150+ Christmas Advent Calendar Activities for the Whole Family

An Activity advent calendar has to be one of my favourite ways to count down to Christmas. All those excuses to squeeze in a bit more festive fun together!

But there’s one rather important consideration. December is BUSY!

And while a trip to a Christmas market or an afternoon of gingerbread house construction might sound fabulous when you’re planning in October, it’s rather less appealing when you open your advent calendar on a Wednesday morning and remember you’ve got approximately 87 other things to do that day. 

Which is precisely why I’ve put together this enormous collection of Christmas advent calendar activities.

We’ve got everything from five-minute ideas for festive fun and easy Christmas crafts to festive baking, family games, little acts of kindness and special outings. Plenty are completely free, and lots need virtually no preparation.

And to make the planning even easier, I’ve created a free, one-page Christmas Activity Advent Planner so you can see exactly which days fall where and make sure your activities fit your December diary.

Right then. Let’s get planning! 

152 Christmas Advent Calendar Activities

I’ve divided the ideas into six categories to make it easier to find the ones that work for you.

And may I recommend that you pick more than just 24 activities. Take note of a couple of extras, perhaps from the five-minute collection. You’ll be VERY glad to have a couple of emergency substitutes up your sleeve when December inevitably throws you a curveball!

Five-Minutes Festive Fun

For the midweek quick fixes!

• Let’s take a silly family Christmas selfie. Grab your Christmas hats, pull your silliest faces and capture some festive chaos.
• Let’s have a Christmas dance-off. One Christmas song. Your best moves. Who’s taking home the trophy?
• Let’s draw a Christmas tree with our eyes closed. Pens and paper at the ready. No peeking until everyone’s finished!
• Let’s make paper snowflakes. Takes you back to your childhood… plus, you’ve got almost instant Christmas decorations.
• Let’s record a quick family message for our future selves. Record a little video to watch together next Christmas. What would you like your future selves to remember?
• Let’s send a festive voice message to someone we miss. A quick hello, a Christmas joke or a little message to let them know you’re thinking of them.
• Let’s have a paper-chain-making race. Set a timer and see who can make the longest paper chain before it runs out.
• Let’s make up a Christmas story together, one word at a time. Take turns adding one word. Good luck keeping a straight face when the story takes an unexpected turn!
• Let’s have a Christmas joke competition. The cheesier the joke, the better. Christmas cracker jokes very much encouraged.
• Let’s do our best Father Christmas impressions. Who can deliver the most convincing HO HO HO?
• Let’s try a Christmas alphabet challenge. Work your way from A to Z, naming something Christmassy for every letter.
• Let’s name as many Christmas films as we can in one minute. Ready, steady, GO! No repeats allowed.
• Let’s invent a name for the latest reindeer to join Santa’s herd.
  Move over, Rudolph. There’s a new reindeer in town.
• Let’s have a five-minute pillow fight.Because why not?! Grab your pillows and let battle commence.
• Let’s have a Christmas conga around the house. Christmas music on, everyone in line. Bonus points for recruiting the dog!
• Let’s give everyone a festive nickname for the day. Perhaps Dad becomes Captain Candy Cane and Grandma is officially Mariah Carey.
• Let’s see how many Christmas cards we can balance on our heads. A ridiculous challenge requiring nothing more than a few Christmas cards and a steady head.
• Let’s guess the Christmas song from its first line. Read out the opening line without singing it. Who can name the song first?
• Let’s make a pomander with oranges and cloves. Push cloves into an orange for a gorgeous traditional Christmas scent. Make a simple pattern or go completely freestyle.

Christmas Making & Creating

Time to get the craft supplies out!

• Let’s make some Christmas tree decorations. From paper ornaments to salt dough creations, make something special to hang on your tree.
• Let’s make our own Christmas wreath. Try a traditional greenery wreath or use fabric scraps to create a colourful Christmas rag wreath.
• Let’s create a Christmas garland. Dried oranges, popcorn, paper shapes or whatever takes your fancy. Where will you hang yours?
• Let’s make our Christmas cards. Paint, stamp, draw or collage. Handmade Christmas cards are always rather special.
• Let’s create some homemade Christmas gift tags. Use leftover card, scraps of wrapping paper or the classic – old Christmas cards.
• Let’s decorate our own Christmas wrapping paper. Grab a roll of plain paper and get stamping, painting or drawing.
• Let’s make homemade Christmas crackers. Fill them with your own jokes, little treats and perhaps a homemade paper crown.
• Let’s make a Christmas time capsule. Collect a few reminders of this Christmas, then tuck them away to rediscover next year (or in further into the future!)
• Let’s make a Christmas window display. Paper snowflakes, fairy lights, snow spray… your window, your masterpiece!
• Let’s design our own Christmas jumpers. Give an old jumper a festive makeover or draw your dream Christmas jumper design.
• Let’s paint some Christmas rocks. Turn ordinary pebbles into little Father Christmas faces, snowmen or festive messages ready to hide for others to find.
• Let’s make Christmas place names. Create personalised place cards for your Christmas table ready to welcome your festive guests.
• Let’s create our own Christmas bunting. Cut out festive shapes, decorate them and string them together.
• Let’s make a Christmas snow scene. Create a miniature winter wonderland using a shoebox, cotton wool and whatever else you can find.
• Let’s create a handprint Christmas canvas. Turn everyone’s handprints into a festive keepsake. One to bring out year after year.
• Let’s create a Christmas wishes jar. Fill a jar with your hopes, wishes and festive dreams. 
• Let’s decorate some Christmas candles. Dress up plain candles with festive designs or decorative holders. Obviously use responsibly!
• Let’s write to Father Christmas. Time to put those Christmas wishes into words. 
• Let’s make some reindeer food. Mix oats with bird-safe ingredients for a little Christmas Eve magic. Skip glitter and anything that could harm wildlife.
• Let’s have fun with Christmas playdough mats. Get the playdough out and see what festive creations you can dream up.
• Let’s make Christmas sock puppets. Raid the odd-sock collection and turn those lonely socks into festive characters.
• Let’s make Christmas cards for care home residents. A gorgeous way to spread a little festive cheer. Check with your chosen care home before you start.
• Let’s build a snowman. No snow? Snow problem (see what I did there!?!)… use magic snow instead.

Christmas Games & Family Fun

Perfect for some screen free family-time. I’ve included ideas that work for young children and ones for teenagers so hopefully there’s something for everyone.

• Let’s have a Christmas kitchen disco. Turn up your favourite Christmas tunes, clear a little dance floor and get everyone involved.
• Let’s snuggle up and read a Christmas story. Dig out an old favourite, grab a blanket and enjoy a little Christmas storytime together.
• Let’s play Christmas charades. Christmas films, songs, traditions or festive characters. No talking allowed!
• Let’s have a Christmas singalong. Get everyone to choose a favourite Christmas song and sing your hearts out.
• Let’s build a blanket fort. Gather your blankets, cushions and fairy lights. Extra points for making it big enough for everyone.
• Let’s go on a festive scavenger hunt around the house. Create a list of Christmassy things to find and send everyone off hunting.
• Let’s play guess the Christmas smell. Cinnamon, oranges, pine, gingerbread. How good are your noses?
• Let’s play guess what’s in the stocking. Fill a stocking with mystery objects and see who can identify them by touch alone.
• Let’s have a family tinsel limbo competition. How low can you go? You’ll need some tinsel and a couple of willing volunteers.
• Let’s play Christmas This or That. Christmas pudding or mince pies? Real tree or artificial? Prepare for some surprisingly strong opinions!
• Let’s play Christmas Would You Rather. Would you rather have Christmas dinner every day or listen to Christmas music all year? The sillier the questions, the better.
• Let’s play Christmas Heads Up
  Guess the Christmas character, film or object displayed on your forehead.
• Let’s do a Christmas emoji quiz. Can you identify Christmas films and songs from a string of emojis?
• Let’s play Christmas Pictionary. How quickly can you draw a Christmas stocking? And will anyone recognise it?!
• Let’s watch a Christmas film together. Pop on your Christmas pyjamas, grab the popcorn and settle in with a family favourite.
• Let’s have a family games night. Dig out your favourite board games or introduce everyone to something new.
• Let’s enjoy a spa night. Face masks, fluffy towels, a little pampering and absolutely no rushing.
• Let’s play Christmas Movie Bingo. Create (or download!) bingo cards filled with classic Christmas film moments and see who gets a full house first.
• Let’s have a sleepover by the Christmas tree. Sleeping bags, fairy lights and the excitement of sleeping downstairs. What’s not to love?
• Let’s do a Christmas jigsaw puzzle together. Choose a festive puzzle and see whether you can finish it before bedtime.
• Let’s host a family Christmas quiz night. Appoint a quizmaster, divide into teams and prepare some festive questions.
• Let’s play the Christmas memory tray game. Fill a tray with Christmas objects, give everyone a minute to memorise them, then cover it up. How many can you remember?
• Let’s have a Christmas LEGO challenge. Set a festive building challenge and see what everyone creates.
• Let’s play pin the nose on Rudolph. A Christmas twist on a classic party game. Who can get closest to Rudolph’s actual nose?
• Let’s have a Christmas pyjama party. Everyone into their Christmas PJs for an evening of festive fun.
• Let’s have a Christmas fancy dress evening. Christmas jumpers are just the beginning. Who’s turning up as the Christmas pudding?
• Let’s play the candle-blowing game. Try one of our family’s favourite Christmas party games and see who can blow out the most candles. Adult supervision essential.
• Let’s have a Christmas Taskmaster challenge. Set everyone a series of ridiculous festive tasks and appoint your very own Taskmaster.
• Let’s fill in our Christmas Journal. Capture your favourite moments, memories and little details from this Christmas.
• Let’s have dessert before dinner. Because it’s Christmas and sometimes the usual rules deserve a day off!
• Let’s have dinner by fairy light. Or candle light if you’d prefer.. but switch off the main lights and make an ordinary dinner feel rather special.
• Let’s decorate the Christmas tree. Put on the Christmas music, bring out your favourite decorations and make an occasion of it.
• Let’s have a Christmas toy sort-out. Find toys and games that are ready for a new home and donate them somewhere they’ll be appreciated.
• Let’s have a Christmas lights switch-on ceremony at home. Gather everyone, prepare a suitably dramatic countdown and officially switch on your Christmas lights.
• Let’s have a mince pie taste test. Supermarket versus homemade? Classic versus something a little different? Time to find your family’s favourite.
• Let’s have a festive food blindfolded taste test. See how well your sense of taste works when you can’t see what you’re eating… Expect some interesting guesses!
• Let’s have a Christmas wrapping party. Put on the Christmas music, bring out the wrapping supplies and turn a Christmas job into a family occasion.
• Let’s have a Christmas indoor snowball fight.No snow required! Grab some rolled-up white socks or soft fabric snowballs and let battle commence.

Christmas Baking & Cooking

Everything from an afternoon of baking delights to giving Tuesday dinner a festive glow-up!

• Let’s make hot chocolate with ALL the toppings. Marshmallows, whipped cream, sprinkles, chocolate curls. How extravagant can you make yours?
• Let’s toast some marshmallows. Bring a little campfire magic indoors or outside. And don’t forget the chocolate biscuits for homemade s’mores.
• Let’s make festive mocktails. Get mixing with fruit juices, sparkling drinks, fresh fruit and a suitably festive garnish.
• Let’s create our own Christmas snack board. Sweet, savoury or a mixture of both. Everyone gets to add something they love.
• Let’s bake Christmas cookies. Dig out your favourite recipe, find those Christmas cookie cutters and get baking.
• Let’s decorate some Christmas biscuits. No baking necessary if you don’t fancy it. Ready-made biscuits, icing and sprinkles will do nicely.
• Let’s make a gingerbread house. Homemade or shop-bought kit? Either way, who’s in charge of the sweetie decorations?
• Let’s make food gifts for family and friends. Chutney, granola, fudge or something else entirely. Homemade Christmas gifts are always rather special.
• Let’s make Christmas truffles. Delicious little chocolate treats that are perfect for gifting. Assuming you don’t eat them all first!
• Let’s make chocolate bark. Melt some chocolate, scatter over your favourite festive toppings and leave it to set.
• Let’s make a festive pizza. Try arranging your toppings into a Christmas tree or creating individual Christmas-themed pizzas.
• Let’s cook a Christmas-themed dinner. Perhaps turkey burgers, Christmas dinner pie or something involving an entirely unnecessary number of pigs in blankets.
• Let’s have a North Pole breakfast. A little breakfast magic, complete with festive food and perhaps a special visitor from the North Pole.
• Let’s decorate our Christmas cake. Traditional icing, a snowy scene or something completely different. Time to get creative.
• Let’s invent our own festive sandwich. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, Brie. What’s going into your ultimate Christmas sandwich?
• Let’s make snowman sundaes. Ice cream, marshmallows and a few edible decorations. No actual snow required.
• Let’s make a festive afternoon tea at home. Little sandwiches, Christmas cakes and something delicious to drink. Fancy crockery optional!
• Let’s roast some chestnuts. A proper old-fashioned Christmas treat. Just make sure an adult handles the preparation and roasting.
• Let’s make a Christmas fruit platter. Turn your favourite fruits into a Christmas tree, wreath or festive character.
• Let’s make festive hot chocolate stirrers. Chocolate-covered spoons or sticks decorated with marshmallows and sprinkles. Brilliant little gifts too.
• Let’s have a Christmas picky bits tea. Everyone chooses their favourite festive nibbles. Dinner sorted!
• Let’s try a Christmas treat from another country. Choose somewhere in the world and discover one of its traditional Christmas treats.
• Let’s make Christmas popcorn for film night. Give ordinary popcorn a festive makeover with chocolate, spices or your favourite sweet toppings.
• Let’s make our favourite family Christmas recipe. Dig out that much-loved family recipe and get everyone involved. A wonderful excuse to share the stories behind it too.
• Let’s make food to match a Christmas movie. Choose your film first, then dream up a suitably themed menu. Bonus points for creative connections!

Out & About

Time to wrap up warm and head outside.

• Let’s go stargazing. Wrap up warm, find somewhere with a clear view of the sky and see what you can spot.
• Let’s make a Christmas food bank donation. Check your local food bank’s current wish list and choose a few things to donate together.
• Let’s go and collect greenery for Christmas decorating. Gather fallen foliage, pine cones or other natural treasures where collecting is permitted.
• Let’s wrap up for a winter walk. Scarves, gloves and a good stomp through the woods. Perhaps followed by something warm to drink.
• Let’s have a winter picnic. Who says picnics are just for summer? Pack some festive treats, a blanket and a flask.
• Let’s head outdoors with a flask of hot chocolate. Find a favourite spot, pour yourselves a warming drink and enjoy a little fresh air.
• Let’s go on a festive scavenger hunt outdoors. Make a list of Christmassy things to spot on your walk. How many can you find?
• Let’s go on a Christmas lights walk. Wrap up warm and explore your neighbourhood’s Christmas decorations. Don’t forget to choose your favourites.
• Let’s go and choose a Christmas book from the library. A wonderful way to discover a new Christmas story without buying another book.
• Let’s deliver Christmas cards to our neighbours. A little festive post round. Perhaps you’ll even catch a few neighbours for a Christmas hello.
• Let’s feed the birds. Give our feathered friends a little help through winter with suitable bird food.
• Let’s watch the local Christmas lights switch-on. Find out when your local town or village is switching on its lights and join the celebrations.
• Let’s go to see the Christmas windows. Head into town and admire the festive window displays. Which one’s your favourite?
• Let’s take a festive family photo somewhere special. Choose a favourite Christmas location and capture this year’s family photograph.
• Let’s put up our outdoor Christmas decorations. Time to bring a little Christmas cheer to the outside of your home.
• Let’s find the biggest Christmas tree in our area. How enormous can you find? A fabulous excuse to explore your local Christmas displays.
• Let’s build a Christmas tree from fallen sticks. Collect some fallen sticks and arrange them into your very own outdoor Christmas tree.
• Let’s watch the sunrise together. One advantage of the mornings starting later! Enjoy a beautiful winter sunrise together, or sunset if you’d prefer!
• Let’s do a Christmas litter pick. Give your neighbourhood a little Christmas present by helping to tidy it up. 
• Let’s donate a book to a Free Library. Choose a book you’ve enjoyed and leave it for someone else to discover. Check that your local book-sharing spot is accepting donations.
• Let’s deliver a thank-you note to our favourite Christmas lights house. Let someone know how much you appreciate the effort they’ve put into brightening your neighbourhood.
• Let’s deliver a Christmas thank-you card to a local community hero. A local volunteer whose contribution deserves a little festive recognition.
• Let’s leave a Christmas thank-you note for our postie. A little note to say thank you for all those December deliveries. 
• Let’s go Christmas carolling. Gather a few willing singers and spread some festive cheer. Or join an organised local carolling event.

Special Festive Outings

Finally, the big adventures! You certainly don’t need to include lots of them. But if you’ve already got something booked, why not make it part of your Activity Advent?

• Let’s visit Father Christmas. Time for that all-important festive appointment. Don’t forget your Christmas wishes!
• Let’s go ice skating. Wrap up warm and head for the ice. Holding on to the side is absolutely permitted!
• Let’s visit a Christmas light trail. An evening surrounded by twinkling lights. Be sure to book ahead!
• Let’s go to the pantomime. Oh yes we are! A classic Christmas outing with plenty of audience participation.
• Let’s visit a Christmas market. Twinkling stalls, festive treats and plenty of Christmas atmosphere. Perhaps set everyone a little challenge to find the most unusual decoration.
• Let’s ride a Christmas steam train. All aboard for a festive adventure. Some even come with a very special passenger!
• Let’s watch a Christmas film at the cinema. Look out for screenings of old Christmas favourites as well as the latest releases.
• Let’s see a Christmas theatre show, musical or ballet. From The Nutcracker to a favourite Christmas musical, enjoy a little festive theatre magic.
• Let’s go to a Christmas carol service or concert. Find a local performance and enjoy some beautiful Christmas music together.
• Let’s get the Christmas tree. Make choosing your tree an occasion in itself. 
• Let’s enjoy a festive afternoon tea. A special Christmas treat with all the little sandwiches, cakes and seasonal extras.
• Let’s go to a festive pottery painting session. Decorate your own Christmas pottery and create something to bring out year after year.
• Let’s explore a grand house decked out for Christmas. Look out for historic houses with special Christmas displays and decorations.
• Let’s go out for a Christmas meal. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. Choose somewhere special and enjoy a meal without anyone having to do the washing-up!
• Let’s go to a wreath workshop. Learn a new skill and come home with a gorgeous handmade decoration for your front door.
• Let’s go and visit some reindeer. See whether there’s a local farm or Christmas attraction offering the chance to meet Father Christmas’s famous helpers.
• Let’s have a Christmas shopping day. Make a proper occasion of it, complete with festive refreshments and time to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere.
• Let’s go and choose a special new Christmas decoration. Add a new ornament to your collection. Perhaps something that reminds you of this particular Christmas.
• Let’s learn to make something Christmassy. Look out for a festive craft, floristry, baking or decorating workshop.
• Let’s explore a Christmas garden centre. Some garden centres go ALL OUT for Christmas. A fabulous outing for anyone who loves festive decorations.
• Let’s enjoy a Christmas treasure trail. Look out for a local festive trail with clues, hidden objects or challenges to solve along the way.
• Let’s have a fun-filled day at a Christmas attraction. From Christmas villages to festive theme park events, find somewhere offering a whole day of Christmas fun.
• Let’s have a festive overnight stay. A Christmas mini-break, perhaps somewhere with fabulous decorations or a special seasonal event.

How to Create Your Own Christmas Activity Advent Calendar

OK, now I’ve given you wayyyyy too many ideas, how do you pull your activity advent calendar together?

I’d suggest the following three-step process.

Three Steps to Planning Your Activity Advent

1. Start with the big stuff

First, pop in anything you’ve already booked or any bigger activities you’d like to include.

Christmas markets, pantomimes, putting up the tree, a special baking afternoon. Anything that needs a particular date or a decent chunk of time.

And have a look at your weekends. They’re probably going to be your best bet for the more ambitious activities.

2. Next, fill in your busiest days

Now look at the days when you’ve already got plenty going on.

School concerts, work commitments, Christmas parties, all the usual December juggling.

These are the days for our five-minute festive activities. A quick Christmas conga or a silly family selfie might be just the ticket.

3. Fill in the gaps

And now you can have some fun filling in the remaining days.

A bit of baking here, a family game there, perhaps a little Christmas crafting or an evening spent admiring the neighbourhood lights.

Mix things up, keep a few easy options in reserve and you’ve got yourself an Activity Advent calendar! And to help you keep track…

Your Free Christmas Activity Advent Planner

I’ve created a simple, one-page planner. 

It’s designed to be your December activity guide. You’ll know what’s coming up, can get anything you need ready in advance and, crucially, can swap activities around as and when necessary.

How to Put Your Activity Advent Calendar Together

Once you’ve chosen each day’s activities, it’s a case of deciding how to set up the calendar. 

If you’ve already got a reusable advent calendar, simply write your activities onto little slips of paper and pop them inside.

Otherwise, you could use numbered envelopes or a homemade paper chain. Or if you’re feeling brave (or have only gone with quicker activities) you could forget the numbers and make a jar of folded notes to pick from each day.

I rather love the idea of pegging little notes to a fairy light line and then replacing each one with a polaroid-style photo to build a photo memory of the countdown’s activities. A bit like a photo advent calendar, built over the 24 days.

What other advent calendar activities have you enjoyed with your family and friends?  Let us know in the comments below.