Advent Garland

As promised here are the books that we'll be reading leading up to the holidays. Each day a little note will be left in the stocking garland (must finish that soon) with a book title, a project we'll do together and sometimes a little handmade gift.

Books:

2. Christmas Magic by Sue Stainton (Author), Eva Melhuish (Illustrator)
3. A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe
4. Snow Ponies by Cynthia Cotten (Author), Jason Cockcroft
5. The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren
6. The Story of the Nutcracker Ballet
7 The Little Fir Tree - Margaret Wise Brown
8 The Gingerbread baby Jan Brett
9 The Three Snow Bears - Jan Brett;
10 Snow Bear by Jean Craighead George
11 The Elves and the Shoemaker - Jacob Grimm
12   Lucia and the Light- Phyllis Root  
13 Willow at Christmas Camilla Ashforth
14 The Animals' Merry Christmas by Kathryn Jackson (Author), Richard Scarry (Illustrator)
15 The gift of christmas Kathrine Leeson
16 Christmas in Noisy Village (Picture Puffins) - Astrid Lindgren;
17 Little Robin Red Vest by Jan Fearnley
18 The Wild Christmas Reindeer - Jan Brett
19 The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer and Jesse Reisch
20 Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven
21 The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
22 Christmas Trolls by Jan Brett
23 Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell
24 The Night before Christmas

We will also be reading
While the Bear Sleeps: Winter Tales and Traditions by Caitlin Matthews , Judith Christine Mills


Here is a sample of some of the activities we are planning:

- Make Ornaments
- Make Cards
- Create a gingerbread house
- Bake Cookies
- Bake a suncake (solstice)
- Make a Balsam Wreath
- Make a gum Ball wreath
- Make soft button trees
- Make bird feeders (and edible bird houses)
-Snowflake window ornaments (borax stars)
- Go to the park to see Holiday lights
- Each chose and buy 1 special ornament
- Holiday Video and Hot Cocoa in bed night
- Harvest tree and decorate
-Make Truffles
-Yule log
( i know I am forgetting a few)


On the sundays they'll also be a red candle , a little poem, and a little gift to represent the earthly natural kingdoms; the first week a stone /crystal, the second week a lavender pillow or a seed necklace to represent the plant world, the third week a little animal (I have an Ostheimer fawn, and a ginger bread person or an angel the 4th sunday to represent Humans.

The first light of Advent is the light of stones.
Stones that live in crystals, seashells, and bones.

The second light of Advent is the light of plants.
Roots, stem, leaf, flower and fruit by whom we live and grow.

The third light of Advent is the light of beasts.
Animals of farm, field, forest, air and sea.
All await the birth in greatest and in least.

The fourth light of Advent is the light of humankind.
The light of love, the light of thought, to give and to understand.
Rudolf Steiner

Now I must go finish the stocking garland. Then back to appropriate seasonal posting!! It just feels good to have a plan, the past few years I have been disappointed with my lack of organization.