Thursday, September 17, 2009

Advent Calendar Beginnings

I started working on our advent calendar! I mentioned last week how excited I was about my idea...well, now I'm even more excited. So far it is turning out just like I had imagined it would, and that doesn't happen for me very often so I'm extra excited about this.

I've wanted an advent calendar for our family for a very long time. I wanted it to help us remember the reason for Christmas and be simple at the same time. The holiday season is so full of treats and getting stuff that I didn't want it to be a treat filled calendar either. I think I've got just the right thing!

Every night, as part of our bedtime routine, we read the scriptures together as a family and quite often will sing a song or two or seven, depending on time and mood. So, I am making 25 little envelopes out of felt and old scraps of Christmas fabric.





Inside of each little envelope will be a card with the name of a Christmas song for us to sing together before we go to bed. I'm hoping this will bring a little calm into our home amidst all the hustle and bustle of Christmas. I love the excitement of Christmas, but I also love the peace.


I love these old Christmas fabrics. I wish I knew how old the fabric was. It came from a tree skirt kit that my mom found at a second hand store and gave to me when I was newly married. I made the tree skirt years ago, and have hung onto the scraps since then. I really love these fabrics. I feel nostalgic just thinking about them. I have 5 envelopes done so far! They measure 3.5 inches tall and 3.5 inches wide.


This is what the back looks like.



All of these little envelopes will sit in a basket on top of our piano just waiting to be chosen. And of course we will know that as the basket empties, Christmas will be that much closer.




6 comments:

Cathie said...

Very nice idea, and the little envelopes are darling.

an encourager said...

You are sewing up family traditions that will stitch up some sweet memories!!!

nanajohanna said...

I think they're turning out wonderfully. And I remember those fabrics from way back, they are charming. I think the kids will enjoy Christmas even more, because of the envelopes.

Autumn said...

I like the idea of the basket! (I had thought you were going to fold the flap over a string and have them strung around a doorway or something.)

I love the idea of a musical advent calendar even more!! A more perfect way to keep the Spirit of Christmas I cannot think of, truly.

And I love, love, love the little fabrics you are using + the stories behind them.

Well done, Chica. :)

Lynsey said...

I think this is such a wonderful idea for starting a new tradition and remembering the real reason we celebrate christmas.

Montserrat said...

These are awesome! They are so cute and are really going to be a nice family tradition. I too love singing Christmas hymns and carols. What a great idea to count down to Christmas.