Make a Children's Advent Craft Calendar

The weeks before Christmas can seem to last forever if you're a child. Here's a way to count down the days and add some fun along the way. Join your child in making an Advent calendar in the shape of a Christmas tree. By December 24, you can surprise Santa with a glittery decoration!

Things You'll Need

• Poster board Construction Paper (Green, Brown and Yellow) Assortment of Stickers Scissors Glue Glitter Star-shaped cookie cutter

Instructions

1. Make your Christmas tree out of green, brown, and yellow construction paper. First, fold the green construction paper in half lengthwise. Draw a half side of your tree on the green paper, making sure to start from the folded side. Use your scissors to cut along the tree shape. Unfold the paper. You should have a full, evenly shaped tree. Cut a shape for the stem of the tree from the brown construction paper. Place the star-shaped cookie cutter on the yellow paper and outline it carefully. Cut the star shape. Glue the star to the top of your tree and the stem to the bottom of the tree.

2. 

   Place the Christmas tree on the poster board. Carefully outline the shape, including the stem as well as the star. Draw another outline about 1/2 inch inside the tree shape. Cut along the inside tree outline. Your poster board Christmas tree should be slightly smaller than your construction paper tree. Set the poster board tree aside.

3. Plan where you want to place the windows or doors on your construction paper tree. These will be the openings for each day on your Advent calendar. You will need to find room for 24 days, so plan carefully! Use the star and the stem section for a door or windows, too. Don't place any openings too close to the edge. When you have counted out 24 spots for openings, carefully cut the flaps. Make sure to cut flaps in different directions. Your flaps can open like a door or a window, and can open from either side, or upward or downward.

4. 

   Place the Christmas tree on the poster board tree. Carefully open each door and use a pencil to place a dot in the center of the opening. Do not crease the flaps too much or they won't close back! Put the Christmas tree in a safe place.

5. Choose a variety of stickers as your calendar surprises. Wherever you find a dot, place a sticker on the spot. If two dots are close together, use smaller stickers. Place all 24 stickers on the poster board tree. Put that tree aside.

6. 

   Prepare your calendar. Write numbers 1 through 24 on the openings of your calendar. You can put them in order or scatter the numbers around the tree. Use a black marker to make the numbers so that the days will stand out on the tree. When you have finished numbering, you can glitter your calendar. Spread glue in whatever pattern you like best. Shake the glitter onto the green tree. Wait a few minutes, then pick up the tree and shake the excess glitter off.

7. Squeeze a line of glue along the outside edge of the poster board tree. Carefully place the green construction paper tree on top of the poster board. Wait a few minutes for the glue to dry. Now your Advent valendar Christmas tree is ready to hang!

Tips & Warnings

• The poster board will make the Advent calendar heavier than you think. Using tape to hang the calendar may work better. Use stickers that relate to the Christmas story. As each door is opened, the story is revealed.

• Glue and glitter can make a mess! Place newspaper under the trees when using these materials.