Reverse advent calendar

[blondie]

I know this is a bit early but if you would like to do this at your setting you need a bit of advance preparation -

 

Everyone loves advent calenders to count them down to Christmas Day. Most children adore receiving one at the beginning of December because it gets them excited for Santa coming and every surprise that they open on the way is a promise of what's to come.

But if you want to try something a little different this year, you can create an advent calendar that you and your children put something into every day instead of taking something out. Read on to find out more about reverse advent calendars, and how to make one yourself!

What is a reverse advent calendar?

Reverse advent calendars work by you filling them every day with with items of food or clothing that can then be taken to a food bank or charity in order to help those less fortunate that are struggling at Christmas time.

After gathering helpful items all month, you can take everything you've saved to your local help scheme on Christmas Eve and know that you've given a Christmas present to someone that really needed it.

Not only is this a fun thing for the whole family to do together, from creating the advent calendar structure itself to picking the goodies to go in it, it more importantly teaches your kids the importance of helping others and seeing the bigger picture at Christmas.

 

This could be done as a setting / staff -whatever suits you best -I think it's a great idea.

[FSFRebecca]

We did that here at the FSF last year. We looked after a local young mums house and bought presents for all the mums and their littlies. We enjoyed choosing presents for babies and toddlers!

[blondie]

I have done it in the past with shoe box appeal for countries abroad but now will be doing this for my local food bank -a tin, item from £1 shop daily is easily done and you can always start it now and add items less frequently.

Such a simple but great idea.

[Inge]

When doing it locally it is a good idea to give it to the food bank by mid December if it contains treat items they will need to sort it out and give to families before Christmas.. I have done this a few years and give by end of November.

 

All our local schools give harvest collections to our food bank - so they are currently well stocked.

 

Also think about giving some plastic carrier bags.. ours are constantly short since you have to pay for them..