No-Sew Felt Nativity Advent Calendar & Free Pattern

Countdown to Christmas with this DIY Nativity Advent Calendar. This Christ-Centered advent calendar will keep Christ at the focus of your season as you watch Mary and Joseph get closer to Bethlehem each day of December. 

this awesome idea!

DIY NATIVITY ADVENT CALENDAR 

Here's how you can create your own nativity advent calendar. This craft will become a favorite family Christmas tradition you'll love to pull out year after year. 

One of my favorite Christmas memories as a child was getting my turn to move Mary and Joseph on our Nativity Advent Countdown. Each day, Mary and Joseph would move closer to Bethlehem. And if I was lucky, my turn would fall on Christmas, when I would get to put baby Jesus in the manger.

When my sisters and I got together this summer for our Christmas In July party, we created our own Nativity Advent Calendars for our own little families.  I hope that my children will get excited to move Mary and Joseph each day and remember why we celebrate Christmas.

2 BACKGROUND OPTIONS 

There are 2 options for your advent background. 

The first is to buy one large piece of felt. To store, you will roll up. The felt is not as thick, but it has a seamless look. To hang, use a wooden dowel and string. 

Or you can buy 2 pieces of stiff felt and attach them together with some thread. To store, fold the pieces in half. To hang, use a wooden hanger since the felt is too thick to wrap around a dowel. 

Either option will stand the test of time. It really is just up to your personal preferences! 

SUPPLIES FOR FELT NATIVITY ADVENT CALENDAR

• 2 large pieces of stiff felt for the background (or use 1 large piece. I chose 2 so that it will store smaller.)
• a small piece of felt in the following colors: white, yellow, brown, red, purple, green, light blue, and tan (or you can switch up the colors)
• gold letter stickers for Nazareth and Bethlehem words  (or you can leave without)
• velcro dots for Mary and Joseph and Jesus
• scissors
• glue gun
• Felt Nativity Pattern (below)

HOW TO MAKE FELT NATIVITY ADVENT CALENDAR

This DIY Nativity Advent Calendar will take some time to make.  However, if you dedicate just a few hours one night you can have it all finished, just in time for December. Plus, once you create it, you can pull it out year after year.

HOW LONG DOES THIS ADVENT CALENDAR TAKE TO MAKE? 

Plan on spending about 2-3 hours to create this felt advent calendar. 

The longest part of this Christmas craft is cutting out each piece.  Gather a group of friends to make it with you and you can split up each part. 

NAZARETH & BETHLEHEM STICKERS 

The Nazareth and Bethlehem words are optional, but it will help your family remember where Mary and Joseph were traveling from. 

I used thin gold letter stickers and carefully hot glued them to the felt so they wouldn't fall off. 

BUY SIMILAR GOLD LETTER STICKERS HERE :

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE FELT NATIVITY ADVENT:

1. Trace each piece on the colors of felt you prefer. Cut.
2. Hot glue each piece onto the larger felt backgrounds.
3. Using a permanent marker, write the numbers on each "stepping stone."
4. Keep baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph unattached so that you can move them each day. Add baby Jesus to the manger Jesus on Christmas day.

I'd love to see your nativity! Share your Nativity advent on social media by tagging @sofestive!

Free Pattern

Get this free nativity pattern in our Free Printable Library here.

If you want access, click here.