Advent Calendar Ideas

Advent calendars are a daily gift before the big ho-ho-ho! Instead of just peeking behind paper doors for a sweet treat (not that I don't looove a sweet treat!), you're diving into a daily adventure of quirky challenges and unexpected laughter. It's like trading Christmas anticipation for holiday hijinks and creativity!

As you probably know, I have the best job in the world - managing a dream team of admins, assistants, hygienists, and dentists at two New Mexico dental offices! You may also know that I missed two weeks of work this year (*gasp!*) because I was recovering from major surgery.

Stuck in bed and drugged out of my mind, I did the only logical thing. I planned a team Christmas dinner to blow our previous parties out of the snow!

Oh, but that was not enough.

I created an activities advent calendar for my team!

Here it is, in all its time consuming glory:

So how did all this advent calendar fun go? I'm excited to show you! Why?

Because my dream team embraced the holiday spirit and kicked butt, of course!

Wait, it's Christmas. They kicked tinsel!

Holiday Home Contest

Christmas Nails Contest

Deck the Ops! Contest

(Operatories/the little room where you have your teeth cleaned, for you non-dental folks)

Dream Team Christmas Party

You know that if I'm given the freedom to design a dinner menu, it's going to include wine pairings!

The numbers to draw for our White Elephant game included Conversation Starters:

(Text on one side, images on the other side, printed front and back)

Baked Alaska

Wear Flannel/Tartan/Plaid to Work Day

Bring Sweet Treats to Work Week

Just in case you don't know, most dental professionals have a sweet tooth!

(Also, just in case you don't know, I didn't *really* add Vegemite to my Cake Mix Cookie Bars! I totally packed them with caffeine though, substituting espresso for the water.)

Christmas Sweater Day

Wear Your Christmas PJs to Work Day

Bonus points for matching my hair bow to my jammies! (Minus points for my weird looking hair!)

Whew! All this Christmasing is exhausing.

And now the month is over and all our fun comes to an end, stuffed into the wastebasket like so much ribbon and wrapping paper.

Or does it?

January Advent Calendar Ideas!

Continue the spirit of celebration into the new year by crafting your very own January advent calendar. This is a creative way to combat post-holiday blues! I recommend using Canva (it's free!) to make quick work of this project...though it will still take waaay more time than you expect.

It's okay though because time flies when you're having fun!

A January advent calendar is like sprinkling confetti on the start button of the year, infusing it with zest, creativity, and a hint of "Let's do this!" And for some extra zest, spice things up with these quirky contests:

Green Tea Quest: Sip on that green goodness daily for a shot at a prize that'll make you grin wider than your teacup.

Oatmeal Odyssey: Skip the sugary stuff and dive into the real oats—get munching for a chance to win a prize as wholesome as your breakfast!

Stepping It Up: Lace up those sneakers and stomp your way to 10,000 steps a day for a prize that'll make your fitness tracker do a happy dance. Who says January can't be a blast? It's time to turn those resolutions into a game, where healthy habits win you cool rewards!

Here are ideas to include during each week of January:

Week 1: Mind & Body Renewal

Morning Meditation: Start the day with a short guided meditation to set positive intentions.
Healthy Recipe: Share a nutritious recipe to try each day, promoting a healthy start to the year.
Yoga Session: Incorporate a short yoga routine or stretch session for relaxation.
Gratitude Journaling: Reflect on daily blessings and jot them down in a gratitude journal.

Week 2: Creative Pursuits

Artistic Expression: Explore a different art medium each day—sketching, painting, or crafting.
Creative Writing: Prompts for daily short stories or poetry to stimulate imagination.
Photography Challenge: Capture unique perspectives or themes with a daily photo challenge.
DIY Project: Provide materials for a daily DIY project, from upcycling to building something new.

Week 3: Acts of Kindness & Connection

Compliment Cards: Create and distribute compliment cards to friends, family, or strangers.
Virtual Hangout: Schedule daily video calls with different friends or family members.
Random Acts of Kindness: Perform small acts of kindness—holding doors, paying compliments, etc.
Write Letters: Pen handwritten letters to distant friends or relatives.

Week 4: Self-Care & Reflection

Pamper Evening: Dedicate time to self-care—facials, bubble baths, or a spa-like experience at home.
Vision Board Creation: Reflect on aspirations for the year by making vision boards.
Book Club Day: Read a chapter from a recommended book or start a mini book club.
Goal Setting: Reflect on personal goals and outline actionable steps to achieve them.

End of January Celebrations

Movie Night: Watch a feel-good movie or revisit a favorite film for a cozy evening.
Cooking Challenge: Try a complex or new recipe to celebrate the end of the month.
Reflective Walk: Take a reflective stroll, contemplating the month that has passed and the month ahead.
Gratitude Celebration: Gather to express gratitude for the experiences and moments of the past month.

Too serious? Throw in some silly activities!

Daily Silly Challenges: Create a list of absurd challenges like hopping on one foot for a minute or speaking in an accent for an hour.
Joke of the Day: Share a daily joke or riddle to bring laughter each morning.
Mini Comedy Sketches: Write and perform short, funny skits with family members or friends each day.
Pun-Filled Pictionary: Play a round of Pictionary with a twist—only drawing puns or play on words.
Wacky Dress-Up Days: Assign a theme each day, like "Mismatched Clothes Day" or "Hat Day," encouraging participants to embrace the fun.
Fake News Headlines: Create exaggerated or hilarious fake news headlines and share one daily.
Random Acts of Silliness: Plan unexpected moments of silliness, like a spontaneous dance party or a game of indoor bowling using household items.
Meme Making Challenge: Challenge each other to create a daily meme based on a given theme or situation.
Comical Cooking Experiments: Try out absurd recipes or create funny food combinations just for laughs.
Caption Contest: Share a photo and invite everyone to come up with the funniest captions.

These light and entertaining activities can help beat the January blues and keep the humor and joy of the festive season alive well into the new year!

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Kitty Deschanel

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