Felt Nativity Advent Calendar

Make a simple background for the scene. This one has 2 green hills on a black background.

Add details like a tree, bushes, and a barn. Glue these pieces to the background if they will not be used as part of the nativity calendar.

For this scene to be used as an advent calendar, you would need to use all the palm branches, bushes and parts of the barn to make 25 pieces. If you prefer to have these as the background, use a bigger background sheet of felt, and make extra sheep, shepherds and angels.

To make a nativity advent calendar, cut out 25 figures, one for each day in December until Christmas day, December 25th. Begin with an empty scene. Each day your child chooses a figure to put on the scene until it is complete on Christmas morning with the baby. If you have more than one child, they can take turns adding a figure on alternating days.

If you want a fancy place to keep the pieces, you can decorate an envelope or box. Another option is to make pockets to hang below the banner. Put numbers on the pockets (in descending order) as a way to count down until Christmas day. Sometimes dollar stores will sell pocket advent calendars that could be used for this--then you wouldn’t have to make it!

Make the scene into a large banner by adding dowels to the top and bottom of the background, and glue the figures onto it. The size is determined by how many figures you want to bother cutting out, OR how big a piece of felt you are able to buy, OR how big your wall space is. Actually, since you glue the pieces to the background for a banner, the background fabric can be any type of fabric. You may want to hem raw edges so they look finished, and don’t ravel over time. For felt, this is not necessary.

How to Make the Banner

1.Cut the dowels/skewers wider than of the background--long enough to hold the wooden balls on either side of the banner.
2.Glue the 4 wooden balls to the ends of the dowels. (craft stores and some hardware stores sell large wooden balls with holes drilled through them)
3.Spread a thin line of glue along both ends of the felt and fold it over the dowels. Press and hold in place with heavy objects, such as books, until it dries.
4.Optional: Tie a ribbon or cord to both ends of the top dowel to hang the banner.

Optional alternative method: Sew a hem on the top and bottom edges. Slide the dowels through these channels, then glue the balls onto the ends of the dowels.

Sunday School > Crafts > 3 Felt Nativity Crafts > Felt Nativity Advent Calendar or Large Banner