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!