Sanity Space - Advent Tree ...PART 1

Half term is over and I have just returned from a family respite break in Iceland! It is an amazingly diverse country in more ways than one, and while we were there we experienced our first snow of the year. It made me realize that Christmas is fast approaching and is on its merry way! (I will tell you more about our adventures in Iceland in a future post....) So....as it is officially the 1st of November, I thought I would share a project with you that I did for my son a number of years back while he was serving a mission for our Church.
We had not seen him since he left almost two years previous and during the time he was away I would occasionally put together a care package (with various items that I thought he may need or like) and send it to him. On his last Christmas away, I though that I would do something a little bit different. 



I had seen an idea on Pinterest that I liked... It was an advent stocking which had a number of pockets on the outside, each of which contained a scriptures depicting some of the different names of Christ, together with a little gift. You can see the original post here. I liked the idea but wanted to adapt it and make an advent TREE that I could send to my son instead.  I thought it may be nice for him to have something with which to decorate his apartment  on the run up to Christmas... and each day he could open a small package with a little decoration inside.
At first I decided to make the decorations out of paper but then one day while I was looking around a local garden centre, I saw some lovely "baubles" that seemed to either fit the names of Christ OR reflect something within the scriptures.  Gradually over a period of a few weeks I put together 25 ornaments, each wrapped in a bubble wrap envelop with a laminated card  on the outside. Each of the laminated cards had a different name of Christ printed on it and also the scripture associated with it.
(I downloaded them from the website above and made a few minor changes).

Over the next four weeks I will be sharing all of these scriptures and decorations with you. If you then get the urge to make your own version, you will have plenty of time to go searching around the shops OR make them yourself.

Here are the first  6 below:-

Day 1. Messiah 

And the Messiah cometh in the fullness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. (2 Nephi 2:26 - 27) 

Ornament: CLOCK 

....I later found a lovely golden clock ornament in the sales after Christmas with which I have replaced this one.

Day 2. Advocate/ Propitiation for our Sins 

MY little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. (1 John 2:1 - 3) 

Ornament:  HEART (ultimate act of love) 

  

DAY 3. Light of the World 

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world : he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)

Ornament: CANDLE

I had plenty of candles in my storage boxes and so cut one down to a reasonable size and tied a pretty golden bow around it so that it would  hang from the tree.

Day 4. Firstfruits 

Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved. (2 Nephi 2:8 - 9)


Ornament :  PEAR

Day 5 Alpha and Omega 

THUS saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I AM, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made; The same which knoweth all things, for all things are present before mine eyes; I am the same which spake, and the world was made, and all things came by me.
I am the same which have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom; and verily, I say, even as many as have believed in my name, for I am Christ, and in mine own name, by the virtue of the blood which I have spilt, have I pleaded before the Father for them. (D&C 38:1 - 4) 

Ornament:  WREATH 

I thought that the wreath would depict Alpha and Omega  nicely as it has no beginning and no end!

Day 6. Lamb of God 
Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness. (Alma 7:14)

Ornament: LAMB

I made the lamb by folding a piece of black card in two and cut it in to a shape that looked remotely like a lamb. If you fold the cardboard and have the fold as the nose the head then stays together but you can easily separate the ears after winding white wool around its belly until it looked like it is well covered.  I have yet to find a real lamb ornament.... but I kind of like this one so I think It is going to stay!

 
So there you have the first week of Christmas ornaments. Each one could easily be made out of card or some other medium (for the very creative of you out there). It totally depends on how much money you want to invest into the project! I decided that I didn't mind paying for  some of the ornaments....as I made the decision with the intention of it being an investment to be used  every year on the run up to Christmas...a new Tradition!!..BUT I also had some fun making a few of the ornaments too.  Whatever you chose to do It is a lovely way of remembering Christ and centering Christmas more fully upon him. 

Please come Join me next week to see the next 7 ornaments and scriptures 

Until then be creative and.... happy hunting!

Jx

You can find week 2 here )
You can find week 3 here
You can find week 4 here