Free printable gingerbread house patterns, Christmas craft stencils

Making holiday gingerbread houses is a favorite family traditions. Not being very artistic, I'd cheat and get the gingerbread house kit. But I've found a better way: free printable gingerbread house patterns, recipes and templates. People approach gingerbread house making in two ways. The first is to painstakingly design a work of art--not to be eaten, let alone touched. Then there's our youngest son's method: slap together a ramshackle gingerbread shed, lather in two inches of frosting, cover every inch in candy and devour immediately. Whichever school you subscribe to, you'll want these free printable gingerbread recipes, templates and patterns.   Free printable gingerbread house patterns, Christmas craft stencils 

Free printable Catholic Advent calendars for a Christian Bible Christmas

The Catholic Christian season of Advent begins November 30, 2014 and goes for four weeks till Christmas. Many families follow Advent calendars. If they're getting all season long, where's the magic of Christmas morning? Advent is about preparing for the coming of Christ with acts of charity.  Here are Free printable Catholic Advent calendars for a Christian Bible Christmas

Free Christmas Crafts and Holiday Printables

Martha Stewart is the DIY home goddess. On her website, you'll find printable crafts for every holiday, theme and occasion. Coming up, she's got Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and winter themed holiday crafts. You can also find Advent, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Chanukah and Epiphany crafts to print. And you can access any holiday from the page I linked. There are free printable greeting cards, invitations, decorations, games, banners, cut and paste, children's activities, gift crafts and more. Look for birthday, anniversary, new baby, wedding, bridal shower, graduation and religious events. Free Crafts and Printables from Martha Stewart

Free and Printable Christmas Holiday Greeting Cards Crafts Puzzles

A string of holiday cards across a window makes a lovely sight! I have sent and received cards for years. It is one of my favorite holiday traditions. But the cost of everything seem to be rising, including greeting cards.

  Here's a sensible alternative to expensive cards--print your own! Home printed cards are just as beautiful and personal. And they make sense financially. Saves on shopping time too!


  I found a terrific site for free printable christmas cards with no membership fees. Best of all it has a wide selection of free printable holiday crafts. The site is Dover Publications. It  offers free samples of clipart, and printables. Dover offers a wealth of holiday crafts, sticker sheets to print, gift tags, and loads of quality books as well.


  The holiday art on the cards is generally from the lavish Victorian period. Classic cherubs adorn the corners in rich colors. Jolly old St. Nick steps straight out of Harper's Bazaar with his sack bulging with toys from times past. Gilt fruit and lush wreaths decorate the borders. Victorian children skate on fairyland ponds, dressed in red velvet and white fur. All the cards greet your loved ones with banners of holiday cheer!


  There are also some which feature the Art Nouveau and 'Art Deco' Period of the Twenties and Thirties. These feature the elegant, elongated men and women and chic block writing. You'll find Tiffany style art as well for your e-cards. The whimsical fairylike characters and enchanted woodland scenes evoke the magic of Christmas!


  There are religious and secular choices. You can choose nativity scenes, nostalgic woodland churches, candles and incense, and Coventry angels. There are cards with different peoples and cultures: Norse, Celtic, Germanic, Moorish, French, Slavic, and Oriental.


  You will be amazed at the great prices and free shipping deals! Most large coloring books sell for $3.95 to $6.95. The reprints run about $5.95 to $8.95. You can be put on an email mailing list and receive free samples and coupons each week. You can receive free catalogs through the mail with promotions galore!


  Check out Dover Publications website today and explore the choices for your holiday mailing and all your holiday gift-giving! Be sure to sign up with your email to get the freebies.

Free Printable Advent Calendar Crafts

Advent is a penitential season that starts four weeks before Christmas in +Catholic and +Orthodox-christian churches. As in lent (before Easter) we pray, fast and give alms to prepare our hearts for the "coming" (advent) of Christ (from the Latin "adveniat regnum"--coming of Christ's kingdom.) The first Sunday of Advent in 2013 is December 1. Here are printable advent calendars for kids. Free Printable Advent Calendar Crafts for Kids

Printable Catholic Saints Paper Dolls

I enjoy looking for free printable cartoon coloring pages, but my real passion lies in finding homeschooling and religious education free printables. I remember my early teaching and homeschooling career, sans computer. I must have made thousands of lessons. Alas, I am woefully inept as an artist, so those that required drawing skills...lacked. But now, with the beauty of the Internet, we have access to free printable lesson plans, coloring pages, cut and paste crafts, games and activities. Here are printable Catholic paper dolls for Advent and Christmas. Free Printable Catholic Saints Paper Dolls and Coloring Page Activities

Chris VanAllsburg, Polar Express, Herpolsheimers' Grand Rapids Connections

I have a lot of hobbies and interests. One is incunabula, particularly collecting children's literature. I'm not au currant in modern adult fiction, but juvenilia I speak fluently. A favorite author/illustrator is Chris VanAllsburg--of Jumanji, The Polar Express (books, then movies) fame. When I was in college and a new teacher, VanAllsburg was writing and illustrating some of his best works. My favorite is a little-remembered volume of M.C. Escher-ish pictures with intriguing captions "The Mysteries of Harris Burdick." I used that extensively in creative writing with my Montessori students in the 80s. And I just discovered a neat connection. VanAllsburg is from my hometown Grand Rapids. I think the train he used for the Polar Express was modeled on Herpolsheimer's Santa Express--a little train that went around the top of the store, that all us kids rode years ago.  Oh, and here's a free printable Polar Express party kit perfect for children's Christmas festivities or birthday parties. Read more. Chris VanAllsburg is from My Hometown

Free Printable Christmas Party Games for Holiday Parties

Picture this: Christmas opened, dinner nicely settling and just when adults start to relax, the kids want to play. Why not pull out a little holiday magic with free printable Christmas puzzles and word games! Before Christmas or any other holiday, gather an assortment of books, toys, prizes. Put them in a Santa Surprise bag. When kids get restless, haul it out and add a free printable Christmas activity books. For each puzzle or coloring page successfully completed the child gets to choose one prize from Santa's Surprise bag!  Woo-hoo, mom and dad can half-nap for a good hour or two! Here are your Free Printable Christmas Party Games