Our family has several Christmas traditions we practice each
year. Some are only for a day, while a couple last through the entire month. It
isn’t quite December yet, however, I would like to share a few of our traditions with all of
you this Holiday season.
On December 1st of each year, the boys open the
first piece of the Advent calendar. When we started using the calendar, they
opened little doors to seek out verses and tiny chocolates; with the tradition
evolving more each year.
This year’s Advent calendar is a hand-made stocking garland.
Made from burlap, twine, clothespins and Christmas ribbon, this adorable
calendar gets two thumbs up from the Norris boys.
With a little bit of sewing skills, you still have tune to
make one before the 1st for your family!
Supplies:
2 1/2 yards of burlap
Hand-made stocking template 5 inches tall and 3 inches wide
Various Christmas colored ribbon and buttons
24 hand-made tags (or stencils and paint)
24 miniature clothespins
Twine
Craft glue
Scissors
Let's Begin!
1.
Cut out 48 stocking shapes from burlap
approximately 5 inches tall and 3 inches wide. You can create a template by free-handing
a stocking .
2.
Layer two stocking cutouts on top of one
another. Stick around the edges. Turn inside out. Viola! You’ve made a
stocking, now make 23 more!
3.
Make 24 little bows out of various Christmas ribbon.
Our Advent calendar uses red, green, brown, and gold. You can customize yours
to fit your Christmas décor.
4.
Attach ribbons and buttons to each stocking.
5.
Make number tags 1-24. You can make these anyway
you like. Be creative! Attach them to the clothespins using craft glue. You can
also paint or stencil the numbers onto the clothespins or stockings, if you
like. {I’ve seen a variation of this
Advent calendar using small canvas drawstring bags instead of the stockings.
The numbers had been painted onto the bags.}
6.
Using the smallest 3M command hooks, hang your
twine under your mantel and ensure it is secure. You could also use this as a
Christmas tree garland in in which case, omit the 3M command hooks.
7.
Decide what to place in each stocking. This
always seems to be the hard part. Below are some ideas for your Advent
Calendar.
Advent Calendar Ideas:
1. Hot chocolate party
2. Hobbit movie passes
3. LEGO minifigures
4. Hand-made chocolates
5. Make a craft: paint ornaments or make an animal/bird feeder {This
is a fun and easy craft using a toilet paper roll, peanut butter, bird seed,
and a piece of yarn. First, punch holes in the toilet paper roll and tie the
yarn to allow the feeder to hang. Then, have children spread peanut butter onto
the toilet paper roll. Then, sprinkle bird seed onto the peanut butter. Hang
feeder from a branch.}
6. A cookie recipe for you and your children to bake
together.
7. Schedule a playdate with friends.
8. Have a day where you take your children to purchase toys
for the needy.
9. Look through your newspaper for local events to add to
specific dates in your Advent calendar; i.e. Christmas parade, see the lights,
etc.
10. Create a gingerbread house
11. Make Christmas cards or gifts
12. Create the nativity
13. Bible verses
When it comes to filling the Advent calendar, the sky is the
limit! I like to pick things that I can have my children do or make for each
other, our family and those needing a little more Christmas cheer. We also add a few of our traditions to the mix – on the 24th we
always take the boys out to purchase stocking stuffers for each other, get hot
chocolate and drive around looking at Christmas lights.
What are some of your family's traditional inclusions into the Advent Calendar?
