Advent Calendars

I'm really getting excited for Christmas already. I really want to make Christmas simply magical for my little ones so I'm constantly thinking of traditions we can start as a family. One of my favorite traditions out there is the advent calendar. I know it's already December 3, but I really can't decide on what exactly I want to do. There are so many incredible options out there, literally for every budget and style. I really need to make up my mind quickly or we will completely miss out on one this year.

Almost every year Pottery Barn comes out with a couple of advents. I'm loving this one!

I also love these garland advents from Garnet Hill. They always have some great options.

Now if you are in the market for a luxury calendar, this beauty costs just over $1,000. Sigh. A little more than I can afford, but it is gorgeous. If you have the budget for it, it can be found over at FAO Schwartz.

I fell in love with a train advent calendar awhile ago that was also quite expensive, and I couldn't find it now. But I did find the great little wooden train advent on a cute little Swiss family's blog. It got me thinking that if I could find a simple wooden train like this (with lots of cars), I could totally paint it to match my decor and it would be perfect!

Now once you find the perfect calendar, what do you put in it?  Well there is always the traditional little toys or candy, but there are a ton of other options here too. Jordan Ferney over at Oh Happy Day! has listed a bunch of activities that they do with the family to get in the Christmas spirit. Go check them out, you are bound to find some that will work for your family, or at least it will get you thinking of your own ideas. Another option I heard about was putting the title of a Holiday picture book in each day on the calendar, and then reading that story together. I love this idea, but don't have that many Christmas stories yet. I'll have to start building my collection! So many choices! I'd love to hear what your family does.