Good Deeds

This year, Lucas and I made a "Good Deeds" advent calendar. Don't worry, the chocolate ones are still hung proudly in our home as well. :)

I had very glamorous visions for this calender and even spent too much time on the computer looking for a totally cute and doable one. Believe me, there are a ton out there. However, when one little boy has an idea set in his mind and it's for him, I had to give in and let him lead the way.

He wanted it to look like Christmas tree and it had to have 24 doors. We took an old pizza cardboard box and cut out little doors to open. He colored (with makers) the tree green and I added a few presents at the bottom. Then, we glued the entire thing to the other piece of card board. I quickly learned that I should not have used the pizza box...they coat it with wax; wax and markers are not friends. I should have stopped and started over at this point. However, he was in love with it so we proceeded.

I wrote down 24 good deeds like "helping mommy with breakfast" or "putting your shoes and socks on without complaining"...and things like that. We folded up the little good deeds and put them behind the doors. Problem number 2?! How to keep the door closed? I wanted to use stickers so they would also look like ornaments on the tree but they too, did not like the wax cardboard. We finally found some heavy duty stickers that worked...kind of...I had to use about 3 per little door so it's one decorated little tree.

So, in the end...Lucas loves it and really did have fun making it. I think it looks ridiculous mostly because of my grand visions which didn't play out so well in reality. Next year, it's on!!!

Funny Good Deed Story
On Dec 2nd, Lucas opened up door #2 and said,"Mommy, what's my good deed?"
Mommy: "Oh, you may not like this one." (I know, I should have been more positive at this point)
Lucas: "Why, what does it say?"
Mommy: "It says...donate 3 toys to a little boy that has none."
Lucas: "Oh..."
Mommy: "What do you think about that?"
Lucas: "I don't like that one....it's okay Mommy, we can just throw that one away!"
I had to bite my tongue and not laugh out loud, it was pretty funny to hear his solution.

He was pretty certain I would march him into his room and have him decide which of his toys he wanted to give up. To his relief, we went into his room and talked about Toys for Tots. He gave me four quarters out of his piggy bank to go by a toy and I told him I would contribute some quarters too and we could work together as a team.

He was happy with that but not so happy with today's good deed: You must eat all your dinner

Lucas: "Mommy, that's a hard one."

At this rate, he won't want to make a good deeds calendar next year. However, I think he's through the hardest ones already. :)

Okay, here is what it looks like:
Be nice.
Yes, it warped too. Luckily, in the eye's of a four year old, it's GRAND! :)