Nativity Advent Calendar

This Christmas I really want to focus on Christ and the true meaning of Christmas instead of all that other stuff.

I pinned a lot of ideas for a Christ-Centered Christmas on pinterest.  One of the first activities that I saw and absolutely loved was the Nativity Advent Calendar.  So I started working on one for our family . . .

I found a tutorial for making one at cutesycraftsblog.  I was able to print out the pattern for the nativity figures from her blog and follow her directions for making the calendar.

I had brown felt left over from Shane's cowboy birthday party vests so I decided to use it for the calendar, but the brown was a little too dark to show off the brown animals and the brown stable.  I decided to use burlap for the front of the calendar with brown felt pockets and brown felt on the back.

I sewed the brown felt pockets onto the burlap and then sewed the burlap and brown felt back together ( with right sides together).  I turned it right side out and pressed the side seams flat.  I sewed a finishing seam around the edge.  Here's Zach holding it up for the picture:

I spent most of this past week working on the felt figures for the nativity.  Here's what I've gotten finished as of today:

I still have to put the numbers on the little pockets . . . and I have to put eyes and embellishments on the figures I've done . . . and I still have to finish some of the other nativity pieces . . .

And today is the first day of Advent!  I'm already behind!  ha!   Along with the nativity figure,  I plan to put a scripture passage in each pocket for the boys to read that will tell the story of Jesus' birth each day throughout the month leading up to Christmas.  I will also put an item in each pocket as a memory helper for the boys and to help them learn the story . . . something similar to what I did at Easter with the Resurrection Eggs.  I also have a fun family activity planned for each day as well.

If you are interested in making a nativity advent calendar for your family, here is the blog where you can find the tutorial as well as the pattern for the nativity figures:
Cutesy Crafts blog

Zach helped me make some of the nativity figures, and we had a great time putting them together.  I will post a finished picture of the advent calendar tomorrow (hopefully), and I'll also post some links I found with free printables for the advent scriptures and for the fun family activities I'm planning.

[ The post with the finished Advent Calendar is HERE.]

Merry Christmas  . . .
 .  . . .  on this the 1st day of December from . . .

                          the Ferrell boys and me!