Advent Stocking Tree
Counting down to Christmas Day is a holiday tradition for many families, including mine! Below is the perfect family craft to hold your countdown treasures!
Many of you have seen our countdown wall lovingly called Our Forever Tree. I create something to hang on our tree every month, and in December we have 25 stockings! Each one is numbered and filled with a candy cane treat and a mini village piece. Each day in December, a child will have a turn opening a stocking then adding to our Christmas village. But on Dec 25th, they will open the last stocking to find Baby Jesus to lay in the manger scene!
Each stocking will also hold an activity to do. See list at the bottom of this post! (Thanks Jamie for the inspiration) You could also add Jesse Tree items to each stocking, or the bible verses for it.
To Make the Stockings You Will Need:
Colored & White Felt
Stocking Pattern
Scissors
Tacky Glue
Sewing Machine (or use glue)
Fabric Paint
Safety Pins (25 med. sized)
1. Cut 25 stockings from colored felt. Cut another 25 from white or matching color. My 25th stocking I used multi colors, and added a felt Star of Bethlehem. *If you plan to embroider numbers or images, do it now.
2. Stich or glue together. Trim close to stitched line (no need to turn inside out).
3. Cut rectangles and glue on top edge of stockings.
4. On backside add safety pin to back layer, with loop on top to hang from hook or string through.
5. *Use fabric paint to add numbers. You could also use stickers, but paint will last best year after year.
6. Hang from a Forever Tree of your own, add magnets for the fridge, or string them up on the fireplace!
Things to add to the stockings:
Mini Candy Canes fit perfectly in each stocking.
On Dec 6th, Feast of St. Nicholas, I added mini Santa chocolates, with one peeking out the top!
I found these villages and miniatures at the Dollar Tree!
HAVE A BLESSED ADVENT & A MERRY CHRISTMAS!
*MORE ADVENT/CHRISTMAS IDEAS HERE
*MORE COUNTDOWN IDEAS HERE
*MORE ABOUT OUR FOREVER TREE HERE
ADVENT JESSE TREE
*JESSE TREE workbook by Sanctus Simplicitus
*JESSE TREE no-sew felt pattern by Shower of Roses
*JESSE TEA PARTY at The Michalek Kitchen
ADVENT TO-DO LIST 2012
Many of you have seen our countdown wall lovingly called Our Forever Tree. I create something to hang on our tree every month, and in December we have 25 stockings! Each one is numbered and filled with a candy cane treat and a mini village piece. Each day in December, a child will have a turn opening a stocking then adding to our Christmas village. But on Dec 25th, they will open the last stocking to find Baby Jesus to lay in the manger scene!
Each stocking will also hold an activity to do. See list at the bottom of this post! (Thanks Jamie for the inspiration) You could also add Jesse Tree items to each stocking, or the bible verses for it.
To Make the Stockings You Will Need:
Colored & White Felt
Stocking Pattern
Scissors
Tacky Glue
Sewing Machine (or use glue)
Fabric Paint
Safety Pins (25 med. sized)
1. Cut 25 stockings from colored felt. Cut another 25 from white or matching color. My 25th stocking I used multi colors, and added a felt Star of Bethlehem. *If you plan to embroider numbers or images, do it now.
2. Stich or glue together. Trim close to stitched line (no need to turn inside out).
3. Cut rectangles and glue on top edge of stockings.
4. On backside add safety pin to back layer, with loop on top to hang from hook or string through.
5. *Use fabric paint to add numbers. You could also use stickers, but paint will last best year after year.
6. Hang from a Forever Tree of your own, add magnets for the fridge, or string them up on the fireplace!
Things to add to the stockings:
Mini Candy Canes fit perfectly in each stocking.
On Dec 6th, Feast of St. Nicholas, I added mini Santa chocolates, with one peeking out the top!
I found these villages and miniatures at the Dollar Tree!
HAVE A BLESSED ADVENT & A MERRY CHRISTMAS!
*MORE ADVENT/CHRISTMAS IDEAS HERE
*MORE COUNTDOWN IDEAS HERE
*MORE ABOUT OUR FOREVER TREE HERE
ADVENT JESSE TREE
*JESSE TREE workbook by Sanctus Simplicitus
*JESSE TREE no-sew felt pattern by Shower of Roses
*JESSE TEA PARTY at The Michalek Kitchen
ADVENT TO-DO LIST 2012
- Read the Bible Story about The Annunciation. Begin Jesse Tree activities.
- Light the 1st Advent candle. Pray for another family. Mail Christmas Cards.
- Write a letter to Saint Nicholas, and mail it!
- Find items in your cupboards to donate to the food shelf.
- Hang up your stockings, St. Nicholas is coming tonight!
- Dec 6: St. Nicholas Day - Open stockings & celebrate with chocolate and oranges!
- Practice songs to go Caroling!
- Dec 8: Solemnity of Immaculate Conception Mass- Bake Gingerbread Cookies & more
- Light the 2nd Advent Candle. Put up the Christmas Tree!
- Festival of Lights: Light the Christmas Tree! Talk about Jewish and other holiday traditions.
- Donate “extra” toys and books to a charity, or new ones to Toys for Tots.
- Dec 12: Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe! Let's do Mexican food!
- Set up play tent with Christmas lights!
- Make a new ornament or a snowflake craft. Talk about being unique.
- Bake more Christmas cookies and treats!
- Light the 3rd Advent Candle. Feast of St Lucy! Make a St. Lucia Peg Doll
- Fill mini stockings and go caroling at great-grandparents/nursing home.
- Have a family movie night with popcorn! (Could string some for the tree)
- Wrap presents!
- Have a hot cocoa tea party with cookies! or Jesse Tea Party.
- Sing and dance to Christmas music!
- Walk/Drive around to see Christmas lights in the neighborhood.
- Light the 4th Advent Candle. Pray the Joyful Mysteries (for homeschoolers)
- Family Christmas Celebration. Bake a cake for Jesus’ Birthday tomorrow!
- Happy Birthday Jesus! Christmas Day Mass & Family Celebration.
12 Days of Christmas Activities:
