Christmas chocolate advent calendar

What you need

Paper cups or paper bags (small for 1 person or large if treating everyone in the care home)
Chocolates or small wrapped treats
Glitter glue (biodegradable if possible)
Old Christmas cards or scraps of Christmas wrapping paper
Number labels 1-24 (tap 'Email Resources' for an attachment to print, if needed)
Tissue paper (green, red, gold or silver)

Intro

There are so many exciting moments in the lead up to Christmas. The festive streetlights being lit, shopping for Xmas gifts, and discovering what's behind the first door of your advent calendar. Will it be a star, donkey, or snowman? Or, even better, will it be a star, donkey, or snowman made from chocolate?!

In this activity, you're going to make your own surprising and delighting advent cup or bag calendar filled with your favourite treats. You can either make one for yourself or, if you're in a care home, you can make a giant one for everyone.

Get ready for some tasty little treats for the whole advent. You deserve it!

Top tip

Spending Xmas in a care home? Make sure everyone gets a treat, even if they can't open it themselves.

Worried that the treats might get gobbled up too soon?! Keep them in a safe area then each day make a special visit to the advent calendar

The Activity

Invite the person/group to the table
Give each person a cup or bag to decorate
Adorn the cup/bag with cut-out Christmas images from the cards or wrapping paper
Add a number
Fill the bag or cup with the chocolates
Using cups? Scrunch up tissue paper and put it in the top to hide the treats
Using bags? Just fold the top over
Now line up the advent bags/cups somewhere
Each day someone can take their turn to open a bag/cup and share a little festive joy with their friends