Christmas & Advent Planning

Did you realize, Advent starts in just one week and Christmas is in 5 short weeks! Are you ready? Do you know what you are going to do to prepare and celebrate? I'm getting there. I have so many things I want to do I probably should have started doing them yesterday. Not kidding. I know I can't fit them all in but there is always next year. A few years ago, I posted a bunch of Christmas Activities that I found around the web. Since some of those links I am sure are not working and there are so many new links out there, I decided to post an updated list for you to get ideas. Since I was scouring the web anyway, I thought it would be nice to share. 

You're welcome.

Advent Calendars, Activities, Lapbooks and Lessons

Online Advent Calendar - TeachingMOM put this calendar up in 2008. I have used it as a guide every year. I love how much stuff she has for each day. I start the activities on the first day of Advent and adjust the amount of activities each week to last until Christmas.  She also has an Advent Verses Chain you can print out and use. We have also done this yearly and discuss the verses throughout Advent season.

Advent Coloring Book - DLTK has a great Advent coloring book that all of my kids have done. This is a great book for preschoolers through 1st or 2nd grade. Even older kids who enjoy coloring can appreciate this book.

Advent Coloring Pages - Ministry to Children has a cute little Advent Coloring Book that looks like fun for the younger ones. It is simple and can be a great beginning for Bible lessons during the Advent season.

An Inductive Advent Study Guide - This is a really neat study guide that can really be used with any school aged child I think. An inductive study is a great way to really dig deep into the Word.

Printable Nativity Scenes

Every year we make our own Nativity. The kids paint pictures of all the people and animals and angles and we assemble it together up on the wall like a bulletin board. The kids love doing this every year and each year I try to use different print outs to keep it special. We also change up the painting method and sometimes add glitter glue, cotton balls, sponge paint some of the animals or whatever else we can think up to make each year a little different than the last. Here are some of the sites I have used in the past and links to stuff I am thinking about for this year. I want to make several and have them displayed all over the house this year.

Christmas Nativity Scene - DLTK has a great scene to print out that I have used parts or all of in years past. She also has these adorable Christmas Girl Angels and Christmas Boy Angels that seem to make it on the wall each year.

DIY Printable Nativity - Catholic Icing has one of the most adorable Nativity Scenes. I am sure this is one of the scenes we are going to make this year.

Make Your Own Nativity Scene - This is a really cute Nativity Scene that looks easy to put together.

Scrapbook Printable Nativity Scene - This is a great little Nativity Scene at ScrapbookScrapbook.

Paper Doll Nativity - This cute printable set is for paper-dolls. I love that it uses a box like a diorama and hay. So fun.

Printable Nativity Scenes - This one is unique as it has two scenes. One when Jesus is born with the shephards visiting and then a second with Jesus as a toddler and the magi visiting. This one is basically a print and assemble the last page of this has a bunch of facts about Jesus' birth and the Nativity and how tradition isn't always the way it was.

Nativity Scene Clipart - I have used this clip art to help make our scenes up on the wall before.

Lapbooks, Mini Books and Unit Studies

Christ Is Born Lapbook - This little lapbook is geared towards young ones. It is a cute little folder that you can put printed pieces in to make a little scene they can play with.

Nativity Lapbook - We used several elements of this lapbook a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

The 12 Days of Christmas Lapbook - We did this lapbook a few years ago and the kids loved it. It puts Biblical meanings (though they are not the official meanings) to each of the twelve days. It's an enjoyable lapbook geared more for elementary aged kids.

Legend of the Candy Cane Lapbook - Do you know the legend of the candy cane? It's pretty cool. I'm going to do this with the kids this year.

Other Activities and Printables

Christian Preschool Printables has so many fun things from games to mini books to crafts and everything in between.

Homeschooling 4 Free has so many links to so many great ideas. I thought I would add this link in for anyone who still needs some more ideas for home, or Sunday School.

File Folder Fun has a great collection of free folder games for Christmas. Just print, cut, glue and play. My kids love folder games and I have made more than I can count. I will be making a couple of these too.


I might have gone overboard but I think there is something here for everyone. With having every grade from kindergarten to junior high, I was trying to find something each of my kids would enjoy.