Archives for November 2014

I’ve got TWO adorable printable Christmas countdowns to color! One follows the nativity story, and the other has a Santa theme.

–>> DOWNLOAD CHRISTmas COUNTDOWN <<–

Each countdown has 24 days and is meant to be started on December 1st.

–>> DOWNLOAD SANTA COUNTDOWN <<-

For best results, make sure your printer is set to borderless or whole page.

You might also like:

FREE Printable Christmas Wish Lists

FREE Printable Nativity Scenes

FREE Snowflake Patterns & Templates

FREE Christmas Traditions Worksheet

This post contains affiliate links.

It is a December tradition in our family to spend an evening creating snowflakes. We gluestick them on windows, doors, and mirrors (the glue washes right off). Last year, we used them to create a Magical Winter Wonderland over our kitchen bar. It was beautiful and I can’t wait to create another one this year!

Our Winter Wonderland Supply List:

• free snowflake templates
• white copy paper
• scotch tape
• scissors
• paper edger craft scissors
• 1 strand white lights
• needle
• white thread
• cotton balls
• iridescent pearl beads
• clear glittery snowflakes from Dollar Tree
• white tulle circles from Dollar Tree
• Command Strips mini clear hooks
• our favorite hot chocolate (with lots of whipped cream)
• Elf DVD (for inspiration)

First things first – make the snowflakes! To keep the frustration level down, I pre-fold a ton of paper for the younger crew. That way, they can jump right in to the cutting fun. We use some free snowflake patterns as a guide because otherwise our snowflakes all end up looking pretty much the same.  Paper edger crafts scissors are an easy way to give your snowflakes a fancy touch.

Next step – string up the lights. I used Command Strips mini clear hooks to attach my strand of lights to the ceiling. You could also use pushpins or small cuphook screws. I think this would look great with icicle lights, but just use whatever you have on hand.

Now for the fun part – creating the wonderland!  There is no right or wrong way, just use your imagination. We taped our paper snowflakes directly onto the strand of lights. The glittery plastic snowflakes have a loop that we carefully hung over a bulb. We even crafted some teeny tiny snowflakes out of the paper scraps and popped them onto a few of the lights. To top it off, I glued together a few paper chains.

Once we had our base constructed, we added a few more details to fluff it up a bit. The strings of iridescent pearls were draped throughout. Using the needle and thread, I ran a gather stitch down the middle of the tulle circles and pulled the thread until it formed a little tulle puff. I also spaced out some cotton balls onto a long length of thread – just run the needle right through the middle.

We turned the lights down and enjoyed the breathtaking sight. We loved it so much, and had so much fun, that I think we might go a little crazy with it this year. Stay tuned for our results!

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These Festive Family Bloggers are sharing Festive Family Fun:

FREE Printable Nativity Puppets for Kids @ Happy and Blessed Home

Family Made Christmas Card @ Hand Made Kids Art

Sensory Survival Tips for Holiday Parties @ Lemon Lime Adventures

Fun Christmas Traditions to Start with Your Family @ Bare Feet on the Dashboard

Festive Family Drinks @ Peace But Not Quiet

Holiday Baking with Kids @ Gypsy Road School

A Magical Winter Wonderland @ Are We There Yet?

In Defense of Elf on the Shelf @ Still Playing School

Hot Chocolate Playdough @ Fireflies and Mud Pies

DIY Christmas Eve Box @ Adventures of Adam

Ten Tips for Christmas Caroling with Kids @ She Lives Free

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 The Festive Family Holiday Hop Schedule

• November 3: Sharing the Joy of the Season
• November 5th: Thankful Traditions
• November 7th: Creative Christmas
• November 10th:Gifts for the Season
• November 12th: Festive Activities for Kids
• November 14th: DIY Holiday
• November 17th: Festive Family Fun