This may be stretching the meaning of “handmade” just a little because you can’t really hand-make memories, but you can make plans for things that will help to make memories. For the last several years, we’ve made a point to do something to help make memories each day of Advent. A few Christmases ago, I sewed this quilted Advent calendar, and we use it to hold our planned activities for each day. Our kids get really excited about pulling out the activity and reading it each morning. We try to balance activities that focus on helping others, activities that remind us of the real meaning of Christmas and activities that are just fun! Here’s a little peek at a few of the things we’ve done so far this year:
We took a walk through Bethlehem at a local church.
We took our youngest four Christmas shopping for each other at Barnes & Noble. 
We picked up Starbucks hot cocoa and went for a drive to find our favorite Christmas light displays.
We went Christmas caroling and visited at an assisted living home with our homeschool group.
We baked cookies . . . lots of cookies!
We attended a Cookie Exchange at a friend’s home.
We invited friends over for dinner.
We did a little grocery shopping for a local food bank.
We had a family game night.
We watched the local Christmas light parade.
What are some of your favorite ways to make memories during the Christmas season?
Sweet photos!
They look so very different than our Christmas photos – decorating cookies outside would never happen out here. 🙂
We usually go the Christmas parade too but they cancelled it this year 🙁
We bake cookies for our teachers and neighbours, make and buy each other gifts, go the church Christmas concert, play lots and lots of games together and with friends who come over. Kids have 2 weeks off of school – it’s a great time of year. And maybe, just maybe it will snow! (We live in the the only part of Canada that doesn’t get regular snow in the winter, just rain, lots and lots of rain.)
What a neat way to celebrate Christmas! Thanks for these wonderful ideas. Our family will have to try some of these activities next year!