How to Organize a Living Advent Calendar in Your Community

It’s almost time to open your advent calendar and enjoy the first chocolate of the month. Or, if you fancy something a little different this year, you could start a living advent calendar. Some communities in the UK started the living advent calendar tradition to bring people together in the festive period. 

There is less emphasis on local communities these days. Many people live busy lives with their careers and families and don’t have much time to organise street parties. However, in the pandemic, neighbours started to lean on one another again. They bought groceries for older residents and helped those who were isolating. 

Lockdown has ended in the UK, and life is finally returning to normal. You can keep the community spirit alive with a few festive activities. Here’s how you can get started. 

You need 25 houses

You need 25 houses in total for the living advent calendar. Decide which houses you need across the estate and try to get lots of people involved. Each home will represent a number from one to twenty-five. 

Ask your neighbours

Get in touch with the people living in those houses and ask if they’d like to take part. A few are likely to decline your offer as they may be away on holiday or a bit of a Scrouge. But that’s okay! You can ask someone else or ask another person to double up if needed.  

Explain the idea

Give each participant all the details of the living advent calendar. They should use their front door and windows to create a full Christmas display with their number. They could have a projection of Santa on the front of their house or a colourful tinsel display. Ask them to get creative and use the decorations they already have at home. There’s no need to spend extra cash on the living advent calendar. 

Create a map

Once everyone is involved, you need to create a map of the houses and the days they represent.  The other neighbours and children can go to that house on the day of their number. For example, on the 1st of December, everyone will go to the house with number 1. Every night in December, the neighbours can share a little festive joy before heading home for the night. 

A living advent calendar is a fantastic way to celebrate the season.