Magnetic Advent Calendar

I remember always loving the advent calendar my family had when I was a child. It’s one thing I have yet to implement in my family each year, although I always have thought of it but just been too hurried, lazy, something to do it.

This year, I am only a few days late but finally got to it. I wanted to make one with my kids with stuff we had at home. I did a little online searching and found an idea for using a cookie sheet and making a magnetic one. It looked fun and easy and I saw a few different whimsical styles. All I had to do was go to the store and get some magnets to stick my numbers to. I bought $2 magnetic tape. That is where my project when terribly wrong.

I spray painted my cookie sheet. I glued down my background paper. I horrifically wrote out December. I made my grid. I even made my first magnet number and then…oops…the magnetic tape I bought was not nearly strong enough to work on my cookie sheet with paper on it. *sigh*

Wanting to remain in the spirit of our project and remember it’s supposed to be fun and doesn’t have to be perfect, I kept making number magnets. And my daughter happily stuck each one on the refrigerator in order. We had a great time, it was fun and creative. Instead of getting stressed out and giving up because my first idea didn’t work, or going back to the store to spend $12 on heavier duty magnets, I decided just to keep having fun and doing it with what we had.

We now have an advent calendar on our fridge and I think it’s really cute. I put all the numbers up to take this picture but we’ll be putting the magnets in a basket on top of the fridge and the kids can put a new one up each day.

I am so glad that this project turned out this way. It was a perfect example of what I am hoping for this holiday season. Time with my family, embracing imperfection, and focusing on the true spirit of the season.