Advent Crafts from Around the World

Transcription

1 Advent Crafts from Around the World From Sea to Sea From Tree to Tree Dina Strong 1

2 All biblical quotations from the New American Bible. Translation of the O Antiphons copyright The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops 2

3 Advent: We Get Ready for Christmas! Let all the trees of the forest rejoice before the Lord who comes. Psalm 96:12-13 Christmas and Your Family How does your family get ready for Christmas? Do you bake spicy cookies? Do family members travel to see each other? Do you make a present for someone, but keep it a secret until Christmas day? Do you get your hearts and minds ready, too? Maybe you learn a new carol to sing to God about his most wonderful gift to us: Jesus. Maybe you read scripture together or light a candle on an Advent wreath. These are ways that we remember that Christmas is the special day we give thanks to God for the birth of Jesus. Getting ready for Christmas is so important that we spend 24 days in December and sometimes extra days in November, too! getting ready for Christmas. We call this time of getting ready the season of Advent. The word advent comes from a Latin word that means: coming. 3

4 Whose coming do we celebrate at Christmas? That s right! At Christmas, we celebrate the coming of Jesus to us as a baby born to Mother Mary and Father Joseph. Your Turn: Get Ready! One way that many families get ready for Christmas is by decorating a tree. This year you can make a special ornament each day of Advent and remember God s gift to each of us to all of us! We ll also help you get your heart and mind ready for Christmas by giving you Bible verses and prayers to think about as you come closer to December 25. If your family hasn t yet put up a tree, simply save your ornaments until the day your family puts up its tree. If your family doesn t plan to make a tree this year, you can make a tree poster for your ornaments. Cut open a brown paper grocery sack. Use green and brown markers to draw a tree shape. 4

5 Getting Ready with Simple Advent Calendars If your family doesn t have an Advent Calendar, use one of these simple ideas to keep track of the days until Christmas. * On a board, draw a star for each day from now until Christmas. Each day erase one star. * Stick 24 cloves into an apple. Each day, pull out one clove. (Keep this Advent Calendar in the refrigerator!) * Take two empty egg cartons. Put a penny or a piece of candy in each of the 24 cups. Each day, give the penny or candy to a family member. * Cut one strip of colorful construction paper for each of the days until Christmas. Staple or tape them together to make a paper chain. Each day, tear off one strip. * Shred a few pages from a newspaper to make paper straw. Use a basket for a baby bed for Jesus. Each day, add one handful of straw to the basket. You can ask your family to add a handful of straw each time they help someone else! 5

6 Getting Ready with Daily Prayer Each day you can help your family get ready with Advent prayer. Ask your family to join you at the family tree or your tree poster. Read aloud the verse for the day. Today s verse is Let all the trees of the forest rejoice before the Lord who comes. Ask your family to respond with this simple prayer that you can use every day during Advent: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 6

7 December 1 The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:23 God s gift to us: Jesus God gives us so much! God gives us a world to live in, and a world of people to love and be loved by. But best of all, God gave us Jesus, to lead us to God s own home forever. Your turn: gift ornaments Many of us celebrate Christmas by giving gifts to one another. Today make gifts that remember the gifts that God gives to us. Cut pieces of cardboard into squares and rectangles. On one side of each cardboard gift write a gift from God that you love: pizza or the strength to play basketball! Use wrapping paper, ribbons and stickers on the other side to decorate these gifts. Poke a hole in each one and use thread or yarn to make a loop for hanging. 7

8 December 2 She...laid him in a manger. Luke 2:7 God s gift to us: baby Jesus, sleeping in straw Mary and Joseph were far from home when Jesus was born. With no bed, they laid baby Jesus down in the soft straw to sleep. Your turn: straw ornaments In many countries people remember God s gift by making ornaments from straw. You may not have real straw on hand, so try making this star from drinking straws! Cut straws in half. Take 3 half straws and use red thread or yarn to tie them into a triangle. Now make a second triangle the same way. Put one triangle on top of the other and tie them together to make a six-pointed star. 8

9 December 3 Saint of the Nations: Francis Xavier May all the earth be filled with God s glory. Psalm 72:19 God s gift to us: Jesus, born for all people God sent Jesus because God loves all people, in every country, in every time. When we get to know our brothers and sisters in other lands, we show God we love the gift of a world full of people. Your turn: paper lantern ornament from China Let s travel to China for Christmas! Only a few people in China are Christians, but they like to make these paper lanterns at Christmas. Their Chinese brothers and sisters who are not Christians make them for the Chinese New Year. Fold a piece of construction paper in half to make a 4.5" x 12" rectangle. Cut slits into the fold, but don t cut all the way through. Make your slits every 1/2" apart. Unfold the paper. Bring the short ends together and tape them. Add a paper handle for your lantern. Fold a piece of construction paper in half to make a 4.5" x 12" rectangle. Cut slits into the fold, but don t cut all the way through. Add a paper handle for your lantern. Unfold the paper. Bring the short ends together and tape them. 9

10 December 4 All you peoples, clap your hands. Psalm 47:2 God s gift to us: the hands of Jesus Just like us, Jesus used his hands to work and play. He used his hands to bless people. He used his hands to heal sick people and make them whole. He used his hands to pray to God. Your turn: full hands ornament Trace around on your hand onto a piece of colorful construction paper or wrapping paper. On each finger, write or draw one thing you can do with your hands that makes you happy. Poke a hole in your ornament and use thread or yarn to make a loop for hanging. You can make as many of these as you like! 10

11 December 5 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to...mary. Luke 1:26-27 God s gift to us: Jesus, announced by an angel God sent an angel to Mary to tell her the great good news: she would bear a child, the Son of God, and name him Jesus, Savior of God s People. Your turn: angel ornament Take a coffee filter and place a cotton ball in the center. Tie a piece of gold ribbon around the filter and cotton to make the angel s head. You can decorate your angel or write on it the good news you find in this word puzzle, Unscramble the words first! laih ymra eht rldo si ihwt oyu. het lhyo pristi lilw moce puon ouy. Take a coffee filter and place a cotton ball in the center. Tie a piece of gold ribbon around the filter and cotton to make the angel s head. 11

12 December 6 Saint of Children: Nicholas Jesus said... Turn and become like children. Matthew 18:3 God s gift to us: Jesus, friend of children Jesus always said, Let the children come to me! He loved children. He told his friends that children would be first in the kingdom of heaven. We don t know much about St. Nicholas, but we remember him as a friend of children, too. Your turn: money pouch ornament One story about St. Nicholas says that he gave 3 pouches of money to 3 poor children to save them. Make a money pouch in honor of St. Nicholas. Cut out a 6" circle of felt. Punch eight holes around the edge of the circle. Thread yarn through the holes. Put pennies or other coins in the middle of the circle. Now pull on both ends of the yarn to make the circle into a pouch. Tie the yarn into a bow. After Christmas, add the coins to the collection basket at church. Cut out a 6" circle of felt. Punch eight holes around the edge of the circle. Thread yarn throught the holes and put pennies in the center Pull on both ends of the yarn to make the circle into a pouch. Tie the yarn into a bow 12

13 December 7 The child [Jesus] grew and became strong. Luke 2:40 God s gift to us: Jesus, a child like us Maybe Jesus was such a good friend to children because he had been a child, too! He grew up with his mother Mary and her good husband Joseph. Your turn: Christkindl letter ornament In Germany children write letters to the Christkindl, the child Jesus, instead of to Santa Claus. Write a letter to the child Jesus yourself. What would you like to tell Jesus? What would you like to ask Jesus? You can keep the letter private, just between you and Jesus. Put your letter in an envelope and seal it. You can decorate the letter any way you like. Can you design your own stamp? Poke a hole in your ornament and use thread or yarn to make a loop for hanging. 13

14 December 8 You will find an infant...lying in a manger. Luke 2:40 God s gift to us: Jesus, far from home Manger is an old-fashioned word for the rough dish that animals use to eat from. Imagine a cow hungry for her dinner. But when she goes to eat, there s a baby there instead! We hope the cow still got her dinner, but the manger is where Jesus had his first bed because Mary and Joseph were so far from home. Your turn: walnut manger ornament You ll need half a walnut shell for this ornament. (Ask a parent to help you get an unbroken walnut shell.) Stuff the shell half with cotton, to make a soft baby bed. Cut a scrap of felt or colorful cloth to make a baby blanket. Now glue four ribbons, evenly spaced around the shell. Tie their loose ends together to make a loop for hanging. In a half walnut shell, stuff the shell half with cotton Cut a scrap of felt or colorful cloth to make a baby blanket. Glue four ribbons, evenly spaced around the shell. 14 Tie their loose ends together to make a loop for hanging.

15 December 9 See, I am doing something new! Isaiah 43:19 God s gift to us: the good surprise of Jesus People knew that God was planning to act in a new way to save the world. Nobody guessed, though, God s good plan was to come as a newborn baby: the baby Jesus. Your turn: Christmas cracker ornament In England they celebrate Christmas with Christmas crackers, paper-wrapped tubes with surprises inside. These crackers are good ways to remember God s best surprise of all: the birth of baby Jesus. Make your own Christmas cracker. Take a shortboard cardboard tube (the kind you find inside toilet tissue!). What surprises can you put inside? Cut out a favorite joke from the Sunday comics. Put in a penny or other coin. Do you have other small treats, such as pieces of candy or a balloon? Now wrap the tube in bright paper. Tie each end off with yarn and add a loop for hanging. Take a shortboard cardboard tube and put surprises inside. Tie each end off with yarn and add a loop for hanging. 15 Wrap the tube in bright paper.

16 December 10 I, Jesus...am...the bright morning star. Revelation 22:16 God s gift to us: Jesus, a star to show us the way Sometimes we compare Jesus to a bright star in the sky. Even sailors in the middle of the sea can find their way by knowing how to follow the right star. How can you follow our right star, Jesus, today? Your turn: star pole ornament In Bethlehem, the town in modern Israel where Christians celebrate the birth of Christ, a star is placed on a pole to remember the star that led shepherds and wise ones to the birth place of Jesus. Make a small star pole to celebrate the star of our lives: Jesus. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter or other star shape to cut two identical stars from construction paper. Glue the two stars together with a drinking straw sandwiched between them. You can add glitter to the stars or wind the straw with yarn. Add a ribbon loop for hanging on the tree. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter or other star shape to cut two identical stars from construction paper. Glue the two stars together with a drinking straw sandwiched between them. Add a ribbon loop for hanging on the tree. 16

17 December 11 Every good tree bears good fruit. Matthew 7:17 God s gift to us: Jesus, who shows us how to bear good fruit Jesus said that a good life was like a good tree. A good tree gives good fruit to eat! A good life gives to others, too: help to the poor, friendship to the lonely, food to the hungry, kindness to the sad. Think of someone you know who loves Jesus. What good things do they give to others? Your turn: good fruit ornament In Wales children stick cloves into an apple as a Christmas decoration. Find either a small apple or a tangerine. Stick cloves in it until it is completely covered. This is the nicest smelling ornament you ll ever make! Those cloves are sharp, though, so try to wear a thimble on your finger when you make this. Cross two ribbons around the finished fruit and tie them together. Then add a loop of ribbon for hanging. 17

18 December 12 Saint of the Poor: Our Lady of Guadalupe A great sign appeared...a woman clothed with the sun. Revelation 12:1 God s gift to us: Jesus, son of Mary On this day we especially remember the Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary, who appeared to a poor man named Juan Diego in Guadalupe, Mexico. She appeared as a Native American, like Juan himself, dressed in a cloak of heavenly blue with gold stars and the purple sash of a queen. Your turn: Guadalupe ornament Our Blessed Mother Mary always loves to be with the poor, just like her Son Jesus. So today celebrate this loving Mother in two ways. First find pieces of felt in the colors of our Lady of Guadalupe: purple, blue and gold. Make up your own ornament that includes a blue sky and golden stars. Second, can you be like Mary and Jesus and help those in need? Ask your family to think together about one way you could work together or give together to make a difference to those who are poor in your own town or city. 18

19 December 13 Saint of Light: Saint Lucy Jesus said, I am the light of the world. John 9:5 God s gift to us: Jesus, light of the world The night sky filled with stars is beautiful, but sometimes dark places seem scary. We re glad when someone walks ahead of us into a dark room and switches on the light. Jesus is like that. He walks ahead of us into every scary place, and he himself is our light. Your turn: Lucia wreaths ornament Lucy is the English version of Lucia, a word which means light. In Sweden families remember St. Lucy as the saint whose feast day is so close to Christmas day, the birthday of Jesus, who brings us light for every dark place. The oldest girl of the house wears a wreath with candles (usually electric!) on this day, and other children carry candles or stars. Make a wreath ornament in honor of St. Lucy. Take a sheet of aluminum foil and twist it into a simple, circular crown shape. Decorate it with streamers of ribbon or crepe paper in St. Lucy s colors of red and white. 19

20 December 14 All the ends of the earth will worship and turn to the Lord. Psalm 22:27 God s gift to us: Jesus, loved throughout the earth What is the weather like where you live on Christmas? Do you live in the cold north, where there is beautiful white snow at Christmas? Do you live in the sunny south, where there is warm water and picnics at Christmas? Those of us who celebrate the birth of Jesus might live in any part of the world. Your turn: tissue flower ornaments In Argentina they decorate their homes and Christmas trees with beautiful paper flowers. Make a simple flower from a single piece of tissue paper the kind you blow your nose with! Lay a sheet of tissue in front of you, with the longest side running left to right. Begin folding it in half inch folds, back and forth, accordian style. When it is all folded, fold it one last time, bringing the two short ends together. Tie this around the middle with a piece of green yarn. Cut the short folded ends only. Now fluff out the petals to make a flower. Use a piece of clear tape to wrap the bottom of your flower, and add a piece of yarn for hanging. Fold a sheet of tissue paper in half inch folds, back and forth, accordian style. When it is all folded, fold it one last time, bringing the two short ends together. Tie around the middle with a piece of green yarn. Cut the short folded ends. 20 Fluff out the petals to make a flower. Use a piece of clear tape to wrap the bottom of your flower.

21 December 15 Your praise reaches the ends of the earth. Psalm 48:11 God s gift to us: Jesus, loved north and south No matter where we live, we have brothers and sisters in Christ who live near to us, and others who live far from us. How can we learn more about our brothers and sisters who live close us? How can we learn more about our brothers and sisters far away from us? Your turn: popcorn and cranberry ornaments In colder places people don t have fresh flowers to make beautiful colors at Christmas time, the way our brothers and sisters in New Zealand or Argentina do. So they make color in their own ways. In 19th century America, one way to make beautiful red and white decorations at Christmas was by threading long chains of white popcorn and red cranberries. It can take a long time to make a chain long enough to wrap around a tree, so try your hand at short chains instead they will still look beautiful on the tree. (Keep the cranberry ornament in the fridge until Christmas Eve!) You ll need a bowl of cranberries, a bowl of popped corn, a blunt needle and two 8" pieces of thread. Put about 4" of cranberries on one thread, and about 4" of popcorn on another. 21

22 December 16 There was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 God s gift to us: the homeless baby Jesus Jesus was not born in a palace, as kings are. Jesus was not born in a big home, with fancy toys and lots of money. There wasn t even room in a poor inn along the side of the road when Jesus was born. We don t need lots of money or power to be friends of God and Jesus. Jesus is with us when we care for all those who were poor like him. Your turn: home ornament In Mexico they remember how Jesus was born far from home by celebrating La Posada, a name which means inn or place to stay. People walk together with statues of Mary and Joseph, knocking on doors until one house invites them in to stay for the night. Make a simple gingerbread house ornament for your tree. Cut a house shape from brown corrugated cardboard. Use white decorating icing in a tube to outline windows and door on your house. Poke a hole in the top and add a loop of yarn for hanging. Then ask your family: how does our church help those without a home in our town? How can we help, too? 22

23 December 17 O Wisdom Wisdom is a tree of life. Proverbs 3:18 God s gift to us: Jesus, the Wisdom of God To be wise means more than being smart or good at school. To be wise means knowing how to live well. For Christians, it means living like Jesus in every place and with every person. Your turn: O Wisdom ornament Beginning today we remember seven special prayers to Jesus called the Great O Antiphons. (Antiphon means anthem, or song sung by two choirs.) The Church saves these prayers for the last week of Advent. Today we call Jesus the wisdom of God. You ll need seven small paper plates for these ornaments. Today think about how scripture calls wisdom a tree of life. Use construction paper cutouts to glue a colorful tree design to your paper plate. Add a yarn loop for hanging. Instead of today s scripture verse, you can use the O antiphon for today s Advent prayer with your family: O Wisdom of our God most high, guiding creation with power and love, come to teach us the path of knowledge! 23

24 December 18 O Adonai: Lord The law of the Lord is their joy. Psalm 1:3 God s gift to us: Jesus, Lord Lord is an old word for rulers. Most rulers of old time wanted power to make other people do what they wanted. They made up their own laws to take from other people. God gave us Jesus to be our Lord, because he comes to give us God s own Law: a law that shows us how to live in new ways of peace and love. God first gave this law to Moses on a mountain called Sinai. Your turn: O Adonai ornament Today we remember the second of seven special prayers to Jesus called the Great O Antiphons. Today we call Jesus Adonai, the Lord. We remember the gift of God s law to Moses. On a small paper plate, glue a brown paper tablet that looks like the stone tablet of Moses. On your tablet write one way that God wants us to live like Jesus. Add a yarn loop for hanging. Instead of today s scripture verse, you can use the O antiphon for today s Advent prayer with your family: O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power! 24

25 December 19 O Root of Jesse A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots. Isaiah 11:1 God s gift to us: Jesus, from Jesse s family God s people loved the memory of one of their favorite kings: King David. They loved how brave David was, and how he sang beautiful songs praising God. David s dad was named Jesse. God s people hoped that one day, hundreds of years after David lived, there would be another king from the same family. This is the family that Christians call Jesus family: God s family of good kings. Your turn: O root of Jesse ornament Isaiah thought of David s family as a family that looked past its time, but would one day have a new king. Today we remember the third of seven special prayers to Jesus called the Great O Antiphons. Today we call Jesus the root of Jesse. We remember that Isaiah said he would be like a new sprout from a dead set of roots. On a small paper plate, glue a set of tangled, twisted tree roots made from yarn or construction paper. Then add to the roots a single branch bursting into bloom. Add a yarn loop for hanging. Instead of today s scripture verse, you can use the O antiphon for today s Advent prayer with your family: O Root of Jesse s stem, sign of God s love for God s people, come to save us without delay! 25

26 December 20 O Key of David [Jesus is] the holy one, the true, who holds the key of David. Revelation 3:7 God s gift to us: Jesus, who opens all doors Imagine you want to do something you know is right, but it seems too hard to do! Can you stick up for the kid who s being bullied? Can you do without the coolest pair of shoes if your family needs the money for food instead? It can feel like you re pushing against a locked door. Christians say: ask for help from Jesus in hard times. He can unlock that door for you. Your turn: O Key of David ornament Today we remember the fourth of seven special prayers to Jesus called the Great O Antiphons. Today we call Jesus the Key of David. On a small paper plate, glue a large key made from construction paper or foil. Around the edge add words that tell about tough times when we want Jesus help. You can even cut out newspaper headlines that describe hard times. Add a yarn loop for hanging. Instead of today s scripture verse, you can use the O antiphon for today s Advent prayer with your family: O Key of David, opening the gates of God s eternal kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness! 26

27 December 21 O Radiant Dawn Day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 2 Peter 1:19 God s gift to us: Jesus, the morning star Imagine being lost on a dark night. You sit tight and hug a tree, staying in one place until the sun comes up and you see just where you are and just where you need to go. God sent Jesus to show us what we need to do every day of our lives. Your turn: O Dawn ornament Today we remember the fifth of seven special prayers to Jesus called the Great O Antiphons. Today we call Jesus the Dawn, the moment each day when our darkness turns to light. On a small paper plate, glue the picture of the most beautiful dawn you can imagine, with a rising sun and a sky lit up with bright light. Add a yarn loop for hanging. Instead of today s scripture verse, you can use the O antiphon for today s Advent prayer with your family: O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death! 27

28 December 22 O King of Nations True are your ways, O king of the nations. Revelation 15:3 God s gift to us: Jesus, gift to all peoples God just doesn t play favorites. God doesn t give Jesus just to bless one family or one country or one kind of people. Not just adults. Not just the rich and powerful. Not just the people who live close to us. God blesses all the nations of the world with a king who loves them: Jesus. Your turn: O King ornament Today we remember the sixth of seven special prayers to Jesus called the Great O Antiphons. Today we call Jesus the King of All Nations. On a small paper plate, use construction paper or foil papers to make a crown for a king. Around the edge of your plate make as many different peoples faces as you can. (You can cut pictures of people from old magazines instead.) Choose as many colors of skin and hair and eyes as you possibly can! Add a yarn loop for hanging. Instead of today s scripture verse, you can use the O antiphon for today s Advent prayer with your family: O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save us who were formed from the dust! 28

29 December 23 O Emmanuel: God with Us They shall name him Emmanuel, which means God is with us. Matthew 1:23 God s gift to us: Jesus, always with us When we turn on the TV or watch a video, we might think Christmas is just about happy times. But God s gift of Jesus is for all our hard times, too. Maybe you re having a sad day or an angry day or a day when you just wish you could start all over with getting out of bed. Jesus is with us on those days, too. And Jesus asks us to be with one another in every hard time. Your turn: O God-with-us ornament Today we remember the last of seven special prayers to Jesus called the Great O Antiphons. Today we call Emmanuel: God with us. On a small paper plate, use markers or construction paper to make a picture of a place or time where you want Jesus with you most of all. Is it at school, when you have to take a test? Is it at recess, when two friends of yours are fighting? Your plate will be different from anyone else s. Add a yarn loop for hanging. Instead of today s scripture verse, you can use the O antiphon for today s Advent prayer with your family: O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law, of all nations and keystone of the Church: come to save us, Lord our God! 29

30 December 24 This sign shall take place tomorrow. Exodus 8:19 God s gift to us: Jesus, today, tomorrow and always Is it hard for you to wait for Christmas to come? It s almost here! How will your family spend Christmas together? Will you see family members you don t see every day? Tomorrow will be the great day. Your turn: secret code ornament You can make an ornament with a secret code made from Latin words! Remember the Great O Antiphons we used from December 17-23? When you read the first letters of their names, backwards, they spell out two words in Latin: ERO CRAS. That s Latin for, I will be there tomorrow. Who will be with us tomorrow? Jesus, born as a baby in Bethlehem! Can you use fancy lettering to make a secret code ornament to hang on the tree? Use this code, or make up your own. Emmanuel (God with us) Rex (King) Oriens (Dawn) Crux (Key) Radix (Root) Adonai (Lord) Sapientia (Wisdom) 30

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32 How does your family get ready for Christmas? What if your family lived halfway around the world? All around the world, families and children are getting ready to celebrate good news for the whole world: Jesus is born! Travel with us around the world and through the days of Advent as we get ready to celebrate this good news, too. Each day you can: Find out about Christmas in another country Make something new for your family s tree Get ready for Christmas with your family: Jesus is born! From Sea to Sea from Tree to Tree was written by Dina Strong with illustrations by Larry Nolte. Copyright 2010 by All Saints Press, PO Box , St. Louis. MO (800) and AllSaintsPress.com