Advent is one of my favorite seasons of the church. Maybe it is because I love the warmth the candles bring on chilly days? Maybe it is because I love Christmas Eve, and like a kid I wait with anticipation? Maybe it is because I love the family time I get with my own kiddos? Maybe the church just smells better with fresh trees? Maybe it is all of the above? All I know is I can’t wait for Christmas.

At Bethlehem this Advent, we will be using from Sanctified Art – What can’t wait? It’s such a fun theme when you think about kids – “What can’t wait?” Many things come to mind like bodily functions, hope, justice, or telling the truth. Building off this theme, I created a “What can’t wait?” Christmas Countdown. Instructions below:

Materials: small mint cups (24 per calendar), wrapped candy (starbursts, hershey kisses, mints), tissue paper, vignettes (see download below), 12″x18″ foam sheets (one per calendar), little bags, glue sticks

Prep:

1. Cut tissue paper circles the size of the paper mint cups.
2. Print out vignettes and cut into strips
3. Stuff vignettes and candy into cups.

4. Generously cover the outside lip of the cup with a glue stick and place the tissue paper circle on top of the cup. 

5. Once all is dry, place the 24 cups, the foam mat, and instructions in a bag.

Instructions for Family Use: How to use the Christmas Countdown! The countdown starts on December 1 to December 24. To assemble, use glue (elmers not a glue stick) to place all 24 cups bottom down on the foam sheet. If you want, use the cups to make a Christmas tree! Each day, your kiddo pushes through the tissue paper and pulls out the paper and a piece of candy. The paper contains a little story on “What can’t wait?” Read it together, and ask “What else can’t wait?”