Are you a teacher looking for something for the classroom or just someone who likes to send a card with a true Christmas meaning? Whatever nativity advent calendars you are looking for there is a good choice here.
A full size advent calendar with both stand out and slot in pieces. This advent looks even better if you add a straw base (and it helps you stand the pieces up a little easier too!).
This is beautifully illustrated by Kate Garrett with all the nativity characters, animals, angels and a star to put right at the top.
This advent calendar is available direct from my Flamingo Paperie shop. Click here to go there.
This is a truly traditional advent calendar with 24 doors to open. The calendar opens out to a 3D scene of Bethlehem and the surrounding area. Open a door each day leading up to Christmas. Illustrated by Anna Cattermole.
This is available in my Cards and Gift Wrap shop. Click here.
Beautifully illustrated by Sarah Summers, this was a best selling advent from Phoenix Trading. Sadly discontinued and only a couple left in stock. With 24 slot in pieces you could use this advent calendar year after year.
If you’re looking for a small advent calendar that will post for the price of a regular stamp then you can’t get better than this. Also illustrated by Sarah Summers with 24 mini doors to open.
This is a card with an advent calendar on the front. The greeting inside reads ‘Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year’ and this is available from my Flamingo Paperie shop. Click here.
I am always being asked for Nativity crafts for Sunday Schools, preschools and in the home so I’ve put together a list of some ideas.
Nativity Crafts for all ages
1 Make your own Nativity Scene
Younger children can have fun cutting out and colouring in their own Nativity Scene.
Or why not draw some Nativity characters together, cut out and stick some lollipop sticks to make some puppets. This lollipop craft set has lots of other ideas too. Then you can act out and talk about the Nativity story.
Alternatively use oven drying clay to make a lasting Nativity set. I found a great clip on Youtube to give you a start.
2 Jigsaw
Do a Nativity related jigsaw. This one is good value with 4 x 500 jigsaws in it. Four jigsaws titled, Window Shopping, Letter to Santa, The Nativity Play and The Queen’s Speech provide an opportunity to talk about lots of aspects of Christmas. Jigsaws are great for developing little minds and doing them together is a great social opportunity too. Plus it will give you some downtime in the run up to Christmas.
3 Nativity picture
Make your own framed nativity scene. Cut out old Christmas cards, or draw your own background and characters and turn it in to a framed Nativity scene. Use a deep box frame to build a 3d picture of the Christmas story and then give as a gift.
You know Christmas isn’t far away when it’s time to start opening your advent calendar. I remember every advent calendar I had when I was little. They were all traditional advent calendars with 24 little doors to open. Even if I got a new one the next year I would still reuse the old one pushing the doors shut as tightly as I could so I could reopen them again. My children love chocolate but when it comes to advent calendars the delight and wonder of the traditional advent calendar is what they ask for.
If you’re looking for something more traditional this Christmas season then here are some of the best traditional advent calendars you will find. Flamingo Paperie (from the people who brought you Phoenix Trading) have been producing well-known, beautifully illustrated, traditional advent calendars for over 20 years now. With either 24 doors to open or 24 pieces to press out and slot in or stand up, these calendars will stay in the memories for years to come. All printed in the UK and beautifully illustrated.
Whether you love Nativity themed, Santa or just Christmassy there are traditional advent calendars for everyone.
The Nativity Stable, with both slot in and stand up pieces, illustrated by Kate Garrett is our current bestseller. This is a perfect advent for classrooms, Sunday School or at home.
Ski Resort, with slot in pieces and illustrated by Julia Rigby. Christmas Ark, with 24 slot in pieces, illustrated by Julia Rigby. Tower of London, with a mixture of slot in pieces and doors to open, illustrated by Amanda Loverseed. Winter Village, with 24 slot in pieces, illustrated by Sue James.
The Reindeer Stables, with 24 slot in pieces and illustrated by Amanda Loverseed is our second bestselling advent calendar. Of course you’ll know all the reindeer names but in case you forget one, they’re on each of the stable doors!
If you’d like to see the Winter Village unfold day by day then take a look at my video of the advent calendar being built.
All advent calendars are available here or click on an image to go straight to that calendar. Alternatively keep reading to see some well loved old favourites, available while stocks last here, at Cards and Gift Wrap.
Snowy Village, 24 houses to build and place round the village. Elegantly illustrated by Sally Swannell. Christmas Tree, 24 slot in decorations, Illustrated by Amanda Loverseed.
Bethlehem, with 24 slot in pieces and illustrated by Sarah Summers and Nativity with 24 doors to open in a 3D display, illustrated by Anna Cattermole are both exquisitely illustrated advent calendars depicting the story of Jesus’ birth.
If you want something with a Santa theme then the following advent calendars all have some aspect of Santa’s part in the big day.
Santa’s House, 24 pieces to slot in, illustrated by Karen Tye Bentley. It’s Christmas, with 24 slot in pieces and illustrated by Karen Tye Bentley. Santa’s Workshop, 24 slot in pieces and illustrated by Laura Stone. Map of the North Lands, 24 slot in pieces, and illustrated by Amanda Loverseed. Santa’s Room, 24 pieces to slot in, illustrated by Amanda Loverseed.
Gingerbread House, 24 doors to open in a 3D scene, illustrated by Louise Angelicas. Christmas Pantomime, 24 doors to open in a 3D scene, illustrated by Kate Gunn.
If you love the vintage Christmas look then the 3D advent calendars with 24 windows to open each day will give an almost Victorian style to your decor.
If you like these then you’ll also love our traditional advent calendar cards. Perfect for popping in the post and like all our Christmas cards they are charity cards too.
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