The New Advent Calendar

Are you tired of the same old advent calendar with chocolate? Try a new version; the Advent Stocking Calendar. It's really easy to make! (If you don't know what an advent calendar is, it is a special calendar that counts down the days until Christmas.)

1. Gather up 25 socks or stockings and clothespins. (DM Tip: My dryer likes to eat socks and I always have missing ones. The unmated socks would make great stockings. If you have all white socks, you could dye the socks different colors.) You could also buy a pack of small stockings at Target, Amazon, or the dollar store. Mittens might work well too.
2. Write a number (1-25) on the front of clothespins with a marker.

3. Hang a string or yarn and clip the stockings onto the string.
4. Fill each sock with a little treat. The kids can take down a stocking each day!

Stocking Stuffer Ideas:
*Candy
*A car (toy of course)
*Crayons
*Coloring Book (Target and Michaels often have Play Packs for $1, which include a small coloring book, stickers, and crayons or markers.
*Book(s)
*Candy Cane
*Small games or deck of cards
*Lego's
*Ornament
*Socks
*Stickers
*Gift Card (The homemade IOU types. These could be for an ice cream night, letting them stay up late one night, or they get to pick out a movie to rent.)
*Dollar Coins (Check at your local bank.)
*Chocolate Coins
*Puzzle pieces (They get a puzzle piece(s) a day until they can complete the puzzle.)
*Candy coal