Our Zero Waste Activity Advent Calendar

Hello little blog! We've missed you! We've been busy writing a book all year and there's so much to catch up on. Today though, the serious business is this. Advent. Tiny Owlet informed me with a most solemn face this morning that "there's only 8 sleeps until advent". There are actually 9, but it spurred me into action and getting organised, even though I'm not feeling entirely ready or happy about the fact that it's late November.

If you've followed along with this blog for some years, you'll know that our Christmas tradition each year involves an advent calendar of activities, rather than gifts or trinkets. We begin on December 1st, as we welcome summer and start preparing for the end of the year and time spent together and with family. Activities can be a practical way to get things done in the lead-up to Christmas, or they can be moments to catch our breath and enjoy time together. They also keep excited small people busy, with small things to look forward to each day. And, as this time of year is usually our busiest, these moments, where we take time to connect and have fun together, are so important.

Some years we have given our advent calendar a theme, like the years where we followed Steiner-inspired cues and looked to minerals, plants, animals and people in each of the weeks. Some years we have reflected on the permaculture ethics of 'earth care', 'people care', and 'fair share', which has worked beautifully.

This year, while our heads are still fresh with all things waste-free, we figured we'd share with you a list of waste-free advent activities. We place our activity suggestions on small scraps of paper, inside origami folded paper cups we string up over the fireplace. After we've finished with them, we pop them away for reuse next year, or we use them for saving seeds from our garden, which they're perfect for! There are things to do at home, or out and about. Things to remind you of the waste around you, and things that just happen to be waste-free festive traditions you might like to adopt. We've included a few bonus activities so you can swap some around depending on what your days look like, how christmassy you are, or for if you'd just like to have something fun and waste-free to do all month long.

Waste-free advent activities:

1. go for a beach picnic - hello summer!
2. make a wreath with natural or upcycled materials - leaves, sticks old newspaper, fabric scraps.
3. have a dance party in the lounge room
4. ferment - make some christmas champagne, ginger beer or kimchi
5. borrow a christmas book from the library
6. compost - start a compost heap, seaweed or compost tea, or add compost to your garden
7. go out for ice cream sundaes
8. make an up-cycled or handmade gift
9. have a beach or neighbourhood litter cleanup
10. make decorations from natural or upcycled materials 
11. find a christmas tree - we usually pick a weed tree growing by the roadside
12. decorate the christmas tree
13. donate a gift to those less fortunate than you 
14. plant - a tree, native flowers for the bees, or some food plants to feed your family
15. watch a christmas movie together
16. mend a favourite toy, or piece of clothing
17. read books under a shady tree - aren't trees wonderful?
18. make christmas crackers - upcycle those old toilet rolls!
19. go fruit picking or foraging - bring your own baskets or containers!
20. bake something using local and seasonally available ingredients
21. make marshmallows from scratch 
22. celebrate summer solstice - have a backyard campfire and toast those marshmallows!
23. make some gift wrap from fabric, ribbons, re-used paper, or drawstring bags
24. make a food gift and give it to your neighbours - maybe rocky road with the leftover marshmallows!

Bonus activities:

• have a picnic dinner
• donate - toys or unwanted clothing or household goods
• make beeswax candles for the dinner table 
• make a gingerbread house
• pamper yourselves with homemade masks, lotions, foot soaks and pedicures

Let us know if you decide to join in too and have a waste-free activity advent calendar this year. Yay for having fun, finding balance and doing all the things! 

~ Lauren. xx

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

An Owlet Permaculture Advent-ure

It's that time of year where we start thinking about the days leading up to the end of our year. We've been working ever so hard lately. Every spare minute is spent writing, wrapping, emailing, ordering and then doing all those other things we do with our Owlets. Our nest could do with some attention and we're not gardening nearly as much as we'd like. But, you know, time keeps rolling on and we're doing an ok job of things…

But, in the busy-ness of it all, at this time of year, we always love to make time to celebrate. We celebrate the year that's nearly finished and look forward to the year to come. We give a little extra attention to our animals and plants and take stock. We celebrate summer's arrival and the festivals that are important to us and our loved ones. We set aside a little time for adventure and we create an activity advent calendar to guide us through our days. It's a fab way to stop and have fun while getting things done and taking some of the emphasis off Christmas day. The whole month is exciting!



In recent years, we've enjoyed following our own loose interpretation of the Waldorf/Steiner advent celebration. We choose some activities that match the theme or element of the week:

The first light of Advent is the light of stones. 

Stones that live in crystals, seashells, and bones. 

The second light of Advent is the light of plants. 

Roots, stem, leaf, flower and fruit by whom we live and grow. 

The third light of Advent is the light of beasts. 

Animals of farm, field, forest, air and sea. 

All await the birth in greatest and in least. 

The fourth light of Advent is the light of humankind. 

The light of love, the light of thought, to give and to understand.

But this year, we're thinking we'd like to mix it up with a little permaculture-based thinking. Some of these may not be obvious, but they will make for good reminders or discussion for our little permaculturalist owlets. We'll be reflecting on the permaculture ethics (earth care, people care and fair share) and some of the principles we've covered with them so far in our Seedlings course.



So here's our plan for December:

Stones
 1. Paint everyone's toenails - that's totally stones, right? And the permaculture ethic of "people care" too! It's our favourite way to say "Yay! Summer!"
2. Paint stone garden markers - hmmm… maybe something like this? 
3. Make some clay ornaments for the Christmas tree. - Handmade all the way, and these are cute! 
4. Stargazing in the backyard - reminding us to pause and observe this wonderful universe we're part of.
5. Go on a shell/fossil/gemstone fossick - A day trip adventure for this one - observation and slowing down.
6. Compost! - move the compost heap, start a new one and nourish the soil around our plants for the season.
Plants
7. Go fruit picking - foraging or visit a fruit farm.
8. Make a wreath using plants or recycled materials. - in the past we've used fabric scraps and newspaper.
9. Make some jam - preferably using our foraged fruit. These will make great gifts. Here's one we made earlier.
10. Make some wrapping paper - hand printed or painted - maybe a plant theme this year?
11. Plant a tree - A little gratitude for the earth and it's bounty.
12. Collect a Christmas tree - we usually forage a weedy roadside pine tree that we can mulch for the garden later.
13. Have a picnic brunch under a tree - Yay! Nature!
Animals
14. Plant a herb and weed foraging garden for the chooks, full of all the things they'll love.
15. Decorate the Christmas tree - with all our handmade ornaments.
16. Make a bird feeder - sharing with our feathered friends while encouraging them away from the food forest.
17. Visit the Marine Discovery Centre or go rock pooling - A little animal observation and finding out what lives in our river.
18. Donate some food, money or time to the local animal shelter. - fair share for animals.
People
19. Donate a gift to the ABC Giving Tree - fair share for children less fortunate than our owlets.
20. Make a gift for someone you love - handmade secret squirrel stuff!
21. Go looking at Christmas lights - community spirit and sparkly statements of christmas cheer. Good times!

22. Celebrate Summer Solstice - a little gift and maybe a beach picnic?
23. Have a dance party in the lounge room - some crazy fun and lots of giggles. People care! 
24. Give some handmade gifts to the neighbours - a chance to share our surplus, say thanks, hello and Merry Christmas!



Maybe you'd like to join in with us? We'd really love that! Swap the days around or substitute activities for whatever works best for you and yours.

If you've signed up for our Spiral Garden Seedlings permaculture course, this will be a good introduction before our mid-january start. It'll give you some lovely things to share with the Seedlings community and some fun times and happy memories too! Tag us @spiralgarden and #spiralgardenseedlings if you feel like sharing as we go! xx 

Our Handmade Christmas

Just when I thought there was no time for handmade this year... We managed hessian hearts for the tree...




A thrifted box found by a dear friend became a last minute sewing box gift for Little Owlet...



And a tidy up of my crafting stash yielded a toddler sewing basket for Tiny Owlet.




Big Owlet tried her hand at felting for her sisters...



Little Owlet sewed for Tiny and decorated a picture frame for Huz and some hair clips for Big Owlet.



A jar of bright, glittery playdough appeared...



While we waited for the biscuits to bake. And somehow the joy of giving meant more this year than ever.

Did you have time for handmade this year? xx

Finding our festive...

Well there was a big run to the finish there, wrapping and posting all our Spiral Garden orders on time... and then space. Quiet and time to gather ourselves and our thoughts and breathe a bit. We've had a lovely week or so spending time focusing our energy on feeling thankful for the year we've had, enjoying the summer, and celebrating it, marking the days with little activities and treats... Mangoes for solstice, decorating the most beautiful tree with beautiful gifted and handmade ornaments, scoffing nog and cookies... happy times! As much a the traditions of a Southern Hemisphere Christmas seem at odds with each other, and the elements, I do love it so!

advent :: fruit + festive

The second light of Advent is the light of plants. 

Roots, stem, leaf, flower and fruit by whom we live and grow. 

We've been so ridiculously busy. Every spare moment has seen Huz and I pop on our extra festive Spiral Garden hats. Which is fun, but rather all consuming. Our weekend advent(ures) have been a much needed break and moment to stop and spend time together, and for the most part, we just have fun hanging out away from all the usual stuff of our nest. Last weekend we went fruit picking...

We spent much of the time at the farm, and much of the week after, guzzling cherries and berries which tells us that Christmas is almost here and hadn't we better get on with all the festive stuff now? Nope... not feeling it yet. So far the tree has been trimmed and dubbed "the lamest tree ever". And most of this week's advent activities have ended in tears as we negotiate the individual needs of five different people all moving at different paces. So the kingdom of plants is getting a bit of an extension. We're going to go back to last Saturday and the drive home eating berries and start over again, this time being ever more mindful and slow and thoughtful about it. Perhaps then the festive will come? xx

advent :: stones

We've had such a lovely time weaving our way through the week with our Waldorfy themed activity advent. Our week of stones saw some lovely quiet crafting and time together during the week, after our more adventurous weekend. I'm really enjoying the moments to pause each day and remember to put aside all the busy-busy that happens at this time of year. It's keeping me in line so I don't get carried away with the tide...

How about you? How are you travelling? xx

Advent day three :: paint and adopt a pet rock :: Gift :: stones
Advent day four :: make a summer seasonal table :: Gift :: crystals
Advent day five ::  read a bedtime story together :: Gift :: a beeswax candle
Advent day six :: make a necklace or decorations from shells :: Gift :: shells

festively floating

It seems like all that preparation, all that thought, those days trying to keep our heads above water to get it all done... went in the blink of an eye. Christmas came and has gone and now we are floating in that beautiful no-man's-land between Christmas and New Year. So, as my mind seems to be preoccupied with such things, here's a photographic look at our lovely Christmas. A busy lead up to a beautiful day spent together and with friends in our lovely nest... First preparations, crafting and elving...



Then baking and pausing and anticipating...



Sewing...



Gifting...



Setting the table with my paternal grandmother's tablecloth and my maternal grandmother's silverware... before consuming the feast...



Playing...



Slowing down, admiring, assessing the loot and enjoying the leftovers... Let the floating begin.

I hope you're having wonderful days too, wherever you are and whatever you celebrate. May they be equally festive and floaty and surrounded by love. xoxo

*Thanks to my friend Sarah for taking the shots of the table and twister... two moments I enjoyed but my camera missed!

the wheels on the bus...

day 17 :: fancy dress dinner
day 18 :: go out for breakfast
day 19 :: put on a christmas play
day 20 :: sing christmas carols
day 21 :: ride on the double decker bus

unschool monday :: gone unschoolin'

Well, not really. We don't have holidays as such... Regular school-term activities like drama and dancing have stopped for the year, but for the most part our days are the same. Just floatier. We don't put a halt on learning. How can you? In fact, we're probably better at facilitating learning when we have more time... Expect great things from our owlets over the next couple of months!

Things have been busy around here with all the kayaking and crafting to get done. I almost missed tonight's post! What day is it again? No linkup this week because I figure everyone's busy enough this week. But if you'd like to wander back through Unschool Mondays for the past couple of years, you can find them all here.