Craft Ideas for Advent
While many people think of the weeks before Christmas as a time of celebration, sales and shopping, Catholics and other Christians view this season of Advent as a time of preparation in expectation of the birth of Christ. Rather than an excuse for parties and unbridled festivities, Christians regard this time as one of reflection, penance and hope, in which one prepares oneself to truly welcome the Lord. One way to make this a season of true spiritual preparation is to bring this spirit of reflection into the home through crafts, such as an Advent Wreath or a Jesse Tree.
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The Advent Wreath
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A simple Advent Wreath
With its circle of evergreen branches and candles of purple and pink, the Advent Wreath is rich with Christian symbolism. The colors stand for hope, penance and joy, respectively, while the circle represents the eternity of God, and the candles recall that Christ is the Light of the World. A white Christ candle also may be included in the center of the wreath.
Make your own simple wreath using construction paper and a paper plate. Use three sheets of purple and one sheet of pink paper and roll them into tubes for the candles. Anchor them to the plate with either glue or tape. Cut leaves from green paper and glue them to the plate around and between the candles. Cut flames from yellow and/or orange paper, and affix to the tops of the candles when appropriate. Use white paper to make a Christ candle, if desired. Another method of making the candles is to use empty paper towel or toilet paper tubes and either paint them or cover them with construction paper.
You can make a more sophisticated wreath from real or faux evergreen branches arranged in a circle around four candle holders. Again, place three purple and one pink candle in the holders. Alternatively, you can use four white candles, and lengths of purple and pink ribbon to tie around the candle holders. Place a fifth holder and candle in the center for the Christ candle.
The Jesse Tree
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A simple Jesse Tree
During this season of preparation, the Jesse Tree (named after Jesse, the father of King David) recalls the Biblical preparations that were made to prepare the world for the birth of Christ. A tree much like a Christmas tree is decorated with symbols that represent the human ancestors of Christ, important events in salvation history, titles given to Christ, or a combination of these elements.
The tree itself can be anything from a live evergreen to a few sticks stuck in a pot. Using an actual Christmas tree, real or fake, will symbolize not only life and hope with its greenery, but also the transition from Advent to Christmas through the changing of the ornaments. Adding a string of white lights will make the tree look more attractive, as well as symbolize Christ.
The ornaments can be as elaborate or as simple as time, money and ability allow. The simplest ones can be drawings or computer printouts of pictures, photographs, or ClipArt, either alone or glued to a construction-paper background, colored and hung on the tree with loops of yarn. You can make more sophisticated ornaments using clay, paper mache, wood or any other materials.
Here is a partial list of symbols that are appropriate for a Jesse Tree:
Creation: sun, moon, stars, water, trees, animals or a combination of these
Adam and Eve/Fall of Mankind: apple, serpent (snake) with tree, apple with two bites
Noah/Flood: Noah's Ark, dove holding olive/tree branch, rainbow, animals, water
Abraham: torch, mountain, sword
Isaac: ram with horns caught in bush, altar, bundle of sticks
Jacob: ladder, angel
Joseph: coat of many colors
Jonah: whale
Moses: stone tablets (10 Commandments), reed basket, staff, burning bush, Ark of the Covenant, pillar of fire, manna (bread)
Melchizedek: bread and wine
Samuel: lamp, temple
Jesse: red robe, shepherd staff
David: sling, Star of David (six-pointed star), crown
Solomon: temple, sword, scales of justice
John the Baptist: shell, water, river, locust (grasshopper)
Joseph (Mary's husband): carpenter's tools, saw, hammer, chisel
Mary: lily, crown of stars, pierced heart
Bethlehem (House of Bread): bread, basket of bread, stable, manger
Christ: lamb, cross, chalice, bread and wineNot all of these symbols need to be used, and other symbols may be added. Consult a Bible for more inspiration.
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