Friday, November 23, 2018

Advent gifts...

Earlier this year, I got an idea from this webpage to do some sort of advent calendar for each of my adult sons.   This isn't something we did as they were growing up, but I thought it would be fun to make something like this for my sons who've all flown the coop finally.  

Now, my guys probably wouldn't be as into the fun scrappy "ornaments" that make up the advent calendar linked to above, but it gave me the idea and impetus to try to put something together.

I decided to go with something that would be more my guys' style - something that could just sit on a counter or table and still look kind of fun.   Yesterday I ventured back into Hobby Lobby (the second, or maybe it was the third, time this year),  and I found some cute and inexpensive little paper gift bags that were perfect for this.  And I used some wire baskets I bought last year at Walmart to corral all the gift bags.




After searching online for some pre-made printables, I finally settled on this set of scripture cards - one for each day of December leading up to Christmas day.    And I found some cute numbers to use (I'm sorry I didn't keep track of my source for the numbers), but there are bunches of free printable options online to choose from.  Knock yourself out trying to choose a favorite.  😉

Originally (like back in the spring), I thought it would be fun to hand-make every single gift,  but by late October I eventually realized that wasn't going to happen.   So...  I finally decided on a combination of some hand-made items, some small inexpensive store bought gifts, some candy and other snacks to fill the bags - along with a scripture card each day.

I gave them to my sons on Thanksgiving day and I was surprised at how interested they seemed to be.  Or maybe they were just humoring me.  I don't know.  I just wanted to do something to maybe help them keep in mind the season we're entering, and also to think of home.  And mom.  Maybe that last thing misses the point of Advent, but I'm being completely honest, here.  😊

One of these days, though, I really want to make a scrappy advent calendar (like the one linked to at the beginning of this post).  I think it would be fun to give someone.   Or to maybe just use myself.  

I'm curious if others of you do advent calendars.   They seem so popular now.  I know bunches of my fellow yarn crafters are into doing advent projects - and that seems like such a fun idea, but I can't decide, or discipline myself to stick with such a project (or projects) for every day for nearly a whole month.

The fact that I've been disciplined to post to my blog daily for the last 23 days amazes me!


I'll plan to be back here tomorrow!




5 comments:

  1. Advent calendars have been a part of my life since I was a little girl. I had yhe kind you opened a little window and saw a photo of something relting to the Christmas story. Then on Christmas day it was a double window to open and there was the Holy Family behind it. I love what you did for your boys. How nice to have a little bit of home during Advent.

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  2. I love your advent calendar! I always had one as a child, mostly they were the simple store-bought kind with little windows hiding a piece of chocolate but one year, my mom made one herself. It was a wall hanging with 24 rings, she made 24 little packets to tie to the rings, and I was allowed to cut one off each day. I don't even remember what was in them, probably just tiny gifts like a pencil, eraser, dress for one of my barbie dolls and such, but I do remember the excitement and fun. These days, we don't have advent calendars anymore, but I do follow the online versions by Makerist (similar to Craftsy) and Drops and enjoy finding a new pattern or three.

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  3. Your advent calendars looks like a professional job! I love the bags and the numbers.
    I guess I'll just be wrapping mine but the numbers are important so I will look up those. Your boys are going to love them. I can't make all handmade either...it is a mix of both. I'm only doing 12 and I have 6 more to go! Woe is me! LOL! YOu are always on time and ahead of the game....glad one of us is! LOL!

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  4. What a wonderful idea Becki! I'm sure your sons will enjoy these Advent calendars as they were made by their dear Mom. Pat ☃️

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  5. What an inspired idea!! An advent for adults (or you could do a kids version too). SO much better than those stale chocolate ones you find in stores.

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