christmas – Faith and Fabric

Fun and Easy Ways to Celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas Printable

December 31, 2016 by faithandfabric Leave a Comment

Each year, we try to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas…I say try, because I have a seriously visceral reaction to the color red and even though we put up our decorations *on* Christmas Day, after the Halloween, Thanksgiving, Advent, and now Christmas decor, I’m ready to get my house back. But I digress.

Celebrating all 12 Days of Christmas has turned into a really fun tradition for us, and we’ve kept it light and easy to make sure we don’t add any additional stress during an already busy time. Here’s how we celebrate, along with a few fun ideas that might work for you! Download the 12 Days of Christmas printable for an easy to reference copy.

1ST DAY OF CHRISTMAS: DECEMBER 25

Wait for It: hold off on some (or all) of your red and green decorations until Christmas Day – the expression on your family’s face, when they wake up to the beautifully decorated home, is priceless! Conversely, start a new tradition of decorating the house together on Christmas Eve in preparation for the upcoming Christmas season.
Cover That Baby: beautiful nativity sets are lovely to have up during Advent, as it reminds us what we’re preparing our hearts for. My mom used to throw a bit of hay over baby Jesus in the nativity, though, and we would uncover Him on Christmas morning! It was a beautiful tradition that she started, and one we do with our family today. So, whether you have an ultra kid friendly or one that will span the generations, keep that beautiful baby covered until His birthday.
Build a Countdown: grab some left-over wood, and create a fun 12 Days countdown…or is that count-up? Start on the 1st Day of Christmas, and – each night – change the blocks until you get to Day 12. Building this block set is a way to get the whole family involved (yeah for power tools!).
Grow in Faith: did you know the song, the 12 Days of Christmas, may have been written to catechize during times of persecution? Learn the secret meaning behind each of the 12 Days, and share a bit of faith with your family along the way. If you like to sew, you can turn the learning into a beautiful 12 Days of Christmas quilt!
Eat More Chocolate: yum! These candy molds are designed to 12 form delicious chocolate candies, each designed to match a verse in the traditional 12 Days of Christmas song. Days 1-6 are just as cute as days 7-12!

2ND DAY OF CHRISTMAS: DECEMBER 26

Help the Poor: December 26th is St. Stephen’s Day, and – he being the first martyr and caretaker of the poor – gives us a chance to give to others. Each year, we do a bit of “spring cleaning” as we sort through those items we can donate; doing this each year after Christmas not only gives us a chance to remember and help others less fortunate, but also make room for our new gifts, do something together as a family, and start the New Year nice and organized! If you’re needing a bit of energy to power through, this set of twelve coffees will give you the caffeine kick you need to tackle every room in your house.

3RD DAY OF CHRISTMAS: DECEMBER 27

Create Quiet Family Time: December 27th is the feast day of the Holy Family, and – after a very busy time leading up to and including Christmas Day – we are always ready for a retreat. We enjoy a nice quiet day at home, just the three of us, spending the day in our jammies, making yummy pancakes, and just relaxing in each others’ company.

4TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS: DECEMBER 28

Bake Nativity Cookies: sugar cookies are always fun to make, and these nativity cookie
cutters will give you an opportunity to retell the Christmas story in an ultra yummy way. Set a few aside for your New Year’s Eve celebration, and count yourself ahead!

5TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS: DECEMBER 29

Write a Letter: December 29th is the feast day of St. Thomas Becket. Killed for taking a stand for justice, this is a chance for your family to find a support a cause. Whether it’s writing a letter to your local congressman for or against a current political initiative, writing to someone in prison, or writing to a child, find a cause that is important to your family and write.

6TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS: DECEMBER 30

Cozy Up for Storytime: There are so many wonderful books to read that share the Christmas story! Some of our favorites are Humphrey’s First Christmas (from the perspective of the camel, which the kids love), God Gave Us Christmas (written by the talented Lisa Bergren, who wrote so many of our other favorite books), Santa’s Favorite Story (where Santa himself tells the story of Christmas), and our favorite, Who is Coming to Our House (where the animals in the stable share their story of baby Jesus coming to their home).

7TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS: DECEMBER 31

Be Part of Your Community: New Year’s Eve is one of the most dangerous days to be on the roads, so leave the car parked and invite your neighbors over for a New Year’s Eve celebration. Regardless of how late (or early) you celebrate, the bonds you build with your neighbors and local community will last long after the ball drops.

8TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS: JANUARY 1

Say Hello to Your Mother: …Mother Mary, that is. January 1st is the solemnity of Mary, and a rosary is traditionally prayed after dinner on this day. Whether you say just one Hail Mary or make it through the entire rosary, it’s a lovely way to create some special time with your heavenly mother.

9TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS: JANUARY 2

Hang Out with Friends: the holidays are all about family *and* friends, and on the feast day of Sts. Basil and Gregory, two great friends who grew together in faith and friendship, spend some time with *your* friends. Grab a cup of coffee, have a play date, or go for a walk. Celebrate the gift of friendship!

10TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS: JANUARY 3

Learn About Your Name: January 3rd is the feast day of the Holy Name of Jesus. Names have such meaning behind them…Jesus Christ, George Washington, Betty Crocker (mmm…pancakes!). Learn a bit about your name. How did your parents pick your name? What saints share your name? What is their story, and does it have any ties in with your life story?

11TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS: JANUARY 4

Share those Cards: As you prepare to pack away your Christmas decorations, set the Christmas cards aside. Many schools and organizations would love to have the front of cards for future art projects! Tear the front of the cards off, and bring them to your child’s or local school for future Christmas works of art.

12TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS: JANUARY 5

Graffiti Your Home: on the eve of Epiphany, break out the chalk and enjoy an old tradition! Epiphany is the feast day commemorating the arrival of the three wise men: Casper, Melchior, and Balthasar. Just as these three wise men entered the home of Jesus, we can invoke a blessing on our homes and all who enter. With a piece of chalk, inscribe “20 + C + M + B + <year>” over the top of the door in chalk (example: for 2017, write 20 C+M+B 17) and have someone read the blessing: “Let us bless our home and pray that all will be welcome here. Let this door be an entry for the blessings of God. Let this door be a gateway of God’s blessings to the world.”

Pin for later!

Just for fun, this post links up at some of these great Catholic and quilting sites!

This post also contains affiliate links; all are to products I’ve used and totally support. Thank *you* for supporting my site!

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Silent Night Christmas Nativity Quilt Pattern

Faith and Fabric - Christian Easter Sunday Risen Quilt 4

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Pattern: 12 Days of Christmas Quilt

October 24, 2016 by faithandfabric Leave a Comment

Each year, my family has been enjoying Christmas a bit more! We’ve been truly celebrating Advent during Advent, and Christmas during Christmas. This year, I really wanted to focus on the 12 Days of Christmas – from Christmas Day through Twelfth Night on January 5th, or the Eve of Epiphany (the manifestation of Jesus to the maji). The 12 Days of Christmas quilt itself tells the story: on the upper left, the nativity scene begins at Day 1, and on the lower right, the maji arrive on the eve of Day 12.

This quilt is designed not only as a visual but tangible way to celebrate the 12 days! Every day, for twelve days, your child can pull a small treat out of that day’s pocket. Also in the pocket is a beautiful little card, which shares an aspect of our faith.

Did you know that some believe the 12 Days of Christmas song is actually a catechesis written in code? During the time that the 12 Days of Christmas was written, the Catholics in England and Ireland were undergoing severe persecution. Some believe that the 12 Days of Christmas was created as a way to teach 12 different aspects of our faith in a fun (and covert!) way. Whether or not the story is true, we’ve used the representations of each of the 12 days in our cards as shown below. Each day’s card shows the day of the card (ex: “9th Day of Christmas”), and has a short description of the numeric representation of that number in our faith. Each description is followed by a complimentary image to help the visual learners and add to the teaching. Please forgive the slightly fuzzy image…I laminated the cards so they would hold up during use, and the sheen on them doesn’t photograph well!

I look forward to hearing from you on how your quilt turns out – be sure to send some pics!

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PATTERN: Silent Night Quilt Pattern – a Christmas Nativity Quilt Pattern

August 7, 2016 by faithandfabric 4 Comments

Bring the first Christmas into your home with this Silent Night nativity quilt pattern! The large pieced background creates the expansive night sky, accented by the Star of Bethlehem. The angel blows his trumpet over the shepherds, announcing the coming of the Christ child. The three maji follow the star towards the manger, while Mary and Joseph sit beside their child, baby Jesus. (Do you see that little head and fingers holding up the quilt in the photo above? That’s *my* baby!)

Measuring at a generous 32″ x 40″, this quilt pattern makes a great lap blanket or wall hanging.

INSPIRATION FOR QUILT

In designing this nativity quilt pattern, I first wanted to capture the scene from the First Christmas. Luke 2:8-20 tells the story of the angel that appeared to the shepherds, so this is the first image seen on the quilt. At the top center is the star of Bethlehem; radiating light was stitched in gold threads to show the light coming from the quilt. Below the star is the image of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus; Mary was designed to be kneeling beside her baby, their faces only a breath apart. Joseph stands watch beside his family, ever the protective father. The three maji complete the image, coming in from the East bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The sky itself is one of my favorite parts of this quilt. In designing the background, I really wanted to have the background itself be just as important to the overall effect as was the applique. The pieced sky, in blocks designed to be stars themselves, is wide and expansive…creating the quiet and silent night. I echo stitched around each of the applique pieces using complementary tones of Sulky thread.

I’m especially excited about this quilt, as it’s a great addition to our full liturgical year. Now, we not only have a quilt to celebrate Advent (and, of course our Jesse Tree), the season leading up to Christmas, but one celebrating Christmas that we can leave up the entire 12 days of Christmas!

Below are some of the Silent Night Christmas Nativity quilts made by our pattern testers, a wonderful group of quilters of all experience levels who help ensure that the pattern you download is as perfect as it can be. Click on those who have a blog address in their photo; it’ll take you to their site!

I’d love to share any photos you make of the nativity quilt pattern, so be sure to send me a photo or two of your final project and I’ll add it to our photo library below (in alpha order by quilter); there are some great ideas in how you all have put the blocks together, spruced up binding, and added pizzazz to the applique. Happy quilting!

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Pattern: Christmas Applique Quilt Patterns

May 29, 2016 by faithandfabric 3 Comments

Christmas is such a fun time of year, and when it comes to getting creative, there are so many ways to do it! …unfortunately, if you’re like me, you tend to wait until the 9th hour (or Christmas Eve) to really get started on making Christmas presents. Sharing a really fun way to add some Christmas pizzazz to just about anything with these adorable Christmas applique quilt patterns! Their versatility is limitless…applique them to napkins, place mats, towels, lap and wall hanging quilts, clothing, and more. Plus, they’re made from a charm pack so it’s easy to get the variety of prints you’ll need. My charm pack? It came from this really fun swap!

This pattern comes with 15 Christmas themed applique patterns, and each of the 15 patterns can be used individually, in a themed group of three, or mixed and matched with others in the set. Need some other ideas on what to make with them? The pattern *also* includes three projects you can make using these fun applique pieces…so it’s really like 18 patterns in one 🙂 The cozy soft pillow, wall quilt, and hooped ornaments make great gifts – and they’re all doable in a day, which means you *can* wait until the last minute to finish one up. <ha!>

When it comes to using applique, I’m a huge fan of fusible webbing – trace and trim out your applique pattern, press it onto your fabric, cut shape, and press onto backing. Voila! Done. This method also helps minimize the fraying as well as hold small pieces in place when you top stitch. I also loved the True Red and Christmas Green threads by Sulky – the threads don’t fray or leave lint, and their rich tones were ideal for these projects.

…so, what will you make with your applique?

Below are some of the Christmas applique quilts and projects made using this pattern by our pattern testers, a wonderful group of quilters of all experience levels who help ensure that the pattern you download is as perfect as it can be. One twist this time was I asked the pattern testers to come up with unique ways *they* would use the applique – and they rose to the challenge!

I’d love to share any photos you make using these Christmas applique quilt patterns, so be sure to send me a photo or two of your final project and I’ll add it to our photo library below. Happy quilting!

Just for fun…this post also appears on these great Catholic and quilting sites!

It also contains an affiliate link for Craftsy and Sulky; I highly recommend the quality classes by Sulky, and can’t recommend Sulky threads enough. Thank you for your support!

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Recipes: No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (Kid Friendly!)

December 8, 2015 by faithandfabric Leave a Comment

When it comes to having to pick between our Christmas cookies and delicious Christmas candy, it’s impossible to decide. That’s why I love these chocolate peanut butter balls – they’re a little bit of both. Plus, they’re super kid friendly – not only can they help roll the dough into balls, but (since there is no raw egg) they can lick the bowl when they’re done. Click on over to CatholicMom for the chocolate peanut butter balls recipe.

Just for fun…this Advent Calendar post links up at these great Catholic and quilting sites!

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N is for Gingerbread Nativity: Homeschooling through the Holidays

December 2, 2015 by faithandfabric 5 Comments

I’m excited to take part in Homeschooling Through the Holidays, a great series hosted by Heather Bowen at Life of a Homeschool Mom. The series brings you 37 posts (one for each letter of the alphabet, with a few letters having multiple ideas) celebrating the holidays while providing a lesson for homeschooling families.

It was wonderful to have the letter “N” – after all, it’s Advent and with Christmas in just a few weeks, what could be better than a Nativity?? My little man and I made two gingerbread structures (one for him, and one for me). He didn’t quite get the concept that the manger was open from the front so we made his a fully closed structure – that’s ok, though, as the point was for him to have fun and learn the Christmas story.

I’m thrilled with how our scenes turned out! I think his may be my favorite – after all, when asked about why Batman was beside the three wise men, he said: “we need Batman there so he can play a guitar and sing songs to baby Jesus.” And there you have it folks. The little drummer boy has been replaced by a guitar-strumming Batman.

WHAT YOU NEED:

children’s or family Bible
gingerbread house kit
shredded coconut
yellow food coloring
nativity set pieces (that are ok to play with)
Introduction: Read the birth of Christ story (Luke 2:1-40) from your family or age appropriate Bible.

HOW TO MAKE:

To make hay: In a large Ziploc bag, add one cup of shredded coconut, ½ tsp water, and a few drops of food coloring. Shake to evenly coat coconut and turn it yellow. Pour the bag out onto a plate and let the coconut dry.

To make nativity scene: following the instructions on your gingerbread house kit, construct the house – but instead of putting the front of the house on, leave it open. TIP: I recommend using a glue gun to hold the house together…especially since little fingers aren’t very gentle or adept when it comes time to decorate. You’ll want that structural stability (besides, you wouldn’t eat it after letting it sit out for a few days anyway).

Decorate your nativity set however you like – it’s ok to add whatever you’d like to make it special! Let it dry overnight, and – the next day – add your nativity set pieces (Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, three wise men, angel, etc.) to the scene. Remember…this is your child’s nativity set, not yours, so let them be as creative, unique, or random as they want! Avoid temptation to “help” too much by getting yourself one you can make, too.

Just for fun…this post links up at these great Catholic and quilting sites!

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Tutorial: Wooden Advent Calendar Blocks

November 19, 2015 by faithandfabric 7 Comments

It’s no secret that Advent is one of my favorite times of year. Much like January is the start of the new calendar year, Advent marks the start of the church’s new year. It’s a time to start over, set new faith-inspired goals, and prepare for 12 amazing days of Christmas celebrations. What’s not to love??

These past few years we’ve slowly been creating Advent decorations throughout the home. It’s been a lot of fun adding the purple and rose hues throughout the main living areas, and it’s really brought an entirely different sense to the season as distinct and separate from Christmas.

This year, we’ll have our Advent wreath out on the dining table atop the Advent table runner, which pretty much is a wreath in and of itself! New this year will be this set of Advent calendar blocks, which can be assembled one at a time for each week of Advent (similar to a traditional Advent calendar) or all at once. You decide!

My amazing hubby is a general contractor, so scrap wood is something we *always* have laying around. With just a few simple cuts, you can turn scrap wood into this fun set! Here’s how:

WHAT YOU NEED

2×4 wood cut into three blocks: 8″, 7″, and 3.5″
4×4 wood cut into two blocks: 6.5″ and 5″
three tubes of paint in white, rose, and dark purple
mixing tray for the paint
paint brush
Advent week word template (downloadable…click link)
sharp scissors
Modge Podge

HOW TO MAKE

(A) Painting Your Blocks

Cut your blocks to the dimensions above. Using sand paper, lightly sand over the blocks, paying special attention to the corners and edges. If the wood is moist, let it dry in a warm area.
Cover the painting area with old newspaper or disposable plastic table cloth.
Set your blocks out in order from 1-5 on the covered area.
OPTIONAL: You can either buy three shades of purple, or mix your own. If you want to mix your own, buy one dark purple paint and lighten 1/3 of the bottle to a medium purple (using the white to lighten) and 1/3 of the bottle to a medium-light purple (using the white to lighten).
Using the white paint, paint block 1 on all sides except the bottom (longest & widest side). Set to the side to dry. Wash your brush.
Using the pink paint, paint block 2 on all sides except the bottom (longest & widest side). Set to the side to dry. Wash your brush.
Using the lightest purple paint, paint block 3 on all sides except the bottom (longest & widest side). Set to the side to dry. Wash your brush.
Using the medium purple paint, paint block 4 on all sides except the bottom (longest & widest side). Set to the side to dry. Wash your brush.
Using the dark purple paint, paint block 5 on all sides except the bottom (longest & widest side). Set to the side to dry.

(B) Adding Your Words

TIP: When you print out the words, you’ll need to print the first page (with the word FAITH) on a dark purple sheet of paper. The words JOY, PEACE, HOPE, and LOVE should be printed on white paper. You’ll notice when you print out the letters that they print in reverse; this is so that the side of the paper with the ink will not be visible and will be the side that is glued onto your blocks, thereby giving you some wiggle room (i.e. room for error) when cutting the letters out.
Cut out the word FAITH. Using the modge podge, squirt some on the front of your white block (block 1). Place the letters onto the sticky Modge Podge, pressing down to remove all air bubbles. Set aside to dry.
Cut out the word JOY, and – using the same steps as above – Modge Podge it onto your pink block (block 2).
Cut out the word PEACE, and – using the same steps as above – Modge Podge it onto your lightest purple block (block 3).
Cut out the word HOPE, and – using the same steps as above – Modge Podge it onto your medium purple block (block 4).
Cut out the word LOVE, and – using the same steps as above – Modge Podge it onto your dark purple block (block 5).
Return to block 1. Apply a layer of Modge Podge GENTLY over the word FAITH to ensure it sticks down to the block. You will be painting directly over the word and sealing it to the block. Repeat with the other blocks, going in order (from blocks 2 through 5). This ensures each block has some time to dry between applications.
Allow to fully dry and enjoy!

Just for fun…this Advent Calendar post links up at these great Catholic and quilting sites!

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Activity: Wooden Holy Family Craft / Nativity Project

November 29, 2014 by faithandfabric 9 Comments

Sometimes, a scrap of wood is so much more than just a scrap. Our back yard has a ton of scrap wood – with a general contractor for a husband (and a great one at that), pieces of 2×2, 2×4, and 4×4 wood fill bins on the side of our house. It’s a bit of a wood graveyard and, while the scraps come in great as kindling in our fire pit, I was so excited to come up with a fun way to use some of those 2x2s in the creation of our new Holy Family craft! I really wanted a rustic, abstract look, so I didn’t sand the wood, used rough burlap over soft fabric, and didn’t paint the wooden knobs (heads). Love the way they turned out!

This Nativity scene works wonderful for Advent with its simple reminder of what’s to come…and it makes an even better gift. Cut a few extra pieces of wood, and use the extra burlap, twine, and knobs for a no-cost present – it will be one your friends and family will love!

WHAT YOU NEED

2×2 wood cut into three lengths: (1) Joseph: 5.5″ long, (2) Mary: 4.5″ long, (3) Baby Jesus: 2.0″ long
3 pieces of brown (neutral) twine cut 9″ long
1 piece of brown (neutral) burlap cut to size: 2.75″ x 8.0″
1 piece of blue burlap cut to size: 6″ x 7″
paint in blue, white, and tan
wooden knobs in three sizes: (1) Joseph: 1.5“, (2) Mary: 1.25″, (3) Baby Jesus: 0.75″
paint brushes

HOW TO MAKE

Prep the materials as noted in the list above
Paint each of the 2×2 pieces: Joseph in tan, Mary in blue, and Baby Jesus in gray
Wait for the paint to dry. Fun stuff, I know.
JOSEPH: stand the “body” of Joseph up. Glue the largest knob onto the top, right in the center. Tie the twine around the center, where his waist would be.
MARY: stand the “body” of Mary up. Glue the medium knob onto the top, right in the center. Wrap the blue burlap around her like a cloak. I found it easiest to do this by first folding the burlap in half, and laying it over her head, then sliding it back just a bit and tying it off. Play around until it lays the way you like. Tie the twine towards the top…think A-line dress here.
JESUS: stand the “body” of Baby Jesus up. Glue the smallest knob onto the top, towards the front of the body. Wrap the brown burlap around Baby Jesus, again centering it at the top and adjusting it until you find a position you like. Tie the twine around the center.
Enjoy your beautiful and unique nativity!

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Info: Symbols of Christmas and Their Origins

December 16, 2013 by faithandfabric Leave a Comment

A few months ago we looked at all the symbols of Easter and where they came from…so let’s take a look at symbols of Christmas in the Catholic Church. Ever wonder why we chop down a tree and put it up in our living room, covered in lights? Or why Santa flies through the sky? Me too! Below are some of the first things I think of when I think of Christmas…what’s missing from the list?

	Early Origins	Christian Origins	Applying it Today
Christmas Tree	The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands to symbolize eternal life was a custom of the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews. Tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans and survived their conversion to Christianity in the Scandinavian customs of decorating the house and barn with evergreens at the New Year to scare away the devil and of setting up a tree for the birds during Christmastime; it survived further in the custom, also observed in Germany, of placing a Yule tree at an entrance or inside the house during the midwinter holidays. (source)	While several theories exist, one of the most commonly accepted is the association with the “tree of paradise”. On December 24th, a medieval mystery play was held in celebration of Adam and Eve in various countries. In the play, a tree was decorated with apples (representing the forbidden fruit) and wafers (representing the Eucharist. This tree became a popular symbol and became tied to Christmas…the apples were replaced with colorful glass balls and lights were added to make the commonly-seen tree of today. (source)	The tree is a beautiful way to celebrate Christmas in your home. This year, as you put up your tree, talk about creation and how God created vegetation – including trees – on the third day. As you string the lights, talk about how Jesus is our light. Include red balls in your decorations and share the story of how the balls used to be apples, representing our original sin (better yet, include some apples!). As you top your tree with a glittering star, share the story of the Maji and how they followed the star to bring their gifts to the Messiah (Matthew 2:11).
Santa Claus	“During the Christianization of Germanic Europe, this figure may have absorbed elements of the god Odin, who was associated with the Germanic pagan midwinter event of Yule and led the Wild Hunt, a ghostly procession through the sky.” (source)	Santa Claus, as he exists today, sees his origin in Saint Nicholas – the 4th century Christian bishop and gift giver. He would, in secret, leave gifts for the poor and coins in the shoes of families that left them outside their door.	This year, celebrate Saint Nicholas on December 6th (here’s an idea on how). Consider introducing Santa to young children as the fictional character he is, talking about how he represents Saint Nicholas and brings gifts just like Saint Nick did.
Advent Wreath	The circular shape has long been associated with the concept of “eternal / no beginning or end”. Early origins of pre-Christian Germanic groups used wreathes with lit candles during the cold and dark December days as a sign of hope and warmth. (source)	“Research by Prof. Haemig of Luther Seminary, St. Paul, points to Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808–1881), a Protestant pastor in Germany and a pioneer in urban mission work among the poor as the inventor of the modern Advent wreath. “To help his students keep track of the countdown to Christmas, he (in 1839) built a large wooden ring with 19 small red and 4 large white candles. A small candle was lit every weekday during Advent and, on Sundays, a large white candle was lit. (source)	Create an advent wreath with your family this Christmas season (see how to create your own & learn more about the colors of the candles here). Talk about the significance of the four candles as one is lit each Sunday. Consider lighting it each night during dinner, and making it a special part of your advent season.

Special thanks to CRS Rice Bowl for their tweet!

Faith and Fabric Catholic Quilts and Projects

Just for fun…this post links up at these great Catholic & Quilting sites!

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Activity: Toddler and Kids Christmas Tree Craft

December 7, 2013 by faithandfabric 2 Comments

Here’s a nice easy Christmas tree project for toddlers and younger kids alike. We had received a giant (GIANT) box of pom-poms from a friend, and – after sitting in neglect in the craft closet – they finally got some use! Using the pom-poms also gave us a chance to practice counting, naming colors, & sorting – all part of the fun.

WHAT YOU NEED

green construction paper (I recommend a variety pack)
tiny pom-poms
glitter (optional)
glue
canvas or white construction paper (another perk of getting a variety pack!)
good scissors

HOW TO MAKE

A TIP: depending on how old your little guy (or gal) is, let them do as much as possible on their own! This is a great opportunity for them to practice, learn, and be proud of the work THEY did…all by themselves.
to get started: using the green construction paper, draw a tree the size of the white canvas / construction paper and cut it out. If your little guy (or gal) is old enough to cut, let them cut out the shape you trace. If they’re even older, let them draw the tree.
glue the tree down to the construction paper.
again, depending on the age of your child, let them either use the glue and glue down the pom-poms OR ask them where they want the glue (if they’re younger) and let them put the pom-poms on the glue spots.
using a cotton swab or your finger, spread glue in a fun pattern on the open spaces on the tree. Sprinkle the glitter over the tree, letting it dry. TIP: it may seem backwards to do this last, but if you glitter first, the pom-poms don’t stay on very well.

Just for fun…this post links up at these great Catholic and quilt sites.

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