Our Inexpensive/Home-spun Christmas Decorations 2011

These little candle holders were free from freecycle 

 

The round decoration is old Christmas paper

Cut 2 circles, glue them together--with pretty pattern on outside (both sides)

punch hole in top and place  thread through hole and hang

 

                     Home made crocheted snowflakes  

 

We couldn't find out Christmas stockings so I made new ones from a old pair of pants and an old shirt

This ones was Dan's---pocket, buttons and a patch

To hang them I sewed one of the button holes into the top and the stockings hung by the hole--worked out really well

This one was mine---of course a bit more girly---ruffles on top and in the middle and a little button---no it's not perfect and it wasn't meant to be--I wanted it to look homemade--like an old fashion Christmas 

Homemade Christmas Advent Calendar

When I was a little girl I received my first advent calendar  from my Great Uncle Gerry and Aunt Irene. That advent calendar was filled with candy--every day from December 1 to December 25 had a little paper window covering a prized piece of chocolate.


Every year after that my mom made sure that I had an advent calendar. Even though I knew what was behind each window it was so much fun counting down each day to Christmas. It helped build excitement for the big day.


As I've gotten older, I lost my taste for the waxy chocolate in the advent calendars, but I still love the concept of the Advent calendar. The Calendar in our house now helps us to feel more festive the whole month of December as well as remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Materials needed:
Sewing machine or needle and thread
Scrap fabric or paper
Mitten template
String (to hang your mittens on)
Stickers (to put numbers of your mittens)


Instructions;
I cut out fabric in the shape of mittens. I sewed them up, leaving the tops open to place the days of the advent calendar in them. I hung the mittens up like they were drying


Figure out fun and inexpensive activities that your family would enjoy that would make them feel more Christmasy


These are some of the activities that we are doing this year

1

Home Town Christmas, 

Tree Lighting, Santa, Displays...

2 
Decorate for Christmas

3

Ward Party 6pm

4

1^st Presidency Devotional 6-7pm

5

Library Movie 

6

Games Friends

7

Temple

8

Make a Snowman

9

Movie 

10

Visit family and go to a Christmas craft fair

11

Egg Nog and Christmas Music

12

Reading of Saviors Birth and sing hymns

13

Toboggan

14

Read Forgotten Carols

15

Games family

16

Library Movie 'Mr. Popper's Penguins' 

17

Read Forgotten Carols

18

Dinner/Games Friends

19

Trivia game about the Saviors birth and Christmas songs

20

Christmas Movie

Nativity Movie

21

Games Family

22

Sam’s Party

23

Games Family

24

Christmas Light Watching--drive around town looking and admiring the Christmas lights, while listening to Christmas music

25

Christmas Movie

Nativity Movie

Other ideas; make cookies, go caroling, bring home made gifts to friends, bake bread, make holiday crafts, make home made gifts, act out the Christmas story, 

Web sites with other ideas

http://homeschooling.about.com/cs/unitssubjhol/a/advent125.htm

http://familyfun.go.com/printables/count-down-to-christmas-advent-calendar-activities-704015/

http://familyfun.go.com/assets/cms/pdf/printables/1106d_adventactivities.pdf

http://www.activity-mom.com/2010/11/2010-activity-advent-calendar-printable.html

http://kiddley.com/2006/11/22/fill-your-advent-with-activities/

http://www.quietfish.com/notebook/?p=2391

Pictures sites
http://preview.tinyurl.com/7sqbm4e
http://preview.tinyurl.com/7nusrfe