Love Rach's Advent Christmas tree? No surprise — it's an extra special piece!
And it goes way back.
"The original tree was designed by my parents years and years ago to use in place of an Advent Calendar," our art directer Jaclyn Steudtner-Colabraro explains. "They would fill each box with a mini gift or treat as we grew up. There is a box for each of the 24 days leading up to Christmas, and we’d all take turns opening one box per night."
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Adding of the silver-tinted mini-tree (whose roots hail from Germany), she says, "Last year, I wanted to share this tradition with Rachael, so we made her a tree as a gift. She has added the fun twist of filling the boxes with boozey chocolates to keep the tradition going for adults!"
We're certainly not mad about the twist!
If you'd like to make your own Advent tree at home, grab these supplies and follow these steps! (And make sure to watch the video above for more detail!)
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SUPPLIES:
— Paint (FYI: Our art team like quick-dry metallic florist's spray paint)
— Gold leafing kit (which includes the specific adhesive and foil sheets)
— Ornaments (Jackie used a mix of vintage paper mache ornaments from Germany and candy boxes she decorated herself; you can also find paper mache boxes at craft stores)
— Numbers (Note: For the original trees, the art team used antique window tack markers, which already come from numbered 1 to 24. But you could also use mini chipboard numbers, charms, decals or even paint pens once the ornaments are dry)
— Grommets
— Hole punch
— Ribbon
STEPS:
1. Punch hole in the box of your choice (i.e. candy box or paper mache box)
2. Grommet, if preferred (to protect the hole punch)
3. Paint the boxes (Jackie used silver this time, but you can also gold leaf)
4. Add the numbers
5. String each ornament with ribbon
6. Fill with candy or other treats
7. Hang!
