Religious Advent Calendar {A Christmas Tip}

I love advent calendars

It's like a sport.

Each year I have to make a new one... or five.

There are so many types out there I'll never get through them all.

I have three in the works for this year and hope to share them this coming week

'Cause December 1st is NOT FAR AWAY!

I've been making these Jesus Gift Tags/Ornaments for about 9 years now!?

To make a Jesus Tag

Cut pictures from the Ensign Magazine {we borrowed from Grandma's stash}or print some

I just used a glue stick to stick the picture onto regular white copy paper

Cut around leaving a small border of white

Glue onto cardstock. I used what I had on hand - Dark Blue and Gold

Cut again leaving another small border.

Laminate!!!

Cut around lamination, add a bow {12 for $2}by piercing a hole at the top.

Add a string.

And you have a Jesus Ornament, Gift Tag etc

We did this for family home evening and I discovered that I had 24 exactly and the thought came to me to make them into an Advent calendar.

So all I did was add a number sticker on the back

And paint some twigs/branches from our back yard white


And here is a Christ Centred/spiritual Advent Calendar



This is very basic as there is nothing that goes along with it, and I'm sure the children will be more interested in their lolly one, but the trying is what matters when building Christ Centred Christmas Traditions. If you wanted to go further you could:

Attach matching scriptures for each day
Discuss what is happening in each picture
Reuse as an Easter Countdown too!

Or just use as a decoration. My 9 year old came home to find it all set up on our mantle and say wow thats really pretty! Lets hope her admiration continues in December ;)



Note* it's really hard to photograph sticks. I promise it looks much cuter in real life




Previous Advent Calendars

Bon Bon Advent
Envelope Tree Advent 
Lolly Cup Advent
Filter Paper Advent
Christmas book-a-day Advent