Christmas
Advent crafts, cookies, decorations, and excitement for the most wonderful time of the year.
As soon as the first Advent calendars appear on the shelves and it gets dark outside early, many families enter the most wonderful time of the year. The glow of candles, the scent of cookies, and the anticipation of Christmas Eve are some of the most cherished memories for children. Here you will find everything that makes the Advent season cozy and the Christmas days special.
A wonderful Christmas celebration isn't about perfect decorations, but rather about small, shared rituals. A handmade Advent calendar, some DIY Christmas tree ornaments, and the smell of freshly baked cookies mean more to children than any store-bought decoration.
We've put together some crafting ideas for Advent and Christmas tree decorations, along with Christmas cards, festive snacks, and ideas for quality time with the whole family. With just one click, you can find the complete instructions for each idea, plus a few tips for a relaxed Advent season.
Advent: Calendars, Candles, and Elves
You can make the wait until Christmas Eve a little shorter with some lovely rituals. These ideas will make every day in December feel a bit more special.
Make an Advent Calendar from a Branch
A branch about a meter long is equipped with 24 screw hooks, from which numbered fabric bags hang. It's best if an adult does the drilling. With some pine greenery and a string of lights for decoration, this ordinary branch transforms into an Advent calendar that looks completely different from any store-bought one.
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Make a Paper Advent Candle
Two strips of paper are glued together at a right angle and folded alternately until a small zigzag shape is formed, which is then attached to a cut-out paper star. With a cut-out flame on top, you have a finished Advent candle that may not burn but still brings a festive atmosphere. It's also lovely to make four of them for a self-made Advent wreath.
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Advent Candle for the Window
A candle frame is made from black cardstock, backed with bookbinding foil and yellow tracing paper for the flame. Only when light shines through from behind does it look like the candle is really burning, which is what makes this window decoration so special.
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Making an Advent Spiral
You shape a spiral out of modeling clay, pressing 24 little indentations into it, one for each day leading up to Christmas Eve. Starting from December 1st, a new marble moves into the next dip each day, creating a small, tangible ritual without any doors or chocolate.
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Create a Gnome Jar
A gnome drawn on tracing paper is glued inside a jar, which is then filled with cotton as snow and a small LED string of lights. When turned on, the jar glows from within, making it look like the gnome is living right in the middle of it, creating a cozy focal point for your living room.
View instructions →Making stars, ornaments, and Christmas decorations
Homemade ornaments make every Christmas tree unique and can usually be completed in just one afternoon. Many of these ideas also work great as a small, personal gift.
Make a 3D Paper Christmas Star
By gluing together five folded paper modules, you can create a beautiful, three-dimensional star to hang up. Getting there requires precise folding and a bit of patience, but the finished result looks almost store-bought.
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Making a Christmas Star
By folding transparent paper multiple times, you can create sixteen small star modules that are glued together at the tips to form a complete, glowing star. When hung in the window, it catches the light and brightens up the entire room, making it a lovely shared project for a whole Advent afternoon.
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Fold a Star from Transparent Paper
A square piece of tracing paper is folded eight times into a small dragon shape, and the points are then glued together to form a circle. When taped to the window, the star starts to shine as soon as sunlight shines through.
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Make a Star from Baking Paper
Ten paper lunch bags are stacked on top of each other and cut into a star shape at the open end. When carefully unfolded, they create a fan-shaped star. When hung up, incoming light makes it glow from within, almost like a real starry sky in winter.
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Stars from Mandarin Peel
Peeled mandarin peels are cut out with a star-shaped cookie cutter and dried in a warm place until they are firm. You’ll have lovely scented little stars for the Christmas tree, a charming way to use up leftovers without any extra materials.
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Making Paper Angels
Two accordion-folded papers are glued together to create a small angel body, and a painted wooden bead serves as the head. Each angel turns out a bit different, whether it's on the Christmas tree or attached to a gift, transforming simple materials into a personal Christmas greeting.
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Craft a Popsicle Stick Reindeer
Three popsicle sticks are glued together to form the basic shape of a reindeer face. A red pom-pom serves as the nose, wiggly eyes add character, and pipe cleaners create the antlers. Since this craft requires minimal preparation, you can easily make a second or third reindeer as well.
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Craft a Cinnamon Stick Reindeer
Three cinnamon sticks are glued together to form the basic shape of a reindeer head, a pom-pom serves as the nose, and antlers made from pipe cleaners give it the finishing touch. The scent of cinnamon effortlessly creates a festive atmosphere throughout the room, making it a lovely fragrant gift tag too.
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Pine Cone Pom-Pom Pendant
Pine cones collected on a walk can be transformed at home into colorful ornaments by adding pom-poms between the scales and a ribbon for hanging. With just a little effort, a simple find from nature becomes a lovely decoration for the Christmas tree.
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Christmas Ornaments from Egg Cartons
With the pointed corners of an egg carton, you can create a small Christmas tree ornament after painting and stacking them. Add a string and a few beads, and it's ready to hang. It's a lovely example of how you can turn packaging waste into real Christmas decorations with minimal effort.
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Making Wax Ornaments
A cookie cutter placed in water is carefully filled drop by drop with liquid candle wax, which an adult drizzles in from above a lit stick candle until the desired thickness is achieved. Since each drop falls differently, each ornament turns out a little unique. After cooling, a small hole for hanging is added, and you have a calm, mindful Christmas piece for the tree.
View instructions →Christmas cards and St. Nicholas decorations
A handmade card is always more appreciated by family and friends than a store-bought one. These ideas require little material and can be easily done with younger kids.
Santa Christmas Ornament
A tree slice becomes a canvas for a little Santa Claus, painted red on top for the hat and white on the bottom for the beard, with a pom-pom as the nose. A string on the back allows you to hang the finished decoration on the tree, on the door, or as a small gift.
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Crafting a Santa Boot from a Paper Cup & Napkin
You can create a little Santa boot without any scissors using a paper cup, a red napkin, and some crumpled paper for the tip. Perfect for December 6th, you can fill it with nuts or a tangerine and place it by the door.
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Make a Snowman Christmas Card
Three rings made from a toilet paper roll are glued together and painted white to create a snowman. A carrot nose and drawn-on buttons give it a face. This way, a kitchen utensil that would otherwise end up in the trash becomes a Christmas card that brings more joy than any store-bought one.
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Snowmen from Fingerprints
A hand painted with white finger paint, minus the thumb, is pressed onto a card, turning the four fingers into four little snowmen, with a painted snow mound providing support underneath. Colorful paper is used to create noses, hats, and scarves, making each snowman a bit different from the next, resulting in a truly unique, handmade Christmas card.
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Making a Christmas Card with Tape
Using shorter strips of colorful tape, you can create a Christmas tree on a card step by step, finishing it off with a star sticker on top. This card can be easily made with younger children, and there's no glue or paint to worry about making a mess.
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Make a Christmas Card - Christmas Tree and Glitter
A pre-drawn silhouette of a Christmas tree is traced with glue and sprinkled with glitter, leaving a sparkling tree on the card. A star on top and a personal message turn it into a truly festive Christmas card.
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Print Your Own Christmas Cards
Painting Christmas motifs on foam rubber and turning them into a homemade printing stamp is a fun activity. When you brush on some paint and roll it over paper, the design appears multiple times. It's like having your own little Christmas card printing press in your living room, and you can really tell that someone took their time to create something special.
View instructions →Christmas Snacks and Recipes
The scent of cinnamon and freshly baked cookies is simply part of the Advent season for many families. These recipes are perfect to make together with kids and turn the kitchen into a Christmas bakery for a few hours.
Candied Almonds from the Air Fryer
Mix almonds with sugar, cinnamon, and a bit of water, then pop them in the air fryer for 15 to 20 minutes. Give them a stir now and then to keep them from sticking together. You'll soon have that familiar scent of cinnamon and sugar wafting through your kitchen, just like at the Christmas market.
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Pan-Fried Candied Almonds
Water, sugar, and cinnamon simmer with the almonds in the pan until the sugar becomes shiny and coats the almonds, just like at the Christmas market. With an adult by the stove, you can create golden-brown, cinnamon-scented almonds to snack on or give as gifts in about half an hour.
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Cinnamon Stars – The Star Magic for Christmas
A dough made from ground almonds, powdered sugar, and cinnamon is rolled out and topped with a shiny meringue. With the help of an adult, everything bakes in the oven at a low temperature. The scent of cinnamon and almonds wafting through the kitchen is simply part of the Christmas season for many.
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Heavenly Messengers. Little Stars with a Big Message
Cut-out stars made from shortcrust pastry get a little filling, like a chocolate lentil, a mini gingerbread man, or a nut, before a point is folded over. After baking with an adult, each heavenly messenger gets a little wish written in icing, like courage, joy, or a thinking-of-you message, making them more than just a cookie.
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Coconut Macaroons – Little Clouds to Snack On
Condensed milk, coconut flakes, and vanilla sugar are placed in little heaps on baking wafers, almost like tiny clouds. After 15 minutes in the oven with an adult, this Christmas classic is ready to be enjoyed or given as a gift.
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Hot Cocoa with Frozen Whipped Cream
Whipped cream from a spray can is squirted into a muffin tin and decorated with a marshmallow face before it collapses, creating little snowman or reindeer heads. After two hours in the freezer, they turn into solid cream masterpieces. Floating on top of a hot chocolate, they slowly melt away, making a cocoa experience that's fun to watch.
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Homemade Christmas Punch for Kids
Apple and grape juice simmer with orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise until the whole kitchen smells like Christmas, with an adult helping out. Served in cups, it becomes a little shared ritual for cold afternoons, warming both the belly and the heart.
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Magic Wand. A Tasty Christmas Snack
A pretzel stick is dipped halfway in icing and sprinkled with colorful Christmas sprinkles, creating an edible magic wand. It's a simple idea for a break during the Advent season, where you can enjoy something homemade on your plate without needing an oven.
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Kiwi Christmas Tree
Sliced kiwis are arranged in rows on a plate, wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, creating a little green Christmas tree. A few berries as decoration make it even more festive, and it's a quick, healthy snack that requires no baking or cooking.
View instructions →Quality Time Together: Games, Songs, and Stories
A little quiet time is also nice between crafting and baking. These ideas will bring the whole family together for some lovely hours.
Singing Christmas Songs
Together, you'll choose your favorite Christmas songs and practice until everyone knows their part by heart. Red hats or a string of lights can quickly turn this into a little event. In the end, you'll have your own mini concert for family and friends, where the kids are the stars.
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Recite a Christmas Poem
A Christmas poem is read aloud several times until the words stick, and then gestures and facial expressions are added. When presenting it to family or friends, it's less about perfection and more about the joy of storytelling; forgetting a word is perfectly fine.
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Christmas Market. A Game for Togetherness
In this improvisation game, everyone takes turns building on the previous idea, for example, around a visit to the Christmas market. The most important rule is: no one says no to an idea. It's a simple, playful way to counter exclusion, where everyone feels accepted with their ideas.
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Christmas Tree Dice Game – Numbers, Colors, and Fun
On a Christmas tree template, you color in as many ornaments as the number you roll on the dice, until the whole tree is beautifully decorated. By rolling and counting repeatedly, you practice number recognition while creating your own colorful Christmas tree.
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Christmas Book Box
Instead of just one story, you can create a whole box filled with Christmas books, ranging from snowman and elf tales to baking and song books. Beautifully decorated, the box itself becomes part of your Advent tradition, with a different book to be taken out each evening.
View instructions → Cutting Your Own Christmas Tree
At a Christmas tree farm, you can choose your tree right among the firs and cut it down yourself with the help of an adult using a saw. Unlike just grabbing one from a shelf, this is a shared adventure in the fresh winter air, and your tree gets a little story before the first ornament is hung.
View instructions →Christmas coloring pages to print
If you prefer coloring over crafting every now and then, you’ll find what you need here: free Christmas designs to print on DIN A4.
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And if you're looking for more winter ideas or different craft projects after the holidays, feel free to explore our categories or check out the free Grubenfuchs app. We wish you and your family a lovely and reflective Advent season.