Star Path Advent Printable

A star path is usually too big for our small space, so I made this little printable and will use our small plastic nativity set to travel along. I worry about using too much color in printables sometimes, because you just never know how the printer will do - but I think this one turned out nice.  

I cut it out and tacked it to the table next to our little manger. We're ready for the Nativity Fast! Full size image is above, just grab and print. 

 

25 Day Advent Calendar with Windows

Its already December 5, but when my kids saw these old-fashioned advent calendars with the windows, they immediately wanted to make some. If you want to make some, too: The printable template (above, or two more below) has 25 windows (including the moon). Print two for each child on card stock. Color one of them, and on the other glue cut-out pictures from last year's Christmas cards or catalogues. The glued on pictures should be bigger than the window frames, but not overlapping any other windows. Next, number the windows and doors 1-25, and with an exacto knife, have an adult cut three sides of each one. Then glue the colored page over the glued-picture page, and there you go! Lots of pictures below, because I think this just turned out too cute. 

pictures cut from cards and catalogues

gluing them over the window template

finished inside

After coloring the outside picture, we cut three sides of every window and door
with an xacto knife. I cut from the front, but showing the back so you can see.

On inside picture, put glue all around edges and in some of the white space on
the inside. Then lay the colored outside picture on top, lining up corners carefully
and smooth it flat. 

Now you should be able to open the windows to see the pictures.

Doggies!

One child made the church doors be day 1 and 2, with an icon behind.

They liked lots of Christmas-y animal pictures.

And trees and lights.

Wise men, stars, shepherds and angels, too.

And cats in stockings.

Lots of Nativity scenes from our catalogues.

St. Lucia on day 13!

A variation. Don't cut out the windows and doors
on the back row of houses that are partially covered.

And one more, in case you want to make a calendar but skip the coloring.

New 40 Day Nativity Fast Printable

40 Days to Christmas - printable

Last year I made a quick nativity printable to count the 40 days leading to the birth of Christ. This year, I wanted to make it a bit prettier. My oldest daughter sat down with me and helped me decide just how to make it, and I think we're both pretty happy with it. As usual, I can't just do one thing - I also made a black and white version if you want to let the kids color their own... and then I made a version with only 25 stars for my non-Orthodox friends.

This works great as a last minute advent calendar if you don't already have one, or to accompany your Jesse Tree readings so you can quickly see your progress. We will put ours on our fridge and probably X, count, or otherwise draw on the days as we go. We also used a magnet last year, but it was often knocked out of place, so writing seems to work best. :)

Just grab the png and print. Enjoy!

25 days to Christmas - printable

25 days to Christmas - coloring page

40 days to Christmas - coloring page

cross-posted on We Wilsons