Free Thanksgiving holiday crafts, games, greeting cards, coloring pages, printables

Do you love the Thanksgiving holiday? For some folks, it's the favorite of the holiday season. If you're a penny pincher who doesn't spend money on decorations and party supplies, yet likes to decorate, here are free printable Thanksgiving Day and seasonal decorations, Crafts, coloring pages and party games. Kids will love making greeting cards from holiday printables. Get Halloween and Christmas printables too. Pumpkin carving patterns, snowflake templates and more.    Free Thanksgiving holiday crafts, games, greeting cards, coloring pages, printables

Christmas presents: Inexpensive, personalized holiday gift baskets under $15

Holiday gift baskets make idea Christmas presents for everyone on your holiday shopping list. Gift baskets can be personalized and made inexpensively. Giving gift baskets cuts costs but also subtracts from your workload. Here's how: list every person who will get gift baskets and decide upon a theme for each, based upon favorite hobbies or interests. Streamline personalized Christmas gift baskets by including like items in each recipient's gift basket. Here are six items to include in everyone's gift basket, with variations personalized for each.  Christmas presents: Inexpensive, personalized holiday gift baskets under $15

Free printable Advent wreath crafts for children to make

Advent is the four-week season before Christmas, celebrated by Catholics, Orthodox and some protestant Christian denominations. Most people think of Advent calendars with candies and treats. But that, like a commercial Christmas, is miles from the real purpose.. Advent is a lesser penitential season, a minor Lent. Christians observe spiritual acts of prayer, fasting and charity. They follow Bible-based Advent calendars and count down to Christmas reflecting on Jesus. One evangelical pastor is pushing protestant churches to celebrate Advent and put Christ back in Christmas, said Time magazine, Dec. 1.   Free printable Advent wreath crafts for children to make | Examiner.com

Free printable children's Advent calendars and Christmas countdown crafts | Examiner.com

 Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas. During Advent we focus on prayer, fasting and almsgiving in preparation for the Feast of Christmas. Many people use an Advent calendar to countdown to Christmas. Here are free printable advent calendars for children. Advent calendars feature little windows that are numbered. Children open one window each day before Christmas. Some advent calendars have a Bible verse that follows the Christmas story of Jesus's birth in Bethlehem.Free printable children's Advent calendars and Christmas countdown crafts

Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics XXII Coloring Pages, Plus Russian Crafts

Everywhere I look is rings. Five intertwined blue, red, green, black, yellow to be exact. That's right, it's 2014 Winter Olympics fever and Sochi is the place to be February 7-23! As a teacher, mom and former homeschooler, I always look for ways to teach any world event in the classroom. Here are free printable winter Olympics lessons plans. Games, crafts, coloring pages, puzzles, sports-themed worksheets--all you need to explore. There are activities about Russia and the city of Sochi, too.  Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics XXII Printables, Lessons on Russia

Easy Ceramic Dish Design Craft

My daughter designed a platter for me for Christmas. She copied a recipe from my grandmother in my grandmother's handwriting on it. As grandma is now deceased, God rest her soul, it's very special. I was thinking how perfect it would be for bored, snowbound kids or adults to make. Shut-in seniors might like making these too. All you need is permanent markers, glassware and an oven. If you're designing a surface that contacts food, use food safe markers.  Snowbound this Winter? Make This Easy Craft My Daughter Made

Blessed Mother Mary Crafts for Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Advent began December 1 for Catholics and Orthodox Christians. This season counts down to Christmas. As a homeschool family, we did Christmas crafts all through Advent and gave them as gifts. I set up a craft station using our portable kidde picnic table (cleaned it up and brought it inside). Several holy days and feast days fall during Advent. Here are crafts for Dec. 8-9 Feast of the Immaculate Conception, based out Our Lady Mary Mother of God. Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Advent Activities

Free Printable Advent Wreaths to Color, Cut and Paste

 Yesterday was the first day of Advent. Each week on Sunday, Christians light one candle on the Advent wreath. Each candle symbolizes our hope, expectation, preparation and joy at the Birth of Christ on Christmas. If you'd like to make an Advent wreath with your children, classroom, Sunday School or day care, there are free printable Advent wreaths online. Help children explore the lovely tradition of the Advent wreath with these printable coloring, cut and paste wreaths. Free Printable Advent Wreaths to Color, Cut and Paste

Homemade Christmas Gifts for Kids, Read-Aloud Story CDs

With costs rising, it's time to think outside the box for Christmas gifts. Like homemade and personal. Capitalize on your talents. I'm not skilled with crafts but I'm a fabulous storyteller. So my homemade Christmas gift for kids is read-aloud story CD and book sets. Here are free printable books for kids to make and then read aloud or have read to them. Plus a tutorial to record books.  Homemade Christmas Gifts for Kids, Read-Aloud Books

Cheap Homemade Holiday Crafts, Home Decor on a Shoestring

I'm the original frugalista. In home decor, I'm all about recycled, cheap and (my favorite) free. At Christmas, I save big with homemade, re-purposed decorations. Here's my guide to decorating for the holidays on a shoestring. I use minimalist techniques combined with natural elements and recycled, homemade crafts.  Read more

Free Printable Jesse Tree Coloring, Ornaments and Activities

  'A root shall spring up from the stump of Jesse's lineage'. This Bible passage foretells the birth of the Messiah. During Advent, symbols are hung on the Jesse Tree to represent the story of Jesus. For free printable Jesse Tree devotional activities, I've listed internet links. Advent is the season of preparation for Christmas in the Church liturgical year. Catholics and many protestants observe and celebrate Advent in churches and homes, using the Advent Wreath and candles, an Advent Calendar and also the Jesse Tree.  read more

Free Printable Paper Chain Crafts--Christmas Countdown Craft

Free Printable Paper Chain Crafts--Christmas Countdown Activities  Remember the fun of the Christmas holidays in school? I hope you have as many fond memories as I have. One of my favorite things to do was to make paper chains (okay, so I was born before cable TV and video games). Here is a Christmas craft that keeps kids busy, productive plus practices many different skills from tracing, measuring, cutting, writing, reading and inventing. This is great for a family bonding activity, winter holiday boredom-buster or preschool child occupier. Using one sheet of red and one of green colored construction paper. Measure and mark off each half inch along the length of both edges of both papers Cut strips. Read on

Free Printable Color your Own Christmas, Kwanzaa, Epiphany Greeting Cards

We're so fortunate in the US, to have so many rich and varied holiday traditions and cultural observances in which to participate: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa. Here are free printable Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah color your own greeting cards to share.  Read more

Easy Homemade Advent Calendar Craft

Advent is the four week period before Christmas. Advent calendars make a great way to countdown the days until Christmas. You can purchase an advent calendar, print of of the many free Advent calendars or make your own with this easy craft. Read on

How to Make Holiday Centerpieces Like Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn

I shopped recently at Crate and Barrel and the Pottery Barn. Lovely stores--very expensive. Both stores had beautiful holiday decor and centerpieces displayed. I made mental notes on how to create these holiday crafts cheaply from natural, recycled sources. Read on

Free Printable Party Invitations and Greeting Cards for Kids

Free Printable Party Invitations and All Occasion Greeting Cards for Kids Making and sending greeting cards has been a time-honored tradition in my classroom and homeschool. We made Get Well Soon, birthday, holiday cards. We made our own invitations, too. Here are free printable invites and greeting cards.
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Holiday Potpourri Craft

Easy, Homemade Potpourri: Great Craft for Preschool and Special Needs Students During the holiday season, when I am not baking, I keep a small saucepan simmering on low with potpourri. I make my own holiday blend. Here is an easy potpourri recipe that doubles as a gift and craft for preschool, seniors and special needs students. Read More

Free Printable 3D Pop Up Cards

Free Printable Pop Up Cards Patterns-- Cheap Holiday Card Making Crafts
'Green', 'Inexpensive' and 'DIY' are this holiday season's buzzwords. Here is a Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or Kwanzaa craft that is all three: pop-up holiday cards made right from your recycle bin; with free printable stencils, they are darn near free. Read More

Free Printable St. Lucia Crafts

Free Printable St. Lucia Day Activities Advent is the period of preparation for Christmas. Several special feast days fall during Advent: December 6- St. Nicholas, December 12-Our Lady of Guadalupe and December 13- St. Lucia. Here are free printable activities for St. Lucia Day. Read More

Decorating Real vs. Artificial Trees: Green, Health, Safety

Real Christmas Trees vs. Artificial Holiday Decorations: Green, Safe, Inexpensive When my husband and I first married, we were die-hard DIYers and traditionalists. We vowed always to have a real Christmas tree each holiday. We would trudge through snowy fields and cut our own. But reality hit me in the head last year. Read More