How to Brighten Up December for the Family's Oldest

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brighten up December for the family's oldest

How to Brighten Up December for the Family's Oldest

My parents and in-laws have been kind and helpful over the years. Now it's time for me to bring joy to them. Every year I make an advent calendar with good stuff for both her and him to open and enjoy

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Step 1 of 27
Collect a lot of small and nice things related to Christmas 🎅🎁 and divide them into 24 presents (or 48 if you are as lucky as I having both parents and in-laws)

Collect a lot of small and nice things related to Christmas 🎅🎁 and divide them into 24 presents (or 48 if you are as lucky as I having both parents and in-laws)

Step 2 of 27
December 1st : A candle to help the count down to Christmas

December 1st : A candle to help the count down to Christmas

Step 3 of 27
December 2nd: Anti flu in a little jar + tissues/mini bottle of snaps if the anti flu doesn't save my parents from all flu attacks :-)  Recipe: Stacey's Snapguide 'Make a home remedy for the flu'

December 2nd: Anti flu in a little jar + tissues/mini bottle of snaps if the anti flu doesn't save my parents from all flu attacks :-) Recipe: Stacey's Snapguide 'Make a home remedy for the flu'

Step 4 of 27
December 3rd: A nice bottle of Christmas brew + an orange covered with a lot of cloves. This will add the nicest Christmas scent to my parent's home during December.

December 3rd: A nice bottle of Christmas brew + an orange covered with a lot of cloves. This will add the nicest Christmas scent to my parent's home during December.

Step 5 of 27
December 4th: A bottle of hand soap with Christmas scent from vanilla and coco

December 4th: A bottle of hand soap with Christmas scent from vanilla and coco

Step 6 of 27
December 5th: Home made apricot jam with Cointreau (orange flavoured liqueur) Recipe: Karen's Snapguide 'Make dried apricot jam in 15 minutes'

December 5th: Home made apricot jam with Cointreau (orange flavoured liqueur) Recipe: Karen's Snapguide 'Make dried apricot jam in 15 minutes'

Step 7 of 27
December 6th: A box of cute Christmas cards to send to friends and family and a mini bottle of snaps

December 6th: A box of cute Christmas cards to send to friends and family and a mini bottle of snaps

Step 8 of 27
December 7th: Home made quince jelly and a charming little Santa

December 7th: Home made quince jelly and a charming little Santa

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December 8th: Paper elves for decoration and a bottle of Christmas beer

December 8th: Paper elves for decoration and a bottle of Christmas beer

Step 10 of 27
December 9th: Home made cookies from a Danish recipe used traditionally at Christmas. Thin and crispy covered with sugar and cinnamon. Added a box of tee for a cosy winter afternoon

December 9th: Home made cookies from a Danish recipe used traditionally at Christmas. Thin and crispy covered with sugar and cinnamon. Added a box of tee for a cosy winter afternoon

Step 11 of 27
December 10th: Christmas beer and a snaps :-)

December 10th: Christmas beer and a snaps :-)

Step 12 of 27
December 11th: Home made pickled beets with horseradish and anise + a little Christmas decoration  for the fridge

December 11th: Home made pickled beets with horseradish and anise + a little Christmas decoration for the fridge

Step 13 of 27
December 12th: A crazy bauble for Christmas decoration ... It's actually an electronic device and will display pictures of the grand children all through December + a Christmas beer

December 12th: A crazy bauble for Christmas decoration ... It's actually an electronic device and will display pictures of the grand children all through December + a Christmas beer

Step 14 of 27
December 13th: Home made vanilla wreaths ... The luxury version with marzipan and real vanilla pods

December 13th: Home made vanilla wreaths ... The luxury version with marzipan and real vanilla pods

Step 15 of 27
December 14th: A tablecloth and a mini snaps

December 14th: A tablecloth and a mini snaps

Step 16 of 27
December 15th: Candlesticks shaped like snowflakes

December 15th: Candlesticks shaped like snowflakes

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December 16th: Home made caramelised quince. Adorable as candy or together with cheese

December 16th: Home made caramelised quince. Adorable as candy or together with cheese

Step 18 of 27
December 17th: Traditionally Danes fold 3D stars out of paper strips as lovely tree and window Christmas decoration. I found a package of glittering paper strips...

December 17th: Traditionally Danes fold 3D stars out of paper strips as lovely tree and window Christmas decoration. I found a package of glittering paper strips...

Step 19 of 27
December 18th: Home made marzipan and a porcelain Santa

December 18th: Home made marzipan and a porcelain Santa

Step 20 of 27
December 19th: A nice window decoration, a little Santa and a Christmas brew

December 19th: A nice window decoration, a little Santa and a Christmas brew

Step 21 of 27
Dec 20th: Home made spiced sugar (lemon peel, vanilla pod, cardamom and rose buds) Dec 21st: Home made Christmas cookies. Thin, crispy and spicy from cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, brown sugar etc.

Dec 20th: Home made spiced sugar (lemon peel, vanilla pod, cardamom and rose buds) Dec 21st: Home made Christmas cookies. Thin, crispy and spicy from cloves, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, brown sugar etc.

Step 22 of 27
December 22nd: A knitted (NOT home made) Christmas stocking and a Christmas beer

December 22nd: A knitted (NOT home made) Christmas stocking and a Christmas beer

Step 23 of 27
December 23rd: Some small wooden hearts for last minute decoration and home made Ras el Hanout (Moroccan Spice mix) to turn to right after Christmas when your tastebuds need new tastes and flavours

December 23rd: Some small wooden hearts for last minute decoration and home made Ras el Hanout (Moroccan Spice mix) to turn to right after Christmas when your tastebuds need new tastes and flavours

Step 24 of 27
Dec 24th: Books with space for Grandparents to write/tell from their own lives. Views of historic highlights can inspire if the memory has slipped. The books will be handed to the grandsons afterwards

Dec 24th: Books with space for Grandparents to write/tell from their own lives. Views of historic highlights can inspire if the memory has slipped. The books will be handed to the grandsons afterwards

Step 25 of 27

My parents and in-laws enjoy these small, inexpensive gifts. They can also be used e.g. as a small present for the hostess at visits. Hopefully you can use the inspiration :-) Merry Christmas 🎅🎄🎁💝

Step 26 of 27

DON'T WORRY!! Even if you didn't make it till 1st of December - you can still make your parents happy for the 12 days of Christmas or for the 4 Sundays of Advent 🎄💝☕🍪

Step 27 of 27
WARNING!!! Don't get overwhelmed. Having too much to do the grandparents will prefer that you spend your time with their grandchildren in the first snow instead of baking and wrapping presents 😄😃😀

WARNING!!! Don't get overwhelmed. Having too much to do the grandparents will prefer that you spend your time with their grandchildren in the first snow instead of baking and wrapping presents 😄😃😀

Start Over

11 Comments
Supplies

Christmas candles

Santas and angles

Homemade cookies and crafts

Christmas beers

Snaps

Jane Z L

I'm happy you liked my guide for a funny December for our eldest. Hopefully you'll also enjoy my newest guide showing my latest experiment: Dundergløgg 😉

(author) 6 months ago

Jane Z L

Dear Johanna. Thanks for your kind words

(author) 6 months ago

Johanna D

Your parents and in-laws are blessed to have such a loving and thoughtful daughter(in-law). Thanks for sharing.

Johanna D 6 months ago

Jane Z L

Dear Teresia - the pakkekalender is also used in Denmark :-) and as I saw the parents become older not being able to bake, pickle and do decorations as well any longer, the idea came of reversing the gift flow. My sister has asked when she can be treated the same way :-) ... And I have told her she must be at least 60 years old :-)

(author) 6 months ago

Jane Z L

Dear Carolyn - Thanks for your nice words

(author) 6 months ago

Jane Z L

Dear Karen. Your welcome ... your a part of the solution as I found your jam here on Snapguide ;-)

(author) 6 months ago

Jane Z L

Dear Stacey - I'm collecting ideas/recipes all through the year to use for this. And yours was obvious to me for this use :-) Thanks again.

(author) 6 months ago

Teresia Almgren

Great idea! In Sweden it is fairly common to make a "paketkalender" for children, but I've never seen it done for parents/inlaws/grandparents before. Thank you for sharing!

Teresia Almgren 6 months ago

Carolyn's Sugar Free Treats

What a beautiful idea! So thoughtful.

Carolyn's Sugar Free Treats 6 months ago

Karen Larard

Dear Jane. Thank you for this love infused idea.

Karen Larard 6 months ago

Stacey Wilkowski

I love it! Such a great idea to do! One of those momenta where "why didn't I think of that"!! Lol!!

Stacey Wilkowski 6 months ago

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Karen Larard

😊I hope they like it. The Cointreau will make their mornings fun in December

Karen Larard 6 months ago

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