24 November 2015

Our Permaculture Advent Calendar























One of our favourite family traditions is our activity advent calendar. For us, December is a time to celebrate, reflect and find moments in amongst the busy to be together and have fun. It's also a time to think about people around us and prepare our garden and home for long summer days. This year, we're shifting our focus to the permaculture ethics; earth care, people care and fair share - they're a perfect fit for the season. We thought we'd post our list here, just incase you feel like joining in too, or borrowing some inspiration. It's going to be a super fun few weeks!



Earth Care

1. Plant some seeds or plant a tree - A little gratitude for the earth and it's bounty.
2. Have a picnic dinner under a tree - Yay! Nature!
3. Compost! - move the compost heap, start a new one and nourish the soil around our plants for the new year.
4. Go rock pooling - A little animal observation and finding out what lives in our river.
5. Stargazing in the backyard - reminding us to pause and observe this wonderful universe we're part 
6. Plant a herb and weed foraging garden for the chooks, full of all the things they'll love.
7. Make some wildlife habitat - an insect hotel, frog pond or butterfly garden
8. Make a wreath using plants or recycled materials. - in the past we've used fabric scraps, coloured recycled paper or newspaper.




People Care 

9. Paint everyone's toenails - our favourite way to say "Yay! Summer!"
10. Send a Christmas card - send some love to your favourite people, far away.
11. Collect a Christmas tree - we usually forage a weedy roadside pine tree that we can mulch for the garden later.
12. Have a dance party in the lounge room - some crazy fun and lots of giggles. People care!
13. Go fruit picking - foraging or visit a fruit farm. 
4. Do some morning yoga - a sun salutation to start the day
15.  Make a gift for someone you love - handmade secret squirrel stuff!
16. Make some jam - preferably using our foraged fruit. These will make great gifts. Here's one we made earlier.




Fair Share

17. Donate a gift to the ABC Giving Tree - fair share for children less fortunate than our owlets.
18. Donate some food, money or time to a local animal shelter. - fair share for animals.
19. Give some handmade gifts to the neighbours - a chance to share our surplus, say thanks, hello and Merry Christmas!
20. Make a cake or a gingerbread house together - take turns and create something yum!
21. Celebrate Summer Solstice - a little gift and maybe a beach picnic?
22. Decorate the Christmas tree - with all our handmade ornaments.
23. Go looking at Christmas lights - community spirit and sparkly statements of christmas cheer. Good times!
24. Enjoy a Christmas movie together - a chance to relax, spend time together and share some laughs. And gingerbread!

Let us know if you join in too. We'd love to see what you get up to!

~ Lauren & Oberon. xx

4 comments:

  1. I love every single one of your advent activities!! We are closing in on winter here in the Midwest USA so our activities will look a little different. This is such a lovely idea. Happy Advent! :)
    Kristina

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  2. Wonderful way to celebrate and incorporate permaculture values into common ritual - our shared annual pivot point of solstice!! Grateful that you shared this!

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  3. This is a beautiful list that I think encompasses the true spirit of Christmas. Some lovely ideas that I'm going to share with my family.

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