Advent Calendar
Here's an unusual Advent calendar that uses recycled film canisters. Its a favorite around here.
The Advent calendar is a German tradition. People use it to count the days remaining until Christmas and generally begin it on December 1.
First you will need to obtain about 24 empty, 35mm film canisters. It doesn't matter the film brand name. (You may also use empty match boxes as an alternative.)
Paint the film canisters and a paper plate in Christmas colors ... red, green, cold, silver, blue, etc.
On the film canisters (or match boxes) paint the numbers 1 through 24. One number per canister, using all the numbers.
Punch a single hole in the top of each film canister. Then punch 24 holes in the paper plate, around the edge of the plate.
Using string, ribbon, or yarn, put one end of a piece of string through the hole in the paper plate and knot that end so that it cannot come back through the hole. Take the other end of the string, thread it through the hole in the film canister top and tie it so that it cannot come loose.
Do this with all 24 film canisters. Also attach some strings to the paper plate so that you can hang it up.
Put a small prize or piece of candy in each film canister and attach it to a lid that has been attached to the plate.
You wind up with a unique mobile that is also your Advent calendar.
As each day of Advent passes, allow a child to open the correspondingly dated film canister.
