Advent Calendar!

This year I decided to brush up on some of my crafty project skills, break out the scissors, markers and colored paper and create something. I wanted to put together an Advent Calendar like this last year, but somehow ran of out time or creativity or both. With a little bit of determination (and 3 days into December), I finally finished my little craft. And here's the gist of it....

I wanted this to be something I could use for future Christmases, and I also wanted it to be more involved than just the little candy calendars you can pick up in CVS. So, after a little research online, I was able to track down some great Scripture verses to include on each card as well as a daily activity. These can vary based on your preference and child age (although most of mine are family friendly), and the cards can be switched out yearly.



Supplies
(I picked up most of these at Paper Source, my number one favorite paper store. But they can be a little pricey, so just about any variation on these supplies will suffice. Try Michael's, Hobby Lobby, JoAnn, etc.).

• #1 Size Envelopes, any color
  (or any tiny envelope)
• Business Card-size Paper (Paper Source)
  (Cardstock trimmed to 2"x3.5")
• Fun, Decorative Paper
  (I used old stationary and wrapping paper.... anything with a pattern you like with work!)
• Number Stencils
  (I drew mine by hand, which adds a little more of a crafty look, but a stencil would work great. OR, you could use number stickers or stamps!)
• Ribbon (to hang the finished envelopes)
• Clothes Pins {25}  (I picked mine up at Walmart for about $5)
• Glue Stick, scissors, markers/pens, other generic crafting stuff 

Now for the fun part! Create a number for each envelope (1 through 25....or all the way through New Year's Eve if you like!) and glue them right on. It's pretty simple. Be creative, have fun with the numbers, use different patterns and colors. They don't really have to match -- that's really what makes it look so cool.






Then, for each inner card, I wrote a Scripture lesson on one side (the readings follow the promise and fulfillment of Christ throughout the Bible); and a daily activity on the other. When each little card is tucked neatly into its envelope, string them up with the clothes pins and hang wherever you have space! I used 3M removable hooks on either side of my mantle, and just looped a knot on each end of the ribbon to hang the strand (plus a little tack in the middle to keep it from sagging too much). It can get a little heavy with the clothes pins so three hanging points is ideal.


And voila! There is my first homemade Advent Calendar. Open up a card per day (I put them back on after reading to avoid an empty string hanging over my fireplace), enjoy the corresponding activity and read the Scripture aloud to anyone who will listen :)

 

Nota Bene: I thought it might be useful to add the site where I found the great Scripture readings for each day of Advent: http://www.jesse-trees.com/calendar.html (I started with Dec 1, rather than Nov 27)

Tidings of Comfort & Joy

I have really been trying to get into the Christmas spirit this year, and remind myself of all the blessings that God has given us. All too often, I allow myself to be bogged down in the tedium of daily burdens -- forgetting that I have a roof over my head, clean clothes on my back (and sometimes even NEW clothes), plenty of food to eat, a loving and supportive family, a strong group of friends.... the list goes on. Most of all, however, I want to remind myself daily (not just during Christmas time) that I am able to enjoy these things--these blessings of comfort and joy--because of the loving mediation of my Savior Jesus Christ. Were it not for his birth, life, death and resurrection, there would be only tidings of pain, loss and sorrow. And so as we celebrate the advent of the Son of God to earth, let us remember not just in this month (or the 25th day of this month), but every day of the year that His perfect life is that by which we are justified, His death is that by which we are forgiven and His resurrection is that by which we are regenerated and able to live our lives filled with His tidings of comfort and joy.