A Child Friendly and Portable Advent Wreath!

This year our parish has invited families and children to make and bring their own Advent Wreaths from home to have blessed at church on the first Sunday of Advent.  We will be bringing our family wreath from home, but I also want my children to bring one that they will be able to keep and really light in their bedrooms, and I also need them portable enough to bring to church.  I decided to make a paper plate wreath with led votive candles.

Here's how I did it!  You will need:

A stapler, tacky glue, a paper plate or cardboard disc, purple and pink ribbon, a sheet of green felt, four led votive candles, something to make the 'branches.'  I used shredded paper, but you could use bits of fabric, yarn, real evergreen, small pine cones, tulle, pom-poms, the possibilities are endless! You also need scissors.

Step one is to create your green base.  I stapled green felt around a paper plate, but you could color it, or just use a green paper plate to start.  I like the coziness of the felt, plus it takes glue more quickly than a shiny paper plate, but this is my preference and you could do whatever is easiest.  I trimmed the felt, leaving a tenth of an inch or so hanging off of the edge.

Next, add some glue to the edge of your wreath, and add your 'greenery.'  You will need more or less glue than I used, depending on what you and the children choose to use.  I left mine a little wild and messy, but I'm sure when the Meteorologist makes his, I will have to do some trimming to make it neat and tidy.  Do whatever works for you!

Now for the candles, and you need the ribbon and led lights for this step.  I put dabs of tacky glue all around my candles, and wrapped the ribbon around, working my way down and around.  I started with these short candles, but then....

I found these other candles and loved the look, so I ended up making both sets.  You need to make three purple and one pink candle.

These are a little taller, and easier to see nestled on the wreath.  Settle the candles on the wreath, and there you go!  Easy to take to a blessing at church, and safe to light at bedtime for the kids!  Enjoy Advent, and if you are a member of our parish, I can't wait to see your wreath in a few weeks!  Otherwise, let me know how you made your wreath below in the comments!