2022 Advent Calendars

Odds are, you’ll wrap a present this holiday season. And if you wrap a present, you’ll most likely add a bow. Bows are an enhancement. They help us state that a gift is special, and that it comes from a place of love. Bows have other meanings, too. They are indicative of unity – two or more strands become one, and work together for a greater purpose. They also represent the idea of tension and release, as well as completion. Bows can also serve as a symbol of endurance and love. Do you have any relatives that save their bows, and use them over and over again?

During the season of Advent, we prepare/make room/get ready to experience Emmanuel. But we are also preparing to share/gift our own lives to the world upon receipt of the hope, peace, joy, and love making their way toward us this season. Maybe the bows can help us distinguish, or help us see more clearly what’s next?

We invite you into the Advent journey. Use the attached calendar to follow along. On Christmas Eve, use scissors and glue to turn your calendar into a bow, and use it to top a special gift. And if you save your bows for next year, this is one you’ll want to keep!

2022 Sardis Advent Calendar (11 × 8.5 in)

How to Make Your Bow

1. Use the dotted lines to cut eight strips of paper.
2. Separate into two sets of four strips. Cut two inches off one set.
3. Glue each of the eight strips into a loop.
4. Glue the center of each loop to create eight figure eights.
5. Glue the large figure eights on top of each other diagonally. Repeat for the smaller figure eights.
6. Use the excess scraps to create one more loop. Glue the final loop to the center of your bow.
7. Attach to your gift box.