful wish list.

4. See Santa

Our Bass Pro has an amazing Santa and always does a good job of delighting the kids.

Related Post: Make Your Christmas Bucket List

5. Watch a Classic Christmas Movie

Christmas movies are both easy and fun! Use these movie night ideas for the holidays to make it extra special.

After watching your favorite holiday movie, play a Christmas Movie Trivia Quiz with family and friends!

6. Have a Christmas Music Dance Party

Crank up your favorite holiday tunes and move furniture out of the way. It’s time for a dancing and singing party!

7. Do a Festive Act of Kindness

Get creative—leave candy canes randomly or surprise a family with intentional creative gifts for the Christmas 12 days song.

8. See a Light Show

Either check out a formal light show or spend the evening driving around to the coolest neighborhoods. For added fun, let the kids take a travel cup of egg nog or hot chocolate and a blanket. They’ll think it’s amazing!

9. Donate Old Toys

Have the kids donate unused toys. This is a chance to declutter and help others before Christmas.

10. Enjoy the Fire Pit

Grab your chair and blankets and sit by your backyard fire pit with a cozy drink. Enjoy just being together for a night of fun and conversation.

Need conversation ideas? Check out these:

• Fun Christmas This or That Questions
• Great Christmas Conversation Starters
• Kids would you rather questions
• Christmas icebreaker questions for kids

11. Make a Card for a Teacher

Make your own homemade card or fill out this free printable thank you letter. Your teacher will appreciate the extra love and you’ll be teaching your child the importance of being grateful. Attach a small holiday gift and you are good to go!

12. Drop Something Off at a Charity Drive

Participate in school or church charity drives. Gather items or donate money if it’s more convenient.

13. Make Treats for Others

Make cookies or healthy holiday treats. Then spend the evening dropping off the goodies to those you love!

14. Do a Christmas Scavenger Hunt

Holiday scavenger hunts for kids are super easy and help burn off excess energy. Print off this one, and then watch the kids have a great time.

15. Make a Christmas Tree Pizza

Instead of ordering out, get creative and make your own pizza tonight! Mold the crust into a Christmas tree or wreath for a festive twist!

16. Buy or Wrap Gifts

This activity needs to be done, and it’s easier to do with help. So, gather your tribe and work through your list. When wrapping together, turn on your favorite Christmas music or movies and make an evening out of it.

Helpful Gift Posts:

• Useful Gift Ideas for Busy Moms
• The Perfect Gifts for Dads
• The Best Self Care Gifts & Anxiety Gift Ideas
• The Best Gifts for Kids That Are Not Toys
• Date Night Gifts for Your Partner
• Epic Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Babies/Toddlers, stockings for boys, and Christmas fillers for girls

17. Have a Family Game Night

Give your normal family game night a holiday spin with this Christmas charades game, trivia Christmas questions, or would you rather Christmas edition.

Don’t forget to pick your best Christmas team name!

18. Make Gingerbread Houses

Gather your graham crackers, leftover Halloween candy, and icing to spend the night getting creative with your food! (Or make it easier with a gingerbread kit)

19. Have a Christmas Tree Campout

For one night, let the kids sleep next to the Christmas tree in the living room. It makes for sweet memories and isn’t hard to do.

20. Make Reindeer Food

Reindeer food is easy to make! Mix together oats and sprinkles (add glitter if you’re brave) and you’ve got a mixture those reindeer will adore.

Add these free printable reindeer food tags and give them away before Christmas!

21. Do a Christmas Puzzle Together

We love doing at least one Christmas puzzle leading up to the big day. Am I the only one that finds it relaxing? Here’s the one we bought last year.

22. Sing Carols to Someone

Pop in on someone and surprise them with a group Christmas carol!

*Bonus: If someone you love lives far away, make a video of your Christmas carol and send it!

Related: Best Christmas Song Trivia Quiz

23. Make Rudolph Pancakes

Next, making a reindeer out of your morning pancakes is really easy. Overlap a small pancake onto a large one, then use bacon for the antlers and berries for the eyes and nose.

(Whipped cream gives your eyes some flair if you have it too!)

24. Open a Christmas Eve Box

I love doing a Christmas eve box because we use it as a way to add quality family time to our holiday. I typically include:

• New winter pajamas
• Hot chocolate and marshmallows
• The Night Before Christmas Book 
• Fruit snacks, popcorn, or another fun small treat
• A new family game – see here for family game ideas!
• An updated family photo (they keep a picture on their nightstands)

But yours can look however you want! Use these fun and cheap Christmas Eve box ideas to customize one for babies, kids, teens, or adults!

25. Christmas Day Advent Calendar Activities: Be Together

This day is for family. So, put your phone and devices away and bask in the joy of being with loved ones.

Related Post: Healthy Make-Ahead Holiday Breakfast Ideas

More Great Christmas Advent Calendar Activities

Everyone is different and will love different things. So, here are additional advent activities to consider for your blank printable Christmas calendar:

• Put up holiday decorations – Make a whole night with fun food too!

• Decorate the bedrooms

• Do Christmas sidewalk chalk

• Host an ugly sweater party (or any other party)

• Create a Christmas shirt

• Make a homemade Christmas ornament to give to grandparents

• Do a Christmas Science experiment

• Visit a sick or elderly friend

• Make paper snowflakes

• Make homemade hot chocolate

• Do a Christmas coloring page or word search

• Make your own Christmas cards

• Collect canned goods to take to a pantry

• Make a popcorn chain for the Christmas tree

• Make a homemade gift for a pet

• Decorate your home with items from nature

• Host a Christmas get-together

• Take silly Christmas family photos (or dress up like your favorite holiday movie characters)

• Go ice skating

• Make a Christmas craft

• Write your own Christmas book

• Take a bath with red and green glow sticks

• See the Nutcracker

• Look up Christmas knock knock jokes or Christmas riddles

• Enjoy your favorite Christmas treats while playing Christmas food trivia

• Display the holiday cards you have received from friends in a unique way. Hang on the mantle or in a tree-shape on a door or wall.

Religious Family Advent Calendar Activities

And here are extra ideas to make your Advent calendar more religious and/or meaningful:

• See a nativity exhibit (or live nativity)

• Read the Christmas story

• Bake a birthday cake for Jesus

• Attend a special church service

• Act out the Christmas story

• Read from the Bible

• Say a special prayer

• Put out your nativity scene (and talk about it)

• Make an advent wreath

Now, grab access to the free Advent activities calendar printable here + blank pdf template!

You’ll find all sorts of great holiday printables in the resource library too!

Other Holiday Posts You’ll Love

• Free Holiday Gift Tags – Just print and go!
• Wonderful Christmas Traditions for Couples – make it special for you and your partner too.
• 12 Days of Christmas Self Care (to save your sanity!)