Advent Cookie Calendar With Artiste Noel Bags

CTMH Seaside Paper and Magical Days Stamp

This year's Advent Calendar is a little different than the ones I've done in the past, here, here, and here.  It seemed like a fun idea to combine a few of our favorite things - paper crafting, cookies and the Christmas tree.  I wanted to use non-traditional paper so I chose paper that went with our family room's decor. This would be a great project to use up lots of different papers from one's stash.

Sugar Cookies Cut from 1.5" Wilton Cookie Cutters

Having gifts hanging from the tree branches seems to fit with my sense of nostalgia this year.  Doing the assembling seemed to be a perfect fit for my ten year old's idle time over Thanksgiving Break, too. Lately, I've been under the weather and she was a big help and the motivator for getting this project done. She also was the one to choose the Cricut diecut.

Tree decorated with lights and Advent gifts

The Noel Bag on page 79 in the Artiste booklet lists the cut size as 5".  The cookies are very small and didn't require that large of a container. Also, I wanted to get two bags from each 12 x 12 paper, so we cut them at 3.25".  Pictured below is a snack size package of M & M's in front of the bag cut at 5". The little wrapped angel cookie peaking out of the smaller bag is a perfect fit.  The bag on the right is not stamped because I decided to use only the Seaside paper for this countdown to Christmas project.

Realizing that the cookies were likely to be inedible on Day 24, I had to revise my plan a wee bit.  The cookies could be frozen and added to the bags as needed.  Or new cookie creations could be added as they are made during the month.  Or the one that made it possible for me to fill all of the bags at one time and works well for my family was plan C. (Or maybe it is Plan D?) Darling Daughter loved having activities instead of treats in her Advent calendar in past years, so we opted for some of the weekend days and Winter Break days to have family activities instead of stale cookies.

Here is a list of Christmas Countdown activities that I posted three years ago from one of the previous Advent projects:

Countdown to Christmas Activities:

Check out the weather at the North Pole

Play Christmas Tic Tac Toe or Checkers

Track Santa’s flight with NORAD (on Christmas Eve)

Prepare milk, cookies and carrots for Santa and the Reindeer tonight!

Listen to Christmas music while making a Christmas treat

Go to Zoo Lights and see Christmas lights
Take an evening stroll to look at holiday lights
Write a letter to Santa Claus
Visit Santa Claus at Daddy’s work
Go to Las Noches de las Luminarias at the Botanical Garden

Make an ornament
Help decorate the Christmas tree
Buy a new ornament for the Christmas tree
Cuddle by the fireplace or Christmas tree and listen to Christmas music or read holiday stories
Decorate the house
Put up Christmas lights
Make Christmas M & M Pretzels

Set up the Nativity creche
String popcorn and cranberries
Make gift tags
Make a handcrafted gift
Watch a holiday movie, and eat popcorn
Sing along with holiday music or the karaoke
Read a holiday book
Research holiday customs in a country where you have an interest

Buy and deliver Toys For Tots

Bake and decorate sugar cookies
Decorate a gingerbread house
Read the Christmas story
Share Christmas memories over hot cocoa with marshmallows
Make Peanut Butter Blossoms

Take cookies to the neighbors
Go caroling
Take a drive to find snow
Play in the snow  (We can't do this in Phoenix!)
Make and address Christmas cards
Make a Christmas craft
Get a plain stocking and decorate it
Make a paper Christmas chain
Cut out paper snowflakes
Make edible ornaments for birds
Wear your new Christmas pajamas
Take a family photo
Visit someone who needs cheering up
Volunteer where there is a need in your community

Wrap presents
Go Christmas shopping for a shut-in
Shop for stocking stuffers
Donate food to a local food bank
Play a board game
Make a special meal

Some of the days I put an activity and a treat in the bag.  There are lots of other treats that will fit in these sweet little all-occasion bags. These would look adorable hanging from a garland. Or if they were cut smaller, they would be so cute used on a wreath.

CTMH Yuletide Carol Paper

List of supplies:
CTMH Artiste Cartridge
Magical Days Stamp Set
Seaside Paper
Liquid Glass
Yuletide Carol Paper Packet
Wilton Cookie Cutters
Sugar Cookie Dough and Royal Icing
Assorted Candies

Thank you for visiting today!
Beverly