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Nativity Scene
Advent Sweetie Packets
Advent Candle Plate

Advent Candle Plate

This is beautiful, cheap, easy to make, full of seasonal meaning – and doesn't involve eating chocolate!

You'll need:
A star cookie cutter
Thick tracing paper or heavyweight coloured card or paper
Gold or silver tinsel thread
A platter or large plate
A pretty, fat candle


Draw round the star cookie cutter on the tracing paper or coloured card to make the outline of 24 stars (one for each day from the 1st to 24th December). Cut them out. Make a small hole in the top of each star with a hole puncher or fork. Cut 24 pieces of tinsel thread of varying lengths, and tie one through the hole in each star. Place the candle in the centre of the platter, and arrange the 24 stars around. 
The Advent ritual starts on 1st December. Every morning at breakfast, a child can light the candle and make a wish for the family. They then choose a star and hang it on a window frame or ceiling – perhaps above the Christmas lunch table. By Christmas Day, you’ll have a sea of swaying stars to admire.