Advent Project

Here's a fun project you can do with your kids to start off a tradition of counting down the days to Christmas. I'm posting this now so you'll have time to make it before December 1st. :)

You'll need:

• A large piece of white felt for the base
• A large piece of green felt cut into a Christmas Tree.
• Other colors of felt (I used red, white, yellow and blue). These are cut into ornament shapes of your choice. I cut mine into mittens, Christmas balls, angels, Santa hats, candles, candy canes, snowmen, bells, bows, gifts and a star for the top of the tree.
• Fabric paints to decorate the ornaments with some detail and to make a grid of 24 days below the tree with numbers in them.
• Hot glue.
• Two dowels.

Hot glue the tree to your base felt. Hot glue the top of the base felt so that you have an open tube to insert a dowel for hanging. Do the same on the bottom for another dowel for weight. Paint on your grid and numbers and let dry overnight.

Meanwhile, cut out your ornaments so that each fits into a square of your grid and paint. Don't paint TOO much on the ornaments as the paint makes them heavy and they won't want to stay up. Let dry over night.

When all is dry put the dowel through the top and bottom tubes. Place the ornaments in the grid. (Felt sticks to felt so no other adhesive is needed) Start on December 1st and each day place one felt ornament on the tree counting down to Christmas Eve when the last ornament, the star, goes on the top of the tree. By the time Christmas gets here, you'll have a fully decorated tree!

It's a fun way to count down, especially for the children. I made mine in 1994 so it lasts forever and is reusable every year. Here's a picture of mine. It has some smudges on it from years of use and I haven't wanted to chance actually washing it. LOL My kids are teens now and still love this holiday tradition. :)

You've got a whole month to get ready, so GO!

See ya next time! :o)