Holiday Blitz Day 5: Christmas Advent Tree Tutorial & another winner
Posted on: Saturday, November 22nd, 2008An advent tree? What in heaven’s name is that you ask? If you haven’t heard of an advent tree before, there’s a good reason for it – that’s because as far as I know, no one has ever done one….unitl now *lol*!
The advent tree is a brainchild that hit me during our Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator Stampfest. Another demonstrator – Heather Arsenault -was showing me some adorable magnets she made using small watchmaker tins which she purchased at Michael’s. They looked just like the watchmaker tins used to create advent calendars such as this one – only they were smaller – measuring 1 1/4" in diameter. At the time, I was already busy thinking about my Holiday Blitz event and what types of projects I wanted to feature. I knew I wanted to do some type of advent calendar, but as is typical for me, I wanted to see if I could come up my own unique twist on it – so, the idea for the advent tree was born!
An advent tree is used to countdown the days until Christmas in the same way as you would with an advent calendar – however instead of being little boxes or tins on a calendar format, I turned them into ornaments on my tree. Every day my children will open up one of the ornaments and inside there will be a little note. On the note will be either an activity to do (such as watch a Christmas movie, bake cookies, go toboganning, make a card, etc.), or there will be a clue to send them on a hunt for a treat hidden somewhere in the house. Today I’ll be sharing with you a few key pictures on how I made & decorated this tree just in case you decide you want to make one yourself. I do warn you however – this is time consuming (it took me about 5-6 hours) and depending on where you get your supplies (i.e. the tins and other decorations) it can be kind of costly. You can click on the picture below to get a larger view.
This tree stands about 2 1/2 feet tall. The supplies I used to make it are as follows (all supplies are Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise indicated).
Stamps: star stamp from Nursery Necessities stamp set, Calendar Alphabet & Numbers stamp set
Paper: Ski Slope DP, Whisper White CS
Ink: So Saffron Craft & Classic, Basic Black, VersaMark
Non- Stampin’ Up! Accessories: styrofoam cone, mini watchmaker tins, dressmaker pins, decorative Christmas garlands, decorative tacks (all from Michael’s), wooden skewer, hot glue gun & glue sticks, hammer, scrap board to hammer on, nail
Stampin’ Up! Accessories: 1" circle punch, small star punch, silver cord (the one that was retired – you could use the current one), Crystal Effects, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Chipboard Star, Iridescent Ice embossing powder, heat tool
Step 1: Cut your DP into 1" x 4" strips (set aside enough paper to cut a few 1/2" x 4" pieces to act as fillers). You want to bring the two ends of the paper strip together, but you don’t want to actually fold it because you want there to be a "loop" as shown in the picture below. Using a dressmaker pin, pin the "loop" along the bottom edge of the styrofoam cone so that the "loop" part just touches the table. Once you’ve finished the first layer and gone all the way around the cone, you then start the second layer. You want the second layer to overlap the first layer by about 1/2" inch. Continue all the way up until the tree is completely covered.
Step 2: For the very top of the tree I created a "cone" shape out of DP and placed it over the top of the tree – this hides the flat top of the styrofoam cone. To create my star, I took two chipboard stars, covered them on both sides with So Saffron Craft ink, heat embossed one side of each with Iridescent Ice embossing powder, and stuck them to a wooden skewer with my hot glue gun.
Step 3: To create the advent tins, I used the supplies pictured below: little watchmaker tins (they are 1 1/4" in diameter), some decorative tacks (they look like large, curved thumbtacks), sticky strip and red grosgrain ribbon.
Step 4: I started by taking the lid off of my tin. I place the bottom of my tin onto a scrap piece of wood and using a nail, I hammered a little hole in the center of the tin.
Step 5: I then removed the nail and pushed my decorative tack through the hole. I lined the side with sticky strip, removed the red backing, cut a 4" piece of ribbon and stuck the ribbon to the sticky strip, around the tin. Using a hot glue gun, I applied a liberal gob of glue to the outside back of the tin and glued the base of the tin to the tree. Tip: before you glue them to the tree I suggest you first find where you want to put them, poke them in to make sure they sit just right, and once you’re happy with their placement, THEN you glue them in place.
Step 6: I bought two different types of garland at Michael’s. The first one you can see below. I cut the string and removed the largest of the "balls". They were actually make of styrofoam, so I poked a dressmaker pin through the hole and then poked the end of the pin into the tree. Unfortunately the pictures below don’t render the color too well – they were actually a combination of gold & silver.
Step 7: I purchased a second type of garland that you can see below (again the color didn’t render too well). I used my craft and rubber scissors to snip it apart and used the various pieces as "ornaments" on my tree. I finished off my tree by wrapping silver cord around it.
Step 8: to create the advent ornaments I punched a circle out of Ski Slope DP using the 1" circle punch, I centered and stuck it to the center of the glass lid using Crystal Effects. I then stamped the star from Nursery Necessities onto a scrap of white CS in So Saffron ink 24 times and I stamped the numbers onto each star. I then patted my VersaMark pad all over the stars, covered them in Iridescent Ice embossing powder, heat embossed them & punched them out. Lastly I mounted them to the center of each tin cover using a Stampin’ Dimensional. You can click on the picture below for a larger view.
That’s all there is to it. Very easy, just time consuming as I mentioned earlier.
I have to tell you, I’ve really been enjoying reading all your comments – everything sounded so yummy! I actually had some people email me and ask if there was any way to get some of the recipes – if any of you have an easy idea of how this might be accomplished I’m all ears! We have a couple of traditions surrounding meals for the holidays. On the years we celebrate with my in-laws (we alternate years between my in-laws and my family), we open gifts on Christmas eve – this usually last into the wee hours of the morning. The last gifts we open are the funny gifts. After that we all troop into the kitchen and have Tourtiere (this is a French-Canadian dish – a meat pie). Our traditional Christmas meal is on Christmas day and we have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potates baked with marshmallows, cinnamon, brown sugar and butter, & a few different vegetables. The stuffing we use is my grandmother’s recipe – it is a bread stuffing which is pretty simple to make but very good. It’s funny you know, but Christmas just doesn’t seem like Christmas without our favourite foods. I’ll never forget when I was in my first year of University. I had an exam on the 23rd of December. My parents have a condo in Florida and had gone ahead because that is where we were celebrating Christmas that year. I flew to Florida on my own, I was tired, still stressed from exams & had a bad cold, but boy oh boy was I ever looking forward to my turkey dinner! Wouldn’t you know it, my mother decided that it would be nice to change up Christmas dinner that year and instead of turkey, I arrived to a baked salmon!!!! I was so upset! I still remember it to this day, although now I can laugh over how upset I was.
And now……drumroll please……the winner of yesterday’s draw for the pdf tutorial of the Christmas Planner tin is Michelle Hoffman! Congratulations Michelle! In order to draw my winners I use the website www.random.org so that the winner is randomly drawn. Michelle, please email me at andrea@sunnystampin.com in order to claim your prize!
For Holiday Blitz Day 5 I’ll be drawing another winner for the tutorial for this tin. In fact, I’ll be giving away this particular tutorial for 7 days in all. After that, it will be a different tutorial for a different project. This tutorial includes a supply list, dimensions and over 40 step-by-step color photos on how to make this project. For more details about the Holiday Blitz Event click here.
A lot of you have been emailing me and asking me if you could purchase the tutorial for this planner tin since I am unable to give it away free (because it was a special Make and Take for a paid event) The answer is yes! You can purchase the tutorial by clicking HERE.
Today’s question: Do you decorate your house for the holidays, and if yes, do you have a special tradition around this, or a decoration that has sentimental value?
Just so we’re all on the same page – the winner of today’s draw will be announced tomorrow evening (EST) when I post Holiday Blitz Day 3. You can expect our daily posts to be released in the EVENING (EST).
Andrea Walford 
Sophia Landry 
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141 Comments
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:09 pm
We decorate the inside and for the first time ever we are doing the outside! We don’t a tradition, I wish I had started one when my children were small.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:12 pm
We do decorate the house for Christmas. My husband bought me Moravian Star lights. They are so very special to me. See, here in Bethlehem, PA Christmas is HUGE (I guess in Bethlehem it should be huge). The big thing is the Moravian Star, from the Moravian church (which we do have here, as they came from Germany to here). There is a Moravian Star on top of South Mountain, lit all year round. People have stars in their windows and as porch or entry way lights. When we first go married we could not afford the big beautiful Moravian Star light I really wanted, so my husband gave me the string of Moravian Star Christmas lights. I still don’t have the glass star, but I really love my string of star lights. They are the most precious Christmas decoration I own.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:24 pm
My husband’s job is to put the tree up and the kids and I decorate it. I have other decorations through the house too. Christmas is so much fun with the kids.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Yes, we decorate, outside lights and inside the tree, with ornaments we have acquired over the years and one ornament I put on the tree every year is one my daughters and I made when I was a single mom – with cookie cutters and balsa wood, we traced, cut out and colored with markers. Only one of those survived and it reminds of how blessed I am. I also have a ceramic Nativity set that my Aunt (God mother) made for me that I really cherish. OOH, I just love this time of year.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:28 pm
We always decorate the house for Christmas – usually all the outside gets is lights around the house, but on the inside we go overboard. All kinds of christmas candles, candleholders, ornaments, porcelain houses, wreath on the door, etc. We used to always get a real tree – I always wanted my kids to remember the smell of a real tree, but last year we got a fake one and it’s a lot easier. We decorate as a family and the kids have lots of fun rediscovering decorations they love and forgot about over the past year. I buy my kids a new ornament (or make one now) each year, and it’s always dated. In the past couple of years, I’ve got a family ornament and put a picture on it and dated it. It’s truly a treat to look back over previous years and see how much we’ve all changed.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:33 pm
We decorate for the holidays big time. Christmas is my favorite time of the year. We don’t have many traditions concerning our decorating, except when we put up the tree. While we are decorating the tree we watch “White Christmas”. To me, it’s not Christmas until we have watched that movie!
As always, your tutorial is great and sooo creative. Thanks for sharing with us.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:37 pm
We decorate inside, outside, upstairs, downstairs. We love the holidays. Last year we ran out of time. So we put my step-fathers underware on tree as decorations. Fun times.
Catherine
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:38 pm
We decorate mostly our inside of our house. My husband got tired of climbing up on a latter to do our 2-story house. We have a great big tree and lots of hand painted china paited porcelain ornaments that my grandma made for me now us over the last 25 years. I’ve also bought an ornament with the kids name on it whenever I can find one each year. Our tree always looks so pretty!
Thanks for all your tutorials! I love your site!! Kristi Kelly
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Yes, I decorate my house. I do have some family heirlooms which are my most prized possession.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:42 pm
We don’t have any particular tradition other than always having stockings, wreaths, garlands, and the tree, but I hope to someday have my mom’s nativity scene in my home – that will be extra special for my little girls.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:44 pm
What a cool idea!
We decorate for Christmas not long after thanksgiving is over. We decorate our wrap around deck with icicle lights and I have little trees inside with white lights on them in both the dining room and our sitting area (living room without the TV in it). I love decorating the house – I especially love lots of white lights, snowmen, gingerbread men and icicles or snowflakes. I am really getting in the holiday spirit!
Lynn
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:44 pm
we do decorate the inside. our tradition is we buy an ornament every year for each other. these ornaments are very sentimental to us! especially since we can buy “mommy” and “daddy” and especially “daughter” ornaments.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:46 pm
My sister-in-law spends weeks decorating for Christmas with no less than 5 trees. So who needs to decorate when a person gets to spend time over there!
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:47 pm
We used to decorate a lot, but now, Christmas is pretty “low key” in our house. One decoration we do bring out each year is a beautiful porcelain Nativity scene. It’s beautiful when lit with a tealight candle.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Yes, we decorate, it is so fun. The thing we do that is traditional every year is that we do stockings every year (stockings my mother made) and in the stocking goes an ornament from each person in the immediate family. On Christmas morning we add the ornaments onto the tree. We have so many ornaments it is hard to find room. Of course the next year we will decorate the tree together with all the ornaments and give ornaments again and so on. I am 29 and have at least 50 ornaments from over the years, they span my ages and different eras. it is amazing to see the final tree each year.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Yes, we decorate for the CHRISTmas at our house. My hubbys job is setting up the tree and fluffing the branches,he also strands the lights on the tree and helps me put the ornaments on. We have a really unique ledge that we decorate as well.
Outside we hang garland twined with red and clear lights that we hang on our privacy fence and then we put out our candy cane lights that line the side walk. It is really pretty!
I also, put out a navtivity out in my entertainment center and I usually wait to put baby Jesus out until CHRISTmas eve.
Holly
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:56 pm
Every year I wrap a pine bough garland around the handrail of our staircase. I then add a string of red lights (last year I added little round LED lights for the first time, and they were so cute and bright!). We usually have a fake tree that I decorate differently every year. One year it will be all coordinating ribbons and ornaments (gold tones) with white lights, the next a collection of ornaments I’ve added to through the years, including anything my girls have made for our tree, along with multicolored lights. I have some cute figurines I’ve also collected that find a spot in book cases, on end tables, wherever they look nice. The stockings have cute stocking holders that sit over my fireplace. I bought a bunch of plastic snowflakes last year to hang in doorways and in my kitchen but I’ve had trouble keeping them stuck and lost several to the hard floor. That’s it for my family traditions of decorating.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Each year I make my gradkids a new ornament with their name and the year on it. When they reach 18 I pack them up and when they get settled and have a family, they have 18 ornaments for their trees to start them out.
Sherry C.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
We decorate the house, but we wait until Dec. 8th for the tree, that’s the tradition in my country and my husband has embraced it, and I’m really thankful for that since I’m so far away is a little way to feel closer to my hometown, the tree stays decorated until after January 6th, the night before my kids leave their shoes by the tree (not sure why the shoes but that’s the tradition), they also leave milk and cookies for the Kings (3 wise man) and water for the camels and they leave presents for the kids, those things that Santa my have forgotten
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:06 pm
I decorate for the holidays. I put things up the day after Thanksgiving. Now that both of my girls are grown I put on the Christmas music and go to town. I still put up decorations they made when they were in grade school and ones they got from McDonald’s when they put them in their Happy Meals. I also have a ceramic manger set I put up and included is plastic baby Jesus and cardboard manger that was mine when I was in first grade (I am now 56 so you can image how old it is). My oldest will be home for the first time in 3 years as her husband is stationed in Hawaii. The youngest graduates from college in December so this will be the last year they will both be here for some time. It will be very special and we will have lots of laughs over some of the ornaments!
Robbie
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Too cute, I just made a Jesse tree so this will fit perfect with my theme this year. Every year my grandmother attends a painting class that she paints a snowman with wood. I have fell head over heels with them and I now have 4 santas that she has done. I love to showcase them and will treasure them forever.
Congrats Michelle H. UDI whoohoooooo!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
This is such a great advent idea. TFS. We always decorate the day after Thanksgiving. My favorite Holiday tradition is putting out our musical angels….it is an inexpensive plastic wind-up that my toddler daughter removed the wings from each angel as she listened to the music…it took her several years to accomplish her task. She is a Mom now with daughters of her own and yet this little five and dime decoration is still our favorite. And a great story to tell each year. Denise in PA
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:15 pm
This is an AWESOME idea! We do decorate the house for the holidays, but some years this happens later than others due to a crazy and hectic schedule. As for traditions…nothing special except the the kids always get a new ornament for the tree each year. These will be theirs to take with them when the have a tree of their own. I still have the ornaments that I got as a child and these are very special to me.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:16 pm
We wait until the thanksgiving week is over and we put up the tree. We decorate the brick wall aroung the yard with swags of greenery and white lights with red bows where the swags touch the wall. We hang wreath with red bows at all the windows. We decorate with white lights on greenery around the door. We place a white candle in each window. Inside is the tree in the bay window. Hang the stockings on the fireplace. Place my santa collection around the house. Make a new ornament for each son every year. These are our traditions.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Great idea for advent! Once my daughter was old enough to help decorate the tree, it became tradition to put on Christmas music and the three of us (DH, DD, and myself) decorate the tree. We also got a tree for daughter’s room that she gets to decorate all by herself. She loves it.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Decorations go up the weekend after Thanksgiving and must be down before New Year’s Day or it’s bad luck. There is one large tree in the living room and several small ones throughout the house and each tree has a theme. When the first grandchild was born his little tree was decorated in baby shoes, baby toys and pacifiers.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Another wonderful project! Wonder how this would travel through the mail?? LOL!- My secret sis would love it!
We always play Christmas music as we decorate the tree. I have an ornament that I’ve had for as long as I can remember…a Rudolph one…He’s a little worn but loved all the same. He’s always given a special place on the tree.
Thanks again for sharing!!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I do a minimal of decorating. Since we’re involved with our church’s Christmas program which takes 2 weekends in December, and the week after Thanksgiving, it is so hectic, that we’re not home lately..so I try to decorate as much as I can….with Garlands around the fireplace, and hanging the Christmas cards up as they come in!
GREAT ADVENT TREE!!!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:31 pm
Wow! Thanks for another awesome tutorial!
Our tradition is to put up our tree and decorate on December 1, which is my birthday. I hate my own birthday (and love everyone else’s), so this is a way to start celebrating Christmas nice and early, because we love Christmas, and not have so much fuss about my birthday!
Heather L.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:32 pm
I love to decorate and I have lots of special items. Hallmark ornaments I’ve collected since I was a kid, hand carved Santas, nativity set and snowmen my dad carved. Quilted items my mom made. Lots!!!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I enjoy decorating my home for Christmas, but it isn’t as much fun taking it down after the holidays and putting it away! I’m looking forward to making ornaments from Stampin’ Up’s different kits this year!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:39 pm
I do decorate. I have a star tree topper I got years ago when my husband and I were first married and we celebrated our first Christmas together. I also have stockings for us and our fur babies that I hang. This year we will have a new baby so I will come up with a new tradition for Christmas. If she comes on or after Dec 1st then the three of us will be December babies! So I will come up with something having to do with celebrating it all! Cute tree!!!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:40 pm
I am a Christmas Nut when it comes to decorating. I have been a Hallmark Keepsake Christmas ornament collector since 1978. I actually decorate three trees…my kitchen tree is all gingerbread and kitcheny type ornaments..I have a white tree for my snowman collection ( looks lovely with sparkly blue ribbon) and our main tree in our living room is covered with my series collections. I also have a santa collection that I display on a pine chest.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:40 pm
We do decorate inside and out. I put lights out on the bushes in front of the house. My favorite ornaments on the tree are the homemade ones. The ones I have made with SU and the ones that others have made for us. I also love the ornaments that I get or have been given to us when we are traveling. They are unique and add a lot to the tree. Mary
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 pm
We decorate inside, but not outside. And how much we do inside despends on what we have for dogs- we raise service puppies so when we have one that could cause problems, we do a small tree rather than the big one. My husband has a large collection of Snow Village pieces, but we haven’t put them out for a few years. Our son (12) loves to put the decorations on the tree. We always talk about where they came from. I’m thinking about making an album of our ornaments but haven’t taken the time to start it yet!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 pm
My favorite tree is the tree in my dining room that is decorated with all of my family’s vintage ornaments. I also have beautiful framed pictures of all my loved ones who have passed away on this tree. I consider it our “Heritage Tree”.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:48 pm
WOW what a beautiful tree…great idea. We do start decorating after Thanksgiving and however has free time will start, but we always decorate the tree as a family.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Now that I am on my own I (well out of my parents house) I decorate my own tree. My parents bought each of an ornament each year as a christmas present so when we moved out we would have something to deocrate our tree with. This is my tradition; I have all my ornaments as a child that i get to dig out each year, look at, remenace over and then hang up. I love thinking about each one and what each Christmas was like.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:57 pm
My husband and I have been collecting Christmas ornaments since we were dating – anytime we travel anywhere. So as we decorate our Christmas tree each year, we are reminded of lots and lots of memories. It is a lot of fun and very sentimental.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Yes, we decorate every year. The tradition that has carried on from year to year is putting the angel on the top of the tree – it is reserved for our youngest child. Now we will have to begin a new tradition as she is getting married and after all these years, we now have no more children at home. Perhaps we will have to start a new tradition and pass this “job” on to a grandchild!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:59 pm
WOW – your advent tress is amazing!!!
I do definitely decorate my house for Christmas …. sometimes it gets more festive then others – depends on my time.
My kids are all in their 20′s now but their hand-made Christmas ornaments still get put on the tree.
There is one special ornament that I have. It is a little knit mitten that is the last to go on and the last to come off. I bought it about 5 years ago when a dear friend of mind lost her 2 year old son just before Christmas. The little mitten reminds me of Brody and his family and is just a special part of Christmas for me.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:03 am
I used to decorate with lights and garland all over the house and have a beautiful coloful tree but now we are not here for much of christmas since I go to whereever my grandkids are so we only put up a small tree with lights that zing around in different rhythms. my grandson loves the tree though.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:06 am
Love this tree with the tins! I made a few of these trees last year for gifts, and the trees alone were time consuming! Don’t know how you find the time!
I love Christmas…..my favorite holiday. I go all out and decorate. The outside as well as the inside. DH says I have too many decorations. I will probably start this week….my favorite ornaments are ones my son had made me in preschool and early elementary. I treasure them. Also had a nativity scene he made me in a shoebox one year but it got squished and had to be thrown out. I love to blast the Christmas carols, decorate, and bake, bake, bake.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:09 am
I LOVE the tree. Fabulous! I need to make me one of those.
I put a wreath on our door mid November generally but this year I still haven’t hung it up. At the end of Novemeber we put out Christmas lights.
I used to put up a 5 foot Xmas tree in the living room/dining room and now that I use it for classes I really don’t have the space. Our house is very small. Last year I put up a small tree on a side table. I may put that in the family room in the basement this year as I already put up a tree that is about 18″ high that I have decorated with ornaments made from SU product and have it where I teach classes so so that the students can get some ideas of what is possible.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:14 am
Since I moved away from home after college, I’ve been pretty lame about decorating for the holidays because I always go home for a big chunk of time around Christmas. This year, however, I am committed to decorating our apartment! Without decorations, I don’t really feel the season, so the lights are going up, a little tree, and the music will be loud and festive!
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:17 am
Thank you for another GORGEOUS project!
Here, we decorate the inside with a snowman and snowflake theme….snowman and or snowflake candle holders…a canvas or two…The tree is decorated with a collection of the glass ornaments and homemade ornaments…
We might do lights this year outside..we’re thinking about it anyways.
Have a great evening everyone!
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:19 am
Hi Andrea! I’m honoured that my little magnets inspired you to create this magnificent advent tree. What a cool idea.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:35 am
We decorate mostly on the inside with our relatively new prelit artificial tree upstairs (it’s beautiful!) and a real one cut down on our acreage downstairs…I can’t let a single Christmas go by without a real tree, especially since we live right in the Black Hills National Forest! We have 2 prelit trees and a large prelit wreath on our front covered deck, and my husband installed a permanent system for hanging our 48″ artificial wreaths on our 2 pole barn doors…it looks great and is almost my favorite decoration we do, except for our beautiful tree inside.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:40 am
Yes we decorate. I bring out all the kids ornaments – from way back. They are 22 now. Each year we buy a new ornament that is significant of something special to everyone in the family – a new car, a favorite tv character, something they like to do etc..and these get added to the tree every year. I write the year it was added on each ornament.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:43 am
I wouldn’t say we have any real tradition for decorating, other than we each put our own ornaments on the tree. I collect Santas and Snowmen and have acquired so many that a few years back I decided I couldn’t put everything out, so I alternate now. One year it is Santa and the next it is Snowman and angels (don’t have as many snowman, so I combined them with the angels I have acquired as well. We have put up an artificial tree for the past few years, but since this is a special year with my son going to be home from basic training (and he had wanted a real one last year) I have decided I am going to get a real one this year to surprise him.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:51 am
Yes, I decorate our house for the holidays. My husband isn’t interested in decorating, just in admiring the decorations once they’re put up! LOL
I don’t have a special tradition but this year I plan to decorate the tree with all handmade Stampin’ Up! decorations.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:52 am
Wow thatAdvent tree is major, that was a lot of work but a nice tradition to start. We alwyas decorate the house with a Christmas tree and lights and a selection of Nativity scenes. Our youngest always did the tree with his Dad but now he is 27 and has his own tree with his family. I gave the kids all the decorations they made over the years for their own tree, hard to part with but important for them to have their decorations. I have cross stitched and mad ewooden tole apinting so I cahnge the artwork int eh hosue and display these also. Thanks again for the chance to win
Eileen
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:00 am
Hi Andrea,
Yes I decorate, but I use mostly snowmen and/or snow themed stuff. That way I have until Jan or feb to take it down! hehe I have always taped the xmas cards we get along a doorway opening. AND I keep all the cards. Crazy but true.
Thanks for asking!
Bobbie
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:06 am
I just LOVE your advent tree. Over the years I have been searching for the perfect advent “calendar” for my children. We have always used those filled with chocolates–one per day–but I wanted something more meaningful. I think your idea is just right b/c I love that we can focus on an activity for all of us to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas.
Every Christmas Eve my children receive an ornament that reflects something special that they accomplished that year. When we decorate the tree it’s so much for each of them to find ornaments from years past and reminisce about them. Someday when they are grown and have trees of their own they will have a collection to take with them.
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:07 am
Andrea, another wonderful idea, how pretty!!!
I love to decorate for the holidays amd since I live in an apartment I’ve had to down size. I put on some great Christmas music and have a glass of wine, it just feels like the start of the season.
I had always purchased one new Holiday item each year, usually for the kids and a decoration for the tree. This year I will be decorating clear ornaments balls and using the Holiday rub-ons.
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:25 am
I decorate my house but it’s a hodge podge of decorations that I have accumulated over the years.
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:32 am
Love the concept of an Advent tree!! Another terrific idea by you Andrea.
Every year each family member receives an ornament in their stocking. Each ornament matches the personality of that person. This year I bought all Hallmark ornaments. Our daughter is receiving the Jack Sparrow TALKING Hallmark ornament. She will go crazy, she loves Johnny Depp!! You know those teenage girls! I bought my husband the Grinch getting into the refrigerator for the roast beast. I love Marjolien Bastin, so I continued the ornament in her series. After everyone goes through their stockings, we each hang our ornaments on the tree. This has been a tradition in our family mainly for our daughter. When the day comes that she leaves “our nest”, I will have all of her special ornaments together to gift her for her first home or apartment.
Stampin’ Smiles from Ear to Ear,
Ann
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:35 am
Our family traditon is that, as soon as the Thanksgiving meal is cleaned up, we put on Christmas music, and put up our tree. Everyone has their own special decorations that they put on.
I love your tree, and what good timing for me. I am making a smaller one, to use for a table centerpiece, and was trying to figure out just what to do on the top. Now, maybe I will try your cone.
Thanks,
Bonnie S.
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:55 am
We have not been able to decorate much the last couple of years, money is tight. I usually hang uo any christmas cards I get. That is something my grandma always did, and I loved it. We usually have a little tree that we decorate. I guess the only tradition we have, is to read the Christmas story every year. We try to remember the true reason for the holiday, and also to not forget others at this time of year
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:24 am
I used to before I had so many toddlers but now all of my decorations get ruined by all the little hands! so we keep it simple for now
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:34 am
I have not decorated my current house before because we moved here dec 17th last year, and I wasn’t going to decorate and then take it down in a few days. However, one ornament I made in kindergarden with my face on it, always has to be up in my parents house. (one year it wasn’t and I asked why, and since then my dad makes a big deal about that ornament being up.) It’s kind of an inside joke, but that’s how our relationship is!
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:49 am
Yes we do decorate our house for Christmas. Usually my husband puts up the tree and the kids and I decorate it. My grandmother has given me a tree ornament every year of my life and since I’ve been married, my husband has received one also. The kids have each gotten some every year so it is fun to put them all on the tree each year. My favorite tree ornament is one that my oldest son made for me from a canning jar top with garland around it and a picture of him on the back when he was in preschool. He’s now 12 and every year I take it out and think how cute he looked and I hang it where I can see it every day!
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:08 am
The one ritual we have is on the day that we put up the tree, each of us tries to convince the other that *we* strung the lights last year and so this year it must be the others’ turn
. One day we’ll get a prelit tree and I’ll happily ditch that ritual!
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:37 am
We do decorate the whole inside of the house including my studio. The only “tradition” would be all the decorations for the tree have to be homemade – especially the ones the kids do in school. We kept them all.
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:40 am
We decorate the house the first Saturday in December and the decor is very much decided by the children. Although I would love to do the decorations in a more co-ordinated way I know how much the children love doing it and are always so proud at what they accomplish.
We don’t do the outside (apart from the front door and a santa stop here sign) but the house in front of us puts on LOADS of lights so we can enjoy theirs!
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:41 am
WOW, another great project. I love the things you come up with. Thank you so much for sharing.
We decorate just about every surface in the main living part of the house. All every day decorations get taken down and put away for the holidays. We never start decorating the inside until after Thanksgiving. My son puts up the lights outside the week of Thanksgiving if the weather is decent, but they don’t get turned on until Dec 1st. We have a train that goes under the tree which is great because we don’t really do gifts anymore. My kids each have their own collection of ornaments as do hubby and I, so our tree is a hodge podge, but we love it. Stockings are hung on the mantel. Candles are every where. I love Christmas. I have a porcelain angel that I have had since I was a child. Mine is pink and my sisters each had one also, but not sure if they still have them or not.
Of course we always find a special place for the navitity scene to be placed.
Happy Holidays to all.
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:44 am
Wow what an awesome idea. LOVE IT
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:49 am
We love decorating for the holidays. We take the week of Thanksgiving off work so we can get the house ready. My most special decoration….we bought a silver pom-pom tree at an antique store just down the road. It is exactly like a tree we had when I was growing up (now I’m showing my age) and we decorate it with red, white & blue items. We even managed to get one of those lights that sits under the tree and spins and reflects off the tree.
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:24 am
We decorate, but very small scale. Christmas tree, stockings, garland with lights on deck railing. I always tape Christmas cards to the doors of my kitchen cabinets. All the handmade cards get the door of honor…the one in the best spot. No presents ever get put under the tree until the wee hours of Christmas, otherwise my kids would open them.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:33 am
We decorate for the holidays but there is no special tradition or meaning with any of our decorations. We have a lot of them and add more each year as Christmas is my favorite holiday of the whole year.
Thanks for letting me join in on the fun.
November 23rd, 2008 at 7:12 am
What a unique advent project. I love it!
I used to go all out & decorate when DS was younger. But now that I live in a small apt and can’t do a lot of things I used to (2003 auto accident left me unable to work)it’s hard to decorate. I do my best at putting up a few Christmas things but for the most part I don’t do too much.
November 23rd, 2008 at 7:22 am
Yes we decorate. My husband does the outside and we have had a theme. I do the inside and I usually have a theme of color not so much designs. Although last year was fun we did all blue and white and snowflakes. It was really fun!
November 23rd, 2008 at 8:16 am
Yes we decorate inside and outside. I usually decorate the inside with the kids while they are out of school for the week of Thanksgiving. My husband does the outside with the kids usually the next weekend (weather permitting).
November 23rd, 2008 at 8:19 am
We decorate starting at the end of October
I start slowing bringing the decorations out so that no one seems to noticed much….at first 
Our tree usually goes up the first week of November but when the kids in our neighbour trick or treat to our home…they’re greeted with Christmas music 
November 23rd, 2008 at 8:25 am
We decorate a LOT because we love Christmas. We have one tree that is only covered with clear glass snowflakes, pearl sprays and glass icicles – my favourite. We have two ornaments which I insisted we buy from a trip to Europe years ago – and when I look at them now, they’re not that pretty, they are simply decoupage covered with way too much lacquer, because they are all cracking; anyways, every time we hang them they remind me of the HUGE fight we had when I was buying them – husband didn’t want to bring them home because “they took up too much space” – needless to say, we brought them home but given the reminder, perhaps it’s time to toss?
November 23rd, 2008 at 8:28 am
I usually decorate the inside and the outside but will only do inside this year since I just had wrist surgery and can only use one arm.
I have many tree ornaments that are very special because they have been made by members of my family. I always make sure they are on the tree before any others.
November 23rd, 2008 at 8:30 am
We do a lot of decorating, but my favorite ornaments on the tree we put up each year are the ones that were given to me by my grandmother. They are all handmade – one is an ice skate with a large paperclip as the blade.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:01 am
I usually start getting out the decorations the day after Thanksgiving, which is this Friday in the US. Then a few weeks before Christmas we go out as a family and pick out a Tree and my hubby and one of the boys puts the lights on and we all decorate it.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:29 am
Hi Andrea,
Your Advent Tree is so cute.
Every year I (or we) do a different theme. This year it’s going to be snowmen. We start talking about what we want to do in January. I decorate the whole house both levels. The kids are so excited this time of year because all our B-Days are so very close together. Starting in October 7th through Dec.21st. Next year there will be a new addition, sometime in January. Whoo hoo .The kids love to help decorate the tree. In fact we are getting our tree on my B-Day this year which is this sunday. After we get the tree home we put on Christmas music and bake cookies. Later that evening we will decorate the tree and have hot coaco and some of our yummy cookies. The following weekend we have a Birthday dinner we pick a reasturant that we all like. Lately it’s been one that is on the river because of the Xmas ships. As you can see Dec. is a busy month for us, but we love it.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:37 am
I told my 2 girls that we had decided to get a fake tree this year…and there was a rebellion, so we will have a real tree, that we either cut down, or if the weather is nasty we will buy it from the local Lyons club (support the local group)…I still put up stuff the kids made in kindergarden..myoldest who is 20 still looks for her old creations..this year I will be adding some decorations made with the big shot…wow…that is so much fun…
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:39 am
I love the tree if I can get up the energy I am going to buy the tree today. We all have been sick and can’t seem to shake it.
I decorate the outside only for Thanksgiving. My husband decorates the outside for Christmas. I only get to give him my opinion where I would like things. He does it all himself and to be honest I let him. I can’t stand the cold and he always has the outside looking so nice. My husband also usually puts up the tree and then I decorate it. We usually don’t put the tree up until closer to Christmas. We are always afraid the kids are going to try to climb it. This year I probably won’t be putting that many decorations up inside the house. My kids are getting to fearless and climb anywhere and they touch anything.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:55 am
we decorate almost anything we can. I just take out the decorations and let the boys go crazy, and then when they go to bed i fix whatever needs it and they never know.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:58 am
My husband does the outside and I do the inside. This year he is doing lights and music together – It looks really nice. I haven’t started on the inside yet!! Great projects – I’m still trying to win one of those planners!!!
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:09 am
We do both outside and inside. The outside is my husbands job, and it seems that every single year he seems to sneak more and more decorations out on the lawn! Each year my kids receive a new ornament for the tree – I love unwrapping all the past years ornaments and reminiscing about when they were small. My kids also love the advent calendar we have – a nativity scene.
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:33 am
We definitely decorate both the inside and outside of our house. No specific traditions for doing this (other than the kids each take a turn putting the star on top of the tree). My parents always decorated big time when I was a kid so I think it kinda passed on to me.
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:34 am
We decorate the inside of the house Thanksgiving weekend. Everyone helps. We play our Christmas music and have yummy things baking. All five girls decorate their rooms as well. They like to do it on their own so after the rest of the house is done, they work on their rooms.
Love your tutorials, can’t wait to try them out.
Denise
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:35 am
We do decorate the house for the holidays. Each of the children has their own mini tree for their bedrooms. My daughter can often be found in the studio with me, crafting new ornaments for her tree. Right now, she is loving the chipboard ornaments, and adds as much glitter glue and rhinestone gems as she can!
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:38 am
Several years ago I started a small, coffee table tree so that I would have something with special ornaments form the family when I went to the nursing home! The kids laugh but they always give me a special ornament for my little tree!
November 23rd, 2008 at 10:45 am
You’ve out done yourself, Andrea! I love it. We just have x-mas lights and the normal rigamorole. I’d love to have one of those Martha Stewart type houses for the holidays but i lack the funds, time and, let’s face, ambition. LOL! Thanks for yet another chance to win!
Brandi
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:00 am
We love to decorate for Christmas. Our decorations are very simple but the kids love it and love to help!
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:02 am
We have several traditions. We usually pick an evening when everyone will be home and we decorate up the tree together, play Christmas music and have a snack party. I usually put a few things up prior, right around St. Nick’s day so I can put things in theior stockings for St. Nick’s Day. This year we found an evening when everyone would be home and we purchased tickets to see Trans Siberian Orchestra’s Christmas concert. That would be lovely to make that a traditiona. A family night out!
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:05 am
I have a Santa collection that I put everywhere. I have a favorite ornament which is a baby’s 1st Christmas. My only son came very early and was not suppose to be born until in January. I had nothing Christmas for him. My sister got the local Hallmark shop to open up and she let her have the display ornament. I treasure that ornament and the memories it brings back every Christmas when I put it out.
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:13 am
My mother-in-law is queen decorator so she made some nice stuff for us that we use year after year. I don’t know that it’s sentimental, but it adds a nice touch. She lives in Canada and we live in the US so we don’t always get to see them at Christmas. It’s like a part of her is with us when she isn’t there in person.
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:50 am
On Thanksgiving night or the Friday night after, we always decorate our “main” tree in our living room. Christmas music on cassette tapes (you can tell we have been doing this for a very long time…no CD’s allowed), Christmas tree “Little Debbie” cakes and hot chocolate are enjoyed by all as we unload the trunk where the ornaments are stored and remember all the details about each of the “special” ornaments. Our sons are grown, but if they are home for Thanksgiving, they join in the fun, otherwise, my husband and I carry on the tradition.
November 23rd, 2008 at 11:58 am
Cute tree! We always decorate–and I have to wait until dec 11 to decorate since my son’s birthday is on the 10th. As for sentimental things–my angel on the tree and I still use the stocking I had when I was a kid.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I love snowmen, so most of our decorations revolve around them! Each year we buy a new ornament for the tree,which is especially fun now that both my daughters can choose their own. My 5-yr old asked if she could have a small tree to decorate, so that will be our new thing this year, she is going to love the one on this post!
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
any real traditions, no.
we are german so technically, you aren’t supposed, to decorate your tree until the day before/of christmas but i just love spending cold nights with a warm glass of gluehwein looking at my decorated tree.
also, i just can’t get into contemporary christmas colors.
i heart red, green, gold and silver!
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
I do not have any traditional items that I decorat with. Each year my decorations are different.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Oh yes, yes, we decorate for the Holidays. Can’t wait for Thanksgiving to arrive so we can decorate both the inside and outside. We decorate EVERY room in the house – including the bathrooms! It is a great time of the year.
Can’t wait to try and make your Tree – it is great!
Thanks for all of the wonderful ideas!
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:16 pm
WOW I love that tree.. hmm the kids have off for starting on Wednesday,, hmm I think we will take a trip to M’s today to get that tree! see you’ll be helping decorate our house for the holidays.. I must admit I am bad decorating and we usually just have the tree BUT my MIL is where we go for the decorations.. she has the Christmas train sets ,angels,music YOU NAME it she has it.From Thanksgving on its Christmas Winter Wonderland at her house since we visit her every week so the kids get their fix! lol
Thank you so much for all the work you put in and share with us! HUGS to you!
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
This is my favourite time of year as I can’t wait to get out all my Christmas decorations. I love having a festive house!! A few of my favourite things to pull out are my Department 56 North Pole village. We display this in our family room and we look forward to lighting it up each night.
My other favourite is my Holiday Quilt that my mother in law help me make. There are 24 squares and each Christmas my girls add their handprints to it. We started this quilt when my oldest was 2 and my youngest was 4 months. My mother in law trace the girls hands and quilted them around the outside of the quilt. It’s so special each year to see how much they grew!!
My other favourite is an advent calendar!!
Have a wonderful weekend,
Anne
P.s Love the tutorial today!!
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Andrea, this is a fabulous little tree. Thanks so much for sharing the tutorial!
We decorate inside and outside but not every year. Sometimes we end up with only the inside. I love the holidays and it is my favorite time of the year.
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
We usually decorate the day after Thanksgiving. My daughter loves it. It’s the taking and putting away that’s not so fun
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
We don’t decorate until December 1st (or the 1st weekend after!) We put on the Christmas tunes, pour eggnog and go nuts decorating. The last thing to go up is the tree. When we use the artificial tree, we put it up on the same day as the other decorations – and of course, the angel is the last to go on! The one ornament that has sentimental value for me is my stocking… my Nana made it for me when I was born, and hand embroidered my name and birth year on it.
Thanks for the Advent Tree, Andrea!
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I decorate the first week in Dec and my favorite decorations are my snowman cookie jar collection which comes out only in Dec and last through Jan. I have a lot of unique ones and always keep my eyes out for one with a cute face.
Carla
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:17 pm
This is such an awesome tree! I was hoping to make some styrofoam trees this year to decorate in the house (no kids, so I don’t bother with advent). I actually have very little holiday decor, so I was hoping to start some decorating traditions with the tree!
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Love your tree idea. We are starting to think about decorating, but with the weather like it is, does not look like Christmas outside, so is hard to focus completely, and no one coming home either.
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Your children will love the advent tree! How clever. For Christmas I have special ornaments for our children on our big Christmas tree, garland on our stairway, a snowman collection that stays up through winter. I also have a “kitchen tree” that has mini kitchen utensil ornaments, cinnamon ornaments and other country stuff on it. Thanks for the post….I am getting in the spirit early this year!
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Yes, we decorate both the inside and the outside at Christmas- Usually try and do it the day after Thanksgiving- I have several Christmas villages. I always put up one which includes around 15 large houses, train, trees and people and a small (Michael’s size christmas tree amongst the village) The other villages, I don’t always put up unless the grandkids will be here. It includes houses, elfs, etc. that they can play with if they wish. I also have several nativity sets that I put out- One large one that is ceramic that I made several years ago. The outside we put up lights, garlands, bows, lighted trees and reindeer. This is my favorite time of year.
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Enjoyed all the comments and the Advent tree directions.
Barbara
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Our family tradition is to decorate the house as a family (all 10 of us) on the first Saturday of December. We put Christmas music on, decorate the tree and the rest of the house, and set out the many nativity sets. Our most special set is the one my husband has hand-carved which we have always allowed the children to play/act out the Christmas story with. He has carved a different piece(person, animal, star, angels, etc) of the Christmas story each year that we have been married(20 years). We finish the day with hot beverages and cookies when we are done.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
No special traditions here. We celebrate Christmas and Chanukah so we get a tree and we light the menorah but that is it for decorations.
Jordana
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Your advent tree is spectacular! Great job. You’ve definitely kicked it up a notch with your handmade advent tree! As for our decorations, we do decorate inside – the mantle, banister and things throughout the house. For the outside we just do lights and our wreath.
Rosemarie
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
We have a special manger we set up under the tree, it was my moms, parents, and it’s very special to me and my family. Someday I will pass it on to one of my sons.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
The kids and I have always decorated the house for Christmas. We put up many of the decorations early, but our tradition was developed after the birth of our youngest child. He was born on December 10th. We always wanted him to feel like he had a special day, so we waited to put up our tree on December 11th. Going up a little later our tree always stayed fresh and everyone always knew when tree day was!
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Amazing and inspiring as usual!
Our family tries to decorate the weekend after Thanksgiving rather than shop. Our tradition started when I was a child. My mom got me and my brother an ornament to hang on the tree each year. While some of them have broken, I still have almost all of those precious ornaments. Now that we have a child of our own, we still try to get a special ornament for her each year. Plus, I have a special set of ornaments that I hang together on the tree that my grandmother gave me when I was in college. I think those 5 ornaments are probably 40 years old by now! Amazing and precious at the same time!
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
We start decorating within a few days after Thanksgiving. Most years, my sister helps us (my husband, two daughters, and myself) decorate the tree. While decorating we listen to Christmas music (or the movie A Christmas Story) and drink hot chocolate.
We do stockings, too, but those don’t get filled until Epiphany (Jan 6th)when La Befana visits. This is an Italian tradition that we have continued to celebrate my husband’s heritage. My daughter loves playing with our Nativity scene, but due to a “casualty” last year, she will be getting her own child-friendly one this year!
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
We purchase a new ornament for the family every year and when we decorate the tree, we put them on one year at a time from our first Christmas in 1974. The kids liked to take turns putting them on especially the year they were born.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Unfortunately the house doesn’t seem to get decorated until we do the tree which tends to be the weekend before Christmas. I can’t seem to get up enough steam to pull all the boxes out at 2 different times.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:47 pm
We, unfortunately don’t decorate much at Christmas. The tree is usually what we do, and a table centerpiece. I wish we could do more, but it just never seems to get done.
thanks for sharing
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I have this stuffed animal that we take turns hiding every day till we put the christmas decorations away. It’s just fun to wake up every morning, look for the stuffed animal and hide it. It’s like a game of tag! kt
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Decorations will go up the month before Christmas. The tree is decorated with hallmark ornaments collected through the years each with a special meaning. The outside of the house is adorned in pine wreaths and large red velvet bows … simple but very festive at the same time. A smaller tree is put up with the paper made ornaments I have made over the past several years … again, something that is special to me.
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Another fabulous idea!
We decorate the day after Thanksgiving for Christmas. We get our tree and bring it home play christmas music and put all our deocrations up. When my oldest was two we started the tradition of using the McDonald’s happy meal toys as ornaments. I just poked or drilled holes in the various characters and attached them using the ornament hooks. So every year we have a few new ones to add. The kids think they are fun, the pets can’t break them, and it gives the toys a new purpose when they aren’t so fun to play with anymore.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Elizabeth
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:27 pm
We don’t decorate our house as we don’t celebrate Christmas.
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Please enter me in the give away. Great Projects. Thanks Ellen A
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:52 pm
I always put my Spode Christmas Tree China in the cabinet and we use it all December long
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
We just decorate in the usual way…tree, garland, lights but there are a couple of traditions. One is that my husband always gets frustrated doing the lights and that my boys always fight over whose turn it is to put the star on top of the tree.
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:06 pm
When my first grandchild was on the way I made him a GIANT sized Christmas stocking from a Bucilla felt kit. Then when each new grandchild came along another giant stocking was added. This year the fourth stocking is in the making. When I started this project I wasn’t thinking about having to fill these things up on Christmas! The stockings have become a challenge to fill, I am on the lookout for items all year! They are a source of lots of excitment and fun for the children! I must add this – I beleive there is a purpose for all we are lead to do. Our first grandson was born with cancer in his eyes (retinoblastoma) he lost both of his eyes to this disease at the age of 2. Well His stocking which was the first is the only one that has a jingle bell on the toe of it – so he can always tell his by shaking them and the huge size makes it easy for him to feel all of the shapes easier. Just had to add that little note. Sorry I wrote a novel! Sure do enjoy your blog! Beautiful! Merry Christmas!
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:08 pm
My family always decorates our house for Christmas on November 11. We don’t have a Christmas tree so we put up lots of other decorations to make everything feel really Christmasy. We always listen to Christmas carols too while we decorate
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I get out my Christmas dishes and we use all of December. I also have young grandchildren and they are already begging we set up our Dept. 56 Christmas Villages.
You have great ideas!
November 23rd, 2008 at 5:59 pm
we do alot of advent type of activities during the holiday, so I like to get all of decorations out after thanksgiving to start the activities on the 1st of Dec. Love this tree!!!
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Beautiful advent tree!
We decorate our house every year. When we are going to be at home for Christmas, we decorate our front lawn. This year we will be away for the holiday, so we will not do the lawn. However, I still have to have that Christmas tree and a holiday theme inside.
Due to allergies, we have a beautiful 7′ prelit tree. No real trees for this woman any more.
It has been a tradition for approximately 14 years now that our tree is decorated with angels. I began collecting angel ornaments and have had enough for the entire tree for several years now. My husband always enjoys this tree and my grandchildren like to sit and talk about where each angel came from.
We generally decorate the weekend after Thanksgiving. This year I am a bit ahead of the game as we celebrated our Thanksgiving on the 16th of November before my husband had his chemotherapy treatment.
We are so blessed and cannot imagine skipping the decorating and celebrating the birth of God’s Son.
Happy Holidays!
Patricia
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Yes, we decorate for Christmas. Starting this year we will put a baby in a manger under the tree to resemble Jesus Christ being born. My neighbor makes a birthday cake and they sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Our tradition, is just the old fashioned way. Yep, we go out into the woods as a family and bring back a native cedar tree.
But occassionaly we have been known to slip off down to the tree farm and buy a specially grown pine tree as the limbs are stouter for ornaments. One last tradition is we always hang the very first christmas ornament my hubby and I bought together 25 years ago!
November 23rd, 2008 at 6:44 pm
We decorate big for Christmas. We don’t really have a decorating tradition, although each year my MIL gets us a new lighted lawn ornament. Also, each year we try to make our lights display a little bit bigger, even if it’s just one or two more bushes, or one more window. We decorate both inside and outside. I used to do only inside, but it’s so wonderful to come home to a lighted house. I also get a lot of compliments on the outside, whereas few people will see the inside.
November 23rd, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Yes, Christmas decorating is big at our house and we enjoy it! The outside lights are “man’s work” and we share the inside, but I do most of it. There are a few items that are very sentimental, some going back to my son’s childhood and some allllll the way back to mine! Great memories of my parents included! It’s just such a special time!
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Cute tree!! We do decorate our house but it’s just mostly me doing is as I can over about a week. As my kids have gotten older, I have started them decorating the tree and they seem to have fun and do a great job.
Jenni
November 24th, 2008 at 12:34 am
We decorate in a subtle and plain fashion for the Jewish Holiday. Instead of outside decorations we light several (okay more than several) menorahs and enjoy the holidays with food & singing while we watch the sparkle and glimmer of the candle lights. A peaceful enjoying tradition.
November 24th, 2008 at 11:56 am
I LOVE your advent tree. What a brilliant idea. I have already made three advent calendars this year, and have lost heart to make any more — but I’ll be looking really hard at this one next year.
I don’t decorate much for Christmas any more — but I do make a number of craft decorations which I give away or sell at craft fairs.
November 25th, 2008 at 3:03 am
When the kids were little, they got to buy a new tree ornament every year. I wrote their name and year on the box. Although they are grown, every year I decorate, I take time to remember each purchase. It’s meaningful for them to see the different ornaments on the tree, too.
November 25th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
This year we are decorating the outside of the house with red, white and blue lights and clear stars around the roof line in support of our men and women serving in the military. We also always hang out huge Moravian star in the big oak tree outside.
I love your Advent Tree.