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Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts

Free printable Christmas crafts stencils, holiday patterns, seasonal templates for art lesson plans


Inexpensive Christmas crafts are pretty cool. But guess what's even neater? Free Christmas crafts. For those of you who like free holiday stuff, here's a Santa-sized sleighful of free printable Christmas stencils, seasonal templates and holiday patterns. Print free stencils and make your own greeting cards, wrapping paper and Christmas crafts. To use make reusable holiday patterns and seasonal templates, laminate stencils and then cut them out. You can also transfer printables onto recycled cardboard, such as cereal boxes and cut them out with an X-acto knife. You might also transfer patterns onto recycled sheet plastic or Myler stencil plastic available at Hobby Lobby, Jo-Anne Fabrics, Michael's (but recycled is cheaper!)
Fashion Era has free printable Christmas crafts stencils with seasonal templates for religious and secular holiday patterns. Templates are arranged in a countdown to Christmas Advent calendar, one pattern per day. There are stencils for nativity (birth of Jesus), winter and general holiday patterns. Free printable stencils include reindeer, stockings, manger scene, wreath, holly and ivy, winter scene, snowman, ornaments, Merry Christmas banner,candles, presents, Mary and Joseph, Baby Jesus, bells, carolers, teddy bear, Christmas pudding, Christmas trees, angels, wisemen, Santa Claus and more. The art is nostalgic Dickensian England Christmas.

There's another page of free printable holiday patterns and stencils for another Christmas countdown. Seasonal templates include Jewish Chanukah menorah, Christian Madonna and Child, candle, camel, wisemen, star, a holiday choo-choo train, snowflake, dove, stocking with toys, wreath, Christmas tree, rose and for Easter and Christmas, a lamb and cross. About Painting offers links for many more free printable Christmas crafts stencils, holiday patterns and seasonal templates. Print a gingerbread man, patterns for snowflakes, ornaments, Santa Claus, Father Christmas and more. Christmas printables has even more Christmas stencil printables. Altogether Christmas features free stencils of animals dressed in Christmas-y outfits, like a cat in a Santa Claus hat! 

Free printable Bible Christmas nativity scenes, Advent manger scene


Are you looking for religious Bible Christmas crafts for children to make during Advent? You'll want these free printable nativity scenes. Children can color Bible characters and assemble an Advent manger scene. Here's a free printable Bible Christmas manger scene with cut and paste coloring pages to put on paper towel tubes. Catholic Icing has eight coloring pages that you can click and print directly from her blog. Each page features Mary and Joseph, donkey, angel, wisemen, shepherds, Baby Jesus, camels. Download the set from the website.
Hart of the Mountain has free printable nativity scenes with Bible character finger puppets. Activity Village offers free printable Bible Christmas nativity scenes that kids can color, cut out and assemble. Make a shoebox diorama stable. Scroll down for more manger scene crafts including a nativity mobile. words cards, and games.
Prudent Baby is a blog with a complete set of free Advent manger scene printables. Cute Bible characters people these nativity scenes. Love to Know has free printouts of Bible Christmas nativity scenes to color, cut and paste and assemble. Scrapbook Scrapbook has a darling free printable Advent manger scene with Mary, Joseph, Jesus, angels, animals, wisemen and shepherds. There's even a printable stable and manger.
To celebrate a Bible Christmas, allow children to color and make one character each day before the holiday as a way to count down to Christmas. This makes and excellent Advent devotional. Add a piece each night or move Mary and Joseph closer to the stable nightly. Save the Magi camels for Epiphany season. Have kids color while reading Advent calendar Bible stories. I suggest adding manger scene pieces in this order: stable, palm tree, manger, hay, cow, star, shepherd, sheep, angel, donkey, Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus, 3 wisemen, camel.


Free printable Jesse Tree ornaments and Bible coloring pages for Advent


Advent is the Catholic Christmas liturgical season leading up to Christmas. For four weeks, we pray, fast, read Bible passages on the gospel Christmas story and give alms to the poor. The theme of Advent is to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus. One way is to pray an Advent calendar. Another, related to the Advent calendar is to follow a Jesse Tree.
The Jesse Tree is an ancient visual aid the shows the lineage of Jesus. The basis comes from the Old Testament Bible passage "a root shall spring up from the stump of Jesse's lineage." This Bible foretells the birth of the Messiah and that He will come through Jesse, King David's father. . During Advent, symbols are hung on the Jesse Tree to represent Bible characters and people in Jesus's family tree.
Here are free printable Jesse Tree devotional activities. Each night, have children color one symbol place it on the Jesse Tree. Do this as you light candles on the Advent wreath and candles and read and pray from the Advent calendar. The Jesse Tree ends by adding images from the O Antiphons, another ancient Advent to Christmas series of prayers.
Life Your Way has a set of free printable Jesse Tree ornaments with Biblical symbols. ERIERCD has several pages of Jesse Tree coloring pages to print free. Print in black and white and have kids color. Jesse Tree ornaments include apple tree (Adam and Eve). Ark and rainbow (Noah), tent (Abraham), cradle (Sarah), coat (Joseph), stone tablets (Moses), Harp (David), ladder (Jacob), tambourine (Miriam), crown (Solomon), anchor (Ruth) lion and lamb (Isaiah), mallet (Deborah), trumpet (Joshua), lion (Daniel), well (Rebecca), house (Elizabeth), lily (Mary) hammer (St. Joseph) Chi Ro (Jesus). The Reformed Church in America has more free printable Jesse Tree symbols to color. Catholic Icing has more printable Advent Jesse tree crafts. 1+1+1=1 has a free printable Jesse Tree booklet with devotions, prayers and crafts to make.

The Jesse Tree can be made in many ways. In times past, it was a Christmas tree. Some families use a tree made of paper or a cloth banner with detachable ornaments. In our family I use a small table top tree with child-made ornaments and symbols. We add one each day.

Free printable Catholic O Antiphons prayers, crafts count down to Christmas


Advent, a penitential season in Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches, begins four weeks before Christmas. During Advent, the faithful Catholic pray, give alms, fast and perform acts of sacrifice. It's a lesser Lent. Starting Dec. 17, in Advent, says Benet Vision, the Catholic church counts down the last week till the Octave of Christmas, praying the Magnificat or O Antiphons (names for Jesus) litany. The Magnificat was the Blessed Virgin Mary's prayer to God.
Each day focuses on a different Biblical name for Jesus. These ancient messianic titles are referenced in the Old Testament of the Bible. They can be found in the hymn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." Here are the titles in Latin and English.
Dec. 17 O Sapientia (Wisdom)
Dec. 18: O Adonai (Lord of Lords)
Dec. 19: O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse or Flower of Jesse's stem)
Dec. 20: O Clavis David (Key of David)
Dec. 21: O Oriens ( Dayspring or Radiant Dawn)
Dec. 22: O Rex Gentium (King of the nations, King of Kings)
Dec. 23: O Emmanuel (God with Us, or With Us is God)
The Advent tradition of praying the Magnificat O Antiphons began in medieval times. Some protestant churches pray them too. Here are free printable Magnificat O Antiphons coloring sheetsto help children learn and pray these sacred worshipful devotions. Family Feast and Feria has freeprintable ancient Catholic church images found in stained glass windows to color. Have children, make them into a prayer booklet.
Teach kids that the first title letters, Emmanuel, Radix, Oriens, Clavis, Rex, Adonai and Sapienta spell the Latin word "erocras" meaning "Tomorrow, I will come." Advent anticipates the coming of Christ at Christmas. The O Antiphons take us to Dec. 24 the Feast of Christ's mass (Christmas). The symbol for Jesus is two Greek letters Chi Ro (X and P). It looks like a Pax sign.

You might also have children create free printable Jesse Tree ornaments and decorations for the Christmas tree. Children could learn to play O Come Emmanuel. Here is free printable sheet music for different instruments. Perhaps they could learn to sing it and share at a nursing home or church senior group. Words are included on the links. You might also make treats based on the seven Catholic Magnificat O Antiphons. Cut sugar cookies shaped printable images. Or cut them like a star, sun, tree, key, King's crown, Bible, cross, Chi Ro, fish, baby. Help kids explore the O Antiphons with all their senses.

Free printable Advent crafts and Countdown to Christmas activities


We homeschooled our four children for over 10 years. As a Catholic Christian family, we celebrated Advent in the weeks before Christmas. In our homeschool, the entire month of December was devoted to Advent preparation and Christmas countdown activities. Advent begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas and counts down to the feast of Christmas. Christmastide extends through Epiphany. Here are Advent preparation and Christmas countdown activities.

First, let's look at the season of Advent, separate from Christmas. Advent means coming and refers to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, as a baby born for mankind. Advent foreshadows Christ's second coming too. In preparation for that coming, Advent is a penitential season in the Catholic church, though not of the same magnitude as Lent in degree of penance. Advent, is a preparatory, anticipatory time. Advent focuses on prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The four weeks of Advent center on themes of Hope, Expectation, Joy and Preparation (these themes may be referred to in different terms). Christmas countdown activities should follow those themes.

Pray the Advent Calendar. Catholic Christian Advent calendars aren't the cutesy ones where children get candy or toys. A Catholic Christian Advent calendar has Bible verses, prophecies from the Old Testament about the Messiah and gospel scripture readings. Make your own Advent calendar and have children search Bible verses that reference Jesus as the Messiah as homeschool history or social studies activities. The prophet Isaiah wrote extensively about the coming of Christ. Have them look up the gospel nativity story in St. Luke. Write verses on the Christmas countdown calendar. You could also pray an Advent novena.

Make a Catholic Christian Advent prayer grotto. Put up your manger scene or nativity set on a table. Place the Advent wreath nearby. Let each child make his own Advent wreath using artificial evergreen wreath and battery-powered candles from Dollar Tree. Or make green clay wreaths and burn birthday candles. Keep Advent candles glowing all week long. Pray your novena, do daily homeschool devotions and read scripture from the Advent calendar by the grotto. Children love bringing the sacred into their homes.

You might even set your grotto outside in the front yard so everyone in your neighborhood can enjoy it. Invite them to pray with you or just stop by and meditate. Keep lights burning at night to send an Advent message of joy, hope, expectation and love to neighbors. This is a great homeschool outreach lesson plan for children. You aren't shoving your beliefs down anyone's throat, just sharing the love of a Bible Christmas.

Make a Jesse Tree and place it in your Advent grotto. This daily devotional activity follows the lineage and birth of Jesus from Adam and Eve to the Nativity. You can create your own Jesse Tree with a simple evergreen tree cut from green construction paper. Have students research the family tree of Jesus using Bible verses. They might color images and hang them on the Jesse tree like ornaments. Add one per day as a Christmas countdown activity.

Perform Advent almsgiving activities. Do a Catholic Christian Christmas countdown with Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Write one good deed on each link of the Christmas countdown paper chain. Make every Christmas countdown activity part of your Advent preparation. Fill Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, write holiday letters, make Christmas greeting cards, create crafts to give as gifts, shop for Giving Tree gifts for church, go caroling, bake cookies and share with neighbors. Feed the birds. It's been since our children were in homeschool. But the happy memories remain; each of our children has carried these traditions into their adult lives.

Free Printable Gingerbread House Patterns, Recipes, Templates


Making holiday gingerbread houses is a favorite family traditions. Not being very artistic, I'd cheat and get the gingerbread house kit. But I've found a better way: free printable gingerbread house patterns, recipes and templates. Now, people approach gingerbread house making in one of two ways. The first is by painstakingly designing a work of art--not to be eaten, let alone touched. Then there's our youngest son's method: slap together a ramshackle gingerbread shed, lather in two inches of frosting, cover every inch in candy and devour immediately. Whichever school you subscribe to, you'll want these free printable gingerbread recipes, templates and patterns.
Ultimate Gingerbread is dedicated to the tradition of gingerbread house making. The site has dozens of free printable gingerbread patterns, recipes tips, ideas, suggestions, pictures. They even host an annual gingerbread house making competition. You'll need to register and create a free account. The website has a support forum as well, which would have really come in handy a few years ago when our gingerbread house's retaining wall gave way.
Tipnut list 12 free printable gingerbread house templates. There are several different styles from Hansel and Gretel cottage, manor house with dormers, frosted roof, etc. There are instructions and tips, too. King Arthur Flour offers a free printable gingerbread house recipe and instruction booklet with cake and icing recipes, tips and patterns. 
Mein Lila Park is a blog that links to free printable craft projects. This page lists printable paper houses to use for gingerbread templates. There are gnome, manor, town and farm houses. Many are already designed to be gingerbread houses. Botanical Paperworks has a free printable gingerbread house stencil with recipes. Sweetopia has another free gingerbread template to print. Patternsge has a detailed house pattern printout. Stefan Jansson at Flickr offers another printable gingerbread house
Sugar Craft has a free printable old-fashioned gingerbread house pattern. I've linked to the recipe page. Click the word PATTERNS on the right under the image of the house. Gingerbread Heaven offers two free gingerbread template printouts. Be sure to follow the instructions listed with the gingerbread house patterns for best results. 
I encourage family gingerbread house making for a bonding experience, but recommend that each person make his own gingerbread house. This spares debates/arguments over design that can end with the whole house on the floor! Not that my angels would ever do that! May your holiday season be as sweet as a gingerbread house. 


Free Printable Folded Paper Christmas Ornaments, Decorations

Remember those little cootie catchers kids used to make? Did you know those can be used as a lesson plan? Making origami (folded paper toys) provides fine motor skill builders and eye-hand coordination practice. Folded paper crafts provide practice in measurement, math, geometry and fractions, too. Need some educational Christmas crafts? How about free printable cut-and-paste and folded-paper holiday decorations?Kids learn while creating! These activities are perfect for elementary and middle school math classes, homeschool and winter vacation fun. With some assistance, these crafts will work with special needs, disabled students and preschoolers. Senior citizens will love them, too. 

First Palette is a one-stop source for awesome free printable Christmas ornaments. Print images in black and white and have children color them (ahem, parents and teachers--coloring pages are value added childminder crafts because they keep kids busy longer!) You can make these into photo frame Christmas ornaments by gluing them to cardboard once they're colored, then cutting small windows and taping pictures to the back.

Edupics also has free printable origami Christmas ornaments, folded paper crafts and homemade holiday decor. There are 3D Christmas ornaments shaped like stars and balls. Use cut-and-paste, folded paper crafts as math lessons. Cutting and folding paper and assembling crafts provides hands-on geometry practice. Children learn math measurement and spatial relations. Edupics has free printable folded paper crafts featuring cut and paste manger scenes, 3D nativity sets, Santa Claus and stand-up sleigh and reindeer. There are free printable cut-and-paste folded paper Christmas cards. Print in grayscale or black and white and Christmas ornaments become coloring pages for children to color and personalize.

The Toymaker features vintage free printable origami Christmas ornaments and folded paper crafts. The folded-paper boxes are adorable. There are also cute cut and paste greeting cards and holiday decorations. Paper folding is great for special needs students with perceptual challenges who struggle with such tasks. Multisensory crafts help children build scissors skills, fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination. Check the Toymaker for free printable advent calendars, gift tags, religious decorations. There are free printable Hanukkah and Kwanzaa crafts, too.

Noella Designs has all sorts of free printable origami Christmas ornaments, cut and paste and folded paper crafts for holiday decor. Children will love making the Santa Claus train, Santa village, 3D snowflakes, holiday decor, centerpieces and Christmas tree ornaments. Children could make crafts and give as Christmas gifts. To help children be successful in holiday craft making, be sure to provide sharp scissors and high-quality glue and tape. Follow instructions printed on the craft. Teach children to read all directions first. This practices skills of following directions, problem-solving and sequencing steps. Provide adequate adult supervision and assistance for special needs and preschool students. Children get frustrated if they can't make their project look the way they want it to. Encourage students to help each other, also.

Free Printable Advent countdown to Christmas Activities


Advent is the Catholic Christian season leading up to Christmas. For four weeks, prior to Christmas, Catholics practice Advent values prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Each week focuses on hope, expectation and joy. Here are free printable advent calendars for kids to make, to guide advent to Christmas devotions. 

Many involve candy or treats and while there's nothing wrong with a little treat, materialism defeats the Advent purpose: to focus on God. Constantly receiving teaches children (and adults) to be even more aquisitory than they already are at Christmas. If they're getting all season long, where's the magic of Christmas morning? Advent is about preparing for the coming of Christ with acts of charity.

Advent observances should be spiritual. Here are templates from Loyola for free printable Bible Advent calendars. Children read Bible stories and practice the gospel values of prayer, fasting and charity.

Have children make their own Advent calendar. Here's a printable calendar with Catholic feast days listed. Print Bible clipart from Clipart Pal or free Christian Christmas images from Web Weaver. Write Bible verses and gospel passages on the back of clipart. Have children list daily acts of kindness: visit the elderly, pass out cocoa at Christmas parade, wrap Giving Tree gift.

Mr. Printable has free printable Advents calendar crafts. They're not religious. but they could be made that way adding Bible gospel readings and works of mercy.

Here's are free printable Jesse Tree ornaments patterns for kids to color. The Jesse Tree is a visual aid that tells the genealogy of Jesus. It takes children through major Bible stories. Each night, children color a symbol to add to the tree, taking them to the O Antiphons (and ancient Advent prayers said before Christmas).

Sign up for ZonderKidz from Bible Gateway and get a free Jesus Storybook and Bible verses Advent calendar to print. Spiritual Advent calendars teach children that the best gift doesn't come in a wrapped box. The very best Christmas present, the reason for the season, was born in a rough manger.

ESRS creatives has a printable Advent calendar that looks like Christmas ornaments hanging from a tree. There's a printable contemporary Advent calendar. Check this site for a free printable whimsical styled Advent calendar. For a modern Advent calendar click here. Here's an advent calendar that looks like a 3D town. Here is another town shaped Advent calendar printout.

Yellow Bliss Road has an Advent calendar styled like treat bags hanging from a line. O Happy Day has a similar printable Advent calendar. And Petit Lapin has yet another printable bag-style calendar.

This site has printable advent calendars in different styles. For printable child-themed advent calendars, check this site for a Santa Claus Advent calendar. Here's a stocking Advent calendar. Or here's an advent calendar with tags that look like ornaments.

Here are some printable window advent calendars. Here's a cute geometric one. Here's a vintage calendar. Here's a religious advent calendars from Loyola. All Crafts has advent calendar printables. And here are more Advent calendar to print. Here's a site with links to more printable Advent calendars.

Free Printable St Nicholas Day Activities, Christmas Crafts


Dec, 6 marks the Catholic feast day of St. Nicholas, said the Manila Bulletin Dec. 5. He was a fourth century bishop and patron saint of Orthodox Christians, Russia, Holland and children around the world. Dec. 6 is Saint Nicholas Day in many countries. He is the Christmas gift-giving figure and basis for the Santa Claus legend, St.Nick's acts of charity weren't myth, however. If you want to celebrate a more Christ-centered Advent and Christmas, here are free printable St. Nicholas activities.
First-School has an adorable St. Nicholas Advent calendar to print free. There are free printable advent wreath crafts, Bible Christmas lesson plans, nativity of Jesus coloring pages and more.
St. Nicholas Center is dedicated to the promulgation of the faith through devotion to St. Nicholas. Visit the activities page with free printable St. Nicholas games, crafts, lesson plans, hidden pictures, puzzles, word search and 3D cut and paste play set. You can print a free St, Nicholas coloring bookfeaturing holy cards, Byzantine icons and stained glass images of the saint. Even older children will enjoy coloring these beautiful sacred images. Use as an art lesson to explore Byzantium and the Eastern Orthodox church. Older children might color the images and write a narrative of St. Nicholas's. Then assemble into a book, laminate and read annually on the Feast of St. Nicholas.
Catholic Mom has free printable Catholic Christmas activities in the Sunday gospel section. There are free printable advent activities too. EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) has a Catholic Kidssite with holiday and holy day lesson plans, games, crafts, recipes and activities. Check the main site for viewings of the cartoon Nicholas: the Boy Who Became Santa Claus. Youtube has a video on Nicholas, the Real Santa Claus.
Don't forget the best-loved St. Nicholas Day tradition. It comes from the Netherlands. On St. Nicholas eve, December 5, children leave their shoes out near the door. Legend says St. Nicholas, dressed in his bishop's robe and mitre, rides by on a white stallion and leaves presents in shoes. Children leave a hot drink for St. Nicholas and hay or a carrot for his noble steed.

Nicholas's feast day is Dec. 19 in the Julian Orthodox calendar.

Free Prinntable Kwanzaa Lesson Plans and Activities

Habari Gani? This is the Swahili greeting given at Kwanzaa, the least known but fastest-growing of the winter holidays. When you greet someone with Habari Gani? you are asking "what's the news?" Kwanzaa--meaning "first fruits of the harvest"--celebrates family, community and culture. Kwanzaa is celebrated for seven days, from December 26 to January 1. In the seven days there are seven principles that people aim for. Here's the list in Swahili and English, plus free printable Kwanzaa lesson plans, Swahili worksheets, African crafts and games.
The seven Kwanzaa principles are--"umoja" meaning unity, "kujichagulia" or self-determination, knowing one's self. Ujima means working collectively and being socially responsible. "ugamaa" refers to cooperative economics and bartering for the common good (instead of selfishly undercutting for one's personal gain). "Nia" is sense of purpose and "kuumba" is creativity. Over it all is "imani" or trust and faith.
The symbols of Kwanzaa include seven candles or "mishumaa" in Swahili. There are 3 red, 3 green, 1 black cancle which together represent Kwanzaa's seven principles. These are placed in a kinara, a candle holder, representing a stalk of corn. This ceremonial holder shows people grow in families from the earth. The Kwanzaa candle holders look similar to a Jewish menorah.. The "mkeka" is a straw place mat, recalling tradition and history. Placed on the mat are a variety of fruit, symbolizing harvest called the mazao. The "vibunzi" is an ear of corn. One is given to each child, celebrating the child's potential (what they can become). The "kikombe cha umoja" is a cup of unity, which recalls the ancestors.
Children are given simple but significant gifts at Kwanzaa. The purpose is to develop creativity, potential and success. Gifts, in Swahili are called "zawadi." Use these free educational resources to explore Kwanzaa. Habari Gani? Offers a wonderful history, perspective and collections of free printable Kwanzaa activities and African crafts. About Homeschooling has a large selection of free printable Kwanzaa lesson plans, games, Swahili puzzles and African crafts Kwanzaa.
ABC Teach has free printable Kwanzaa lesson plans for elementary subjects: math, reading, social studies, history and writing. Many are inter-disciplinary or cross-cultural. There are links for crafts, vocabulary, and more. Mr. Donn has developed a large collection of free printable Kwanzaa lesson plans Swahili worksheets and African crafts all focused upon Black or African American history. He has made many free printable lessons. Making Friends has free printable Kwanzaa lesson plans, crafts and African crafts.

Free Printable Bible Games, Puzzles, Activities for Christmas

Looking for free printable Bible Christmas lesson plans? Here are dozens of free printable Catholic and Christian Christmas activities. Focus on the real meaning of Christmas. Coloring pages, crafts, mazes, word search, puzzles and lesson plans are available to print free for families and non-profits. These activities make excellent holiday lesson plans. They're great to use at Advent to count down to Christmas. Use for homeschool, Sunday school, Catholic and Christian school, CCD and Catholic religious education. These Christmas activities come right from the Bible, which of course, incorporates the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary, too.
Calvary Williamsport features a Calvary Kids Pages website with all sorts of free printable Christmas activities, games, puzzles and lessons.
You can print puzzles, color by number, dot to dot, crossword and mazes like:
-- Zecharias visited by Angel Gabriel word search
-- Annunciation of Angel Gabriel to Mary hidden picture page
-- Angel appears to Joseph word search and crossword puzzle
-- Mary, Joseph and donkey travel to Bethlehem maze and dot to dot puzzle
-- Jesus born in a manger maze
-- Angels appear to shepherds color by number puzzle
-- Birth of Jesus crossword puzzle and word search
-- Color by number angel puzzle
You can print Christmas and Advent crafts like:
-- Manger scene activity
-- Nativity scene craft
-- Advent wreath craft
-- Candy cane story activity
-- Snowflake maze and puzzle
-- Snowflake craft
-- Jesus is the Greatest gift maze
-- Events of the life of Jesus sequencing activity
Calvary Kids Pages has dozens of free printable Christmas coloring pages of angels, Mary and Joseph, Baby Jesus, stable, shepherds, star of Bethlehem, manger scene and Bible stories. This should keep kids actively engaged till Christmas and beyond!


Free Printable Advent Crafts, Christmas Activities


Are you looking for religious Bible Christmas crafts for children to make during Advent? You'll want these free printable nativity scenes. Children can color Bible characters and assemble an Advent manger scene. Here's a free printable Bible Christmas manger scene with cut and paste coloring pages to put on paper towel tubes. Catholic Icing has eight coloring pages that you can click and print directly from her blog. Each page features Mary and Joseph, donkey, angel, wisemen, shepherds, Baby Jesus, camels. Download the set from the website.
Hart of the Mountain has free printable nativity scenes with Bible character finger puppets. Activity Village offers free printable Bible Christmas nativity scenes that kids can color, cut out and assemble. Make a shoebox diorama stable. Scroll down for more manger scene crafts including a nativity mobile. words cards, and games.

Prudent Baby is a blog with a complete set of free Advent manger scene printables. Cute Bible characters people these nativity scenes. Love to Know has free printouts of Bible Christmas nativity scenes to color, cut and paste and assemble. Scrapbook Scrapbook has a darling free printable Advent manger scene with Mary, Joseph, Jesus, angels, animals, wisemen and shepherds. There's even a printable stable and manger.

Free Printable St. Lucia Day Activities, Christmas Around the World


Advent is the Christian period of preparation for Christmas. Several Catholic feast days fall during Advent: Dec. 6 is St. Nicholas, Dec. 12 is Our Lady of Guadalupe and Dec. 13 is St. Lucia (or Lucy) Day, says School of the Seasons. Here are free printable St. Lucia Day activities. Advent is a great time to learn about Christmas traditions around the world. St. Lucia was from Sweden. St. Lucia is the patron saint of Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark). So on her feast day, explore Scandinavian Christmas celebrations.
Reenact St. Lucia story. Legend tells of a period of great hunger and snow storms in Sweden. St. Lucia is said to have brought warm food and drink to the needy. She appeared dressed in white with a halo of light around her head. On St. Lucia Day the eldest girl dresses in white, wears a lighted wreath halo and serves sweet rolls and cocoa to her family and neighbors. You could reenact the story or bring baked goods, Christmas cookies and holiday treats to neighbors. Remember especially the elderly, unemployed, lonely or handicapped. Thrifty Fun shares traditional St. Lucia Day recipes.
Make St. Lucia Day crafts and games. Willow of Wonder has a free printable St. Lucia Day crownand recipes for sweets. Catholic Mom has Sunday gospel lesson plans for the entire liturgical year. The December page features printable activities for Advent and feast days that fall during that time. There are puzzles, games, crafts, wreath activities and more. Making Learning Fun has free printable St. Lucia crafts, coloring pages, paper dolls, puppets and 3D stand-up crafts.
Learn about St. Lucia Day. Here is a collection of free printable St. Lucia lesson plans from Bright Hub Education. Here a St. Lucia themed printable lessons from Lesson Planet. There are maps and activities on Sweden, too. PBSKids has an Arthur episode with activities featuring George and D.W. celebrating St. Lucia Day.
Celebrate St. Lucia Day as part of Advent. Pro Teacher has created a printable December Holidays unit. These activities focus on Advent and Christmas and take you though St. Nicholas Day, St. Lucia Day and other December activities. There is a free printable Advent calendar, Advent house and other activities. Loyola Press has a plethora of free Advent resources and printables.


Free Printable Christmas Around the World Activities: Germany

Looking for Christmas around the world activities? How about a global hop to Christmas in Germany? Here are German holiday activities. First a little history: Ancient Germans were druids that worshiped nature. They celebrated Winter Solstice or Saturnalia from which come many Christmas traditions.Then warring Saxon, Hunnic and Teutonic tribes brought their gods of Valhalla. From them come week day names--Thursday (Thor), Friday from his vengeful wife Freya and Wednesday from brother Woden (also known as Loki the trickster). They worshiped the sacred oak, which became a deity because it was so large.

Then in the 800s, St. Boniface (also called St. Winfred) brought Christianity from Ireland. Ireland was a world educational center in the 8th century, since the Roman bishop Patricus (St. Patrick) Christianized it in the 4th century. Boniface, a Benedictine monk went as a missionary to pagan Germany. At the Hessian village of Fritzlar, St. Boniface confronted pagan worshipers at a sacred oak dedicated to Thor. They planned to sacrifice a child and its mother pleaded with St. Boniface to save her child. Boniface took an axe to the oak and dared Thor to strike him dead if he could. As St. Boniface chopped, a mighty wind knocked the  tree over. From its roots sprang an evergreen tree, the symbol of Christ and everlasting life. Awed by the miracle, many converted to Christianity. 

Celebrate Christmas around the world with German holiday activities. Make Christmas tree ornaments from green felt. Stitch two pieces together and stuff. Decorate with sequins, ribbon, glitter, silk flowers, buttons and beads. Make Christmas tree shaped sugar cookies. Or mix marshmallows, butter, Corn Flakes and green food coloring. Shape like evergreen trees. Or buy Christmas tree Little Debbie cakes.

Gift-givers differ in traditions of Christmas around the world. In German holiday activities, St. Boniface isn't the Christmas gift giver. That task belongs to the more whimsical Kris Kringle with his assistant Black Pieter (also called Krampus or Ruprecht). He's a chimney sweep and an imp--good children get gifts, bad kids get coal or a switch for chastisement. Kris Kringle is good Christmas cop, Krampus is the bad cop. Kris Kringle appears fierce at first, but ends with a jolly laugh. Celebrate Krampus and make "coal cookies" Blend chocolate syrup, cream cheese, crushed chocolate-filled Oreos and chocolate chips. Form into lumpy balls. Leave them out for Krampus to sweeten his mood. Or wrap and give as gifts from Krampus!

Elsewhere in Germany, the Christkindl (Christmas angel) brings gifts. Children write to Christkindl for gifts and decorate their cards with sugar to make them sparkle. Have children make Christmas cards by folding blue construction paper and decorating with glue and glitter. Add sparkly colored sugar to Christmas cookies and leave out for the Christkindl.

Another Christmas around the world tradition says Martin Luther, a German monk. saw that snow and moonlight made evergreen tree glow. Luther was reminded of the light of God's love. He cut down a small tree and decorated it with candles. Martin Luther also wrote the Christmas carol, Away in the Manger. Have children thank God for his love as they decorate the Christmas tree. Gather and sing carols around it. Make chart of activities to practice loving kindness. Make cut paper snowflakes. Fold white paper in fourths then thirds, like an ice cream cone. Trim off excess to make a square. Cut designs using printable patterns. Cut part way through along the fold. Decorate with glitter.

Learn "Silent Night' in German "Stille Nacht." Legend says Father Joseph Mohr, of Oberndorff, Germany who was dismayed to find that mice had eaten through the organ bellows one Christmas Eve. There would be no music for midnight mass. Father Mohr went to baptize a newborn baby, and was moved by the sight of mother and child. He hurried home and penned this best-loved Christmas hymn. Kappelmaster Franz Gruber wrote the melody for guitar and it was sung Christmas mass. Make connections between English and German words--Stille (still) Nacht (night), Schlaf (sleep) Gottes (God) Sohn (son) Bruder (brother).
Make a gingerbread house. Read the Grimm Brothers' "Hansel and Gretel" print gingerbread house patterns and decorate your homes like the witch's cottage. Make you own gingerbread or glue graham crackers to a box. Decorate with candy. Make gingerbread men also. Make the stable in Bethlehem and decorate with animal crackers. For holiday greetings of Christmas around the world, learn to say "Froehliche Weihnachten' (froy-leek vine nahkten) meaning of course, Happy Christmas to all!


Free Printable Jesse Tree Pattern, Ornaments

 Advent is the Catholic Christmas liturgical season leading up to Christmas. For four weeks, we pray, fast, read Bible passages on the gospel Christmas story and give alms to the poor. The theme of Advent is to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus. One way is to pray an Advent calendar. Another, related to the Advent calendar is to follow a Jesse Tree.
The Jesse Tree is an ancient visual aid the shows the lineage of Jesus. The basis comes from the Old Testament Bible passage "a root shall spring up from the stump of Jesse's lineage." This Bible foretells the birth of the Messiah and that He will come through Jesse, King David's father. . During Advent, symbols are hung on the Jesse Tree to represent Bible characters and people in Jesus's family tree.
Here are free printable Jesse Tree devotional activities. Each night, have children color one symbol place it on the Jesse Tree. Do this as you light candles on the Advent wreath and candles and read and pray from the Advent calendar. The Jesse Tree ends by adding images from the O Antiphons, another ancient Advent to Christmas series of prayers.
Life Your Way has a set of free printable Jesse Tree ornaments with Biblical symbols. ERIERCD has several pages of Jesse Tree coloring pages to print free. Print in black and white and have kids color. Jesse Tree ornaments include apple tree (Adam and Eve). Ark and rainbow (Noah), tent (Abraham), cradle (Sarah), coat (Joseph), stone tablets (Moses), Harp (David), ladder (Jacob), tambourine (Miriam), crown (Solomon), anchor (Ruth) lion and lamb (Isaiah), mallet (Deborah), trumpet (Joshua), lion (Daniel), well (Rebecca), house (Elizabeth), lily (Mary) hammer (St. Joseph) Chi Ro (Jesus). The Reformed Church in America has more free printable Jesse Tree symbols to color. Catholic Icing has more printable Advent Jesse tree crafts. 1+1+1=1 has a free printable Jesse Tree booklet with devotions, prayers and crafts to make.
The Jesse Tree can be made in many ways. In times past, it was a Christmas tree. Some families use a tree made of paper or a cloth banner with detachable ornaments. In our family I use a small table top tree with child-made ornaments and symbols. We add one each day.

Free Printable Polar Express Party Planner Kit


Here's a Christmas holiday party for kids with literature connections. Print a free party kit from "The Polar Express" complete with games, crafts, party decorations, invitations, greeting cards, party favors and more. This party theme kit is based on the beloved book "The Polar Express" by Chris VanAllsburg and the hit holiday movie.

This free printable Polar Express party kit is perfect for those looking to host a secular Christmas holiday party and avoid religious Christmas themes.
Houghton-Mifflin, publishers of Vanallsburg's original book offer free Polar Express activities, coloring pages, crafts, games, coloring pages, Christmas tree ornaments and holiday decorations.

Here are just a few of the free printable activities--a Santa hat, poetry frame worksheet, Christmas card, North Pole sign, winter holiday party garland and patterns for snowflakes. Games includes puzzles, word search, fill in the blank and matching. Make Polar Express recipes including mint cookies and of course, hot chocolate! For healthier versions, make snowballs (popcorn balls), edible snow (popcorn with Parmesan cheese), Rudolph punch (cranberry and blood orange juice) and reindeer food (carrots, celery and sliced apples). String jingle bells on red ribbon or yarn for party crafts and give as party prizes. Make bird feeders by spreading peanut butter on pine cones and rolling in bird seed




Free Printable Christmas Carols, Sheet Music, Song Lyrics


Christmas caroling has long been a holiday tradition. Vox said Dec. 10, that 36 percent of people remember caroling as kids. That number is waning. But caroling is still a favorite Christmas tradition. In fact, some say it wouldn't be Christmas without carols.
If you're planning on Christmas caroling, here are links for free printable Christmas carol sheet music and lyrics. There are religious Christmas hymns and classic holiday carols. Print a songbook for each carolers. Host a neighborhood, school or church carol sing. Or just go door to door impromptu! Try to visit a nursing home to cheer the elderly.
Holiday Sheet Music has PDF versions of Christmas sheet music to print. It's a an excellent resource for traditional carols. Here are religious hymns available (some are difficult to find): Once in Royal David's City, Lo How a Rose 'Ere Blooming (sung during Advent in Catholic churches), In Dulci Jubilo, Joy to the World, Away in the Manger, Silent Night, Angels from the Realms of Glory, Oh Holy Night, We Three Kings, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, The First Noel, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, O Come all Ye Faithful and Good Christian Men Rejoice
Holiday Sheet Music has a lovely collection of ancient European Christmas carols. Learn these beautiful carols and add them to your holiday repertoire. From France comes Oh Bienheureuse Nuit (Oh Holy Night in French), Carol of the Birds, Carol of the Flowers, Gascon Carol and Sing We Noel.
From England comes traditional old Christmas carols such as: The Sussex Mummer's Carol, The Boar's Head Carol, Sommersetshire Wassail, Here We Come a Wassailing, The Holly and the Ivy and Good King Wenceslas.

There are also American southern Christmas spirituals as well: Jacob's Ladder, Pharoah and I've Been Rambling All Night.