Party Whammy

Christmas patterns and advent activity cards

Print these text cards to keep beside your paper. They are color guides and activity suggestions, not a full-size cutting grid. Use the picker for inspiration; follow the dates in order for a countdown.

Random craft idea

Draw one when the room is ready

Strip 1 — red loop — back reads: write a wish list, then hide it from siblings

Advent countdown strips — December 1 to 13

One strip per morning: number on the front, activity on the back, torn at breakfast.

  1. Strip 1 — red loop — back reads: write a wish list, then hide it from siblings
  2. Strip 2 — green loop — back reads: hot cocoa after school with extra marshmallows
  3. Strip 3 — red loop — back reads: pick one toy to donate before the new ones arrive
  4. Strip 4 — white loop — back reads: make paper snowflakes for the bathroom mirror
  5. Strip 5 — red loop — back reads: write a thank-you card for a teacher or coach
  6. Strip 6 — green loop — back reads: walk one decorated street after dark
  7. Strip 7 — red loop — back reads: bake drop cookies and freeze half for party day
  8. Strip 8 — white loop — back reads: read the oldest holiday book on the shelf
  9. Strip 9 — red loop — back reads: one ornament per person goes on the tree tonight
  10. Strip 10 — green loop — back reads: learn the chorus of one carol for the car
  11. Strip 11 — red loop — back reads: wrap one present together as a team
  12. Strip 12 — white loop — back reads: game night — pick a table game and keep score
  13. Strip 13 — red loop — back reads: count the rings still attached and guess the days left

Advent countdown strips — December 14 to 25

Activities for the remaining mornings, through Christmas Day.

  1. Strip 14 — green loop — back reads: camp under the tree lights for one story
  2. Strip 15 — red loop — back reads: make cards or drawings for faraway family
  3. Strip 16 — white loop — back reads: popcorn and a holiday movie night
  4. Strip 17 — red loop — back reads: build a mini paper chain for a cousin and mail it
  5. Strip 18 — green loop — back reads: bake a breakfast treat for tomorrow
  6. Strip 19 — red loop — back reads: deliver cookies to a neighbor
  7. Strip 20 — white loop — back reads: wear holiday colors head to toe today
  8. Strip 21 — red loop — back reads: sing one carol at dinner, everyone picks a verse
  9. Strip 22 — green loop — back reads: sort the stocking stuffers and guess each one
  10. Strip 23 — red loop — back reads: leave a kind note under each pillow after bedtime
  11. Strip 24 — white loop — back reads: set the table for the big day, place cards included
  12. Strip 25 — red loop — back reads: read the Christmas story, then straight to stockings

Pattern strip deck

Four signature patterns plus four bonus sequences, each with counts for a set number of links.

  1. Peppermint twist — alternate red and white every loop; 10 links = 5 red, 5 white; 16 links = 8 red, 8 white
  2. Holly berry — repeat green, red, green, white; 10 links = 5 green, 3 red, 2 white; 16 links = 8 green, 4 red, 4 white
  3. Santa's belt — repeat red, red, white, black; 10 links = 6 red, 2 white, 2 black; 16 links = 8 red, 4 white, 4 black
  4. Winter night — repeat green, green, white, white; 10 links = 6 green, 4 white; 16 links = 8 green, 8 white
  5. Candy stripe — repeat red, white, red, green; 16 links = 8 red, 4 white, 4 green
  6. Kraft cabin — repeat kraft, kraft, red, white; 16 links = 8 kraft, 4 red, 4 white
  7. Tree lights — repeat green, red, yellow, blue; 16 links = 4 strips of each color
  8. First frost — alternate white and light blue every loop; 10 links = 5 white, 5 light blue

Christmas paper-chain templates

Make a red-and-white garland, try a four-color pattern or count down to Christmas with a ring to tear off each morning. The printable cards above include eight color patterns and 25 activity suggestions. Below are strip sizes, assembly instructions and space to write down your measurements before cutting the rest of the paper.

What would you like to make? A Christmas garland An advent countdown

Cut strips and measure a sample chain

For letter paper, mark the 11-inch side at one-inch intervals and cut across the 8.5-inch width. That gives 11 strips, each 1 by 8.5 inches, from one sheet. Use colored paper or decorate plain strips before linking them. The printable cards are guides to copy; they do not print a measured strip-cutting template.

Overlap the ends by half an inch when closing each loop. An 8.5-inch strip then makes a loop with an 8-inch circumference. That is the distance around the loop, not the length it adds to a garland. The hanging length also depends on the loop shape, the interlocking rings and how much the chain droops.

Make a ten-link sample using the paper and overlap you intend to use. Hold it in the shape you want for the finished garland and measure its end-to-end reach. Divide your target length by that measurement, multiply by ten and round up for a starting strip count. Check the growing chain against the space before closing the final links; this is an estimate, not an exact fit guarantee.

Where you want the chainTarget lengthYour estimated strip count
A 4-foot doorway swag48 inches__________
A 6-foot mantel garland72 inches__________
A 10-foot wall garland120 inches__________

Example calculation: If your ten-link sample measures 24 inches in the intended hanging shape, a 72-inch target suggests 72 ÷ 24 × 10 = 30 strips. The 24-inch measurement is an example, not a tested result for this strip size.

Construction paper can also be cut into 1-by-9-inch strips. With the same overlap, the circumference is 8.5 inches; measure a new sample instead of reusing the letter-paper estimate. A 9-by-12-inch sheet yields twelve of these strips. Check your sheet dimensions first.

Notes to print and fill in

DetailYour notes
Where the chain will hang______________________________
Target length in inches______________________________
Strip size and overlap______________________________
Ten-link sample measurement______________________________
Estimated strips needed______________________________
Color sequence______________________________
Sheets of each color______________________________
Extra strips to cut______________________________

For letter paper, divide the strips needed by eleven and round up to count sheets. Do that separately for each color if you are buying colored paper. As total-paper examples, 80 strips need eight sheets and 40 strips need four; neither count guarantees a particular garland length. Eight children making ten-link chains use 80 strips, while four pairs making ten-link chains use 40.

Four Christmas color patterns

Start with the first color shown and repeat the sequence. These counts describe 10 or 16 links, not six or ten feet of garland.

PatternRepeating sequenceFor 10 linksFor 16 links
Peppermint twistRed, white5 red, 5 white8 red, 8 white
Holly berryGreen, red, green, white5 green, 3 red, 2 white8 green, 4 red, 4 white
Santa’s beltRed, red, white, black6 red, 2 white, 2 black8 red, 4 white, 4 black
Winter nightGreen, green, white, white6 green, 4 white8 green, 8 white

Sort strips into color piles before closing the first loop. Leave a short example sequence beside the piles so children can see which color comes next. For a longer chain, count complete repeats first, then add the colors at the start of the sequence for any remaining links.

The cards above also include Candy stripe, Kraft cabin, Tree lights and First frost. You can use their sequences with the same strip size, or let children choose colors from the paper you already have.

  1. Curve the first strip into a ring, with any decorated side facing out.
  2. Overlap the ends by half an inch and apply a glue stick to the overlap. Press the ends together until they hold; follow the adhesive’s directions rather than relying on a fixed ten-second wait. An adult can use a staple instead.
  3. Thread the next strip through the closed ring before joining its ends.
  4. Continue in your color sequence. In pairs, one child can hold a ring while the other glues the next strip, then they can swap jobs.
  5. Check the chain against the space where it will hang. Add links as needed and support the ends, with additional support wherever you want a swag to rise.

Interlocking rings naturally face in different directions. Keep the decorated side outward, but do not expect every ring to lie flat or every seam to face the wall. Put finished chains loosely in a box rather than folding the links into sharp creases.

Make a 25-day advent countdown

Cut 25 strips for December 1–25, plus one unnumbered hanger strip: 26 strips in total, or three sheets of letter paper before allowing for individual colors. Write each date on the outside and the day’s activity on the inside before closing the loops.

Link the dated rings so December 1 is at the bottom, followed upward by December 2 through December 25, with the hanger above December 25. Hang it on November 30. Each morning, tear off the bottom dated ring and read its activity. After December 25, only the hanger remains.

Use the dated cards above in order, changing activities to suit your family. Cocoa after school, paper snowflakes, a holiday story and one ornament per person are options from the pack. The random picker can help you find another idea, but it does not track completed dates. Keep the whole countdown linked; storing half its strips separately would interrupt the daily order.

Get the craft table ready

  • Measure the hanging space and make a sample chain before cutting a whole stack.
  • Put out paper, a ruler, scissors and glue sticks; prepare pre-cut strips for anyone who needs them.
  • Sort the colors and put a sample sequence beside each pile.
  • Write dates and activities on countdown strips before linking them.
  • Decide who will demonstrate the first loop and who will refill supplies.
  • Leave a box or clear surface for finished chains and a place for scraps.

The craft-party activities guide covers table setup and helping guests with different levels of experience. If another adult is helping, use the printable party-game helper notes to record supply locations and jobs.

An example one-hour craft session

This suggested session totals 60 minutes, with strips already cut. Give the group more linking time if you are making longer chains.

  1. 0:00–0:10 — Show the first loop. Let children choose a pattern and sort their strips.
  2. 0:10–0:35 — Link the chains. Demonstrate threading each new strip through the last closed ring.
  3. 0:35–0:45 — Check and finish. Measure garlands or check the countdown dates and add any missing links.
  4. 0:45–0:55 — Put the chains aside. Clear scraps and start a quiet activity while the glue sets.
  5. 0:55–1:00 — Hang or pack the chains. Put each child’s chain with their belongings if it is going home.

For a party-day decoration, cut strips two days ahead if convenient, link them the day before and hang them on party morning. Store them loosely between sessions. For a countdown, use November 30 as the hanging date so the first ring is ready on December 1.

More Christmas crafts and games

Put Christmas activity placemats at waiting seats for coloring and puzzles. When everyone is ready for a shared seated game, Christmas picture bingo uses picture calls so guests can match pictures without reading words. The Christmas word-game pack offers pencil games for readers.

If children want another craft, the Christmas paper puppet kit turns paper bags into characters for a small show. Set up its supplies separately before starting it. For a movement break instead, Christmas acting cards include easy and harder prompts.

Use Christmas family games to compare activities by the guests and room you have. If paper chains are one part of a larger gathering, seasonal party ideas can help you arrange the craft alongside food and other activities.

Christmas paper-chain questions

How many strips do I need for a six-foot chain?

Measure a ten-link sample in the shape you want to hang it. Divide 72 inches by that sample length, multiply by ten and round up for an estimate. Ten strips do not reliably make six feet: the distance around each ring is different from its contribution to the linked chain’s length.

Should we use glue or staples?

Glue sticks let children close loops at the table. An adult can use a stapler for assembly instead. Try the paper and fastening method on a sample first, especially if you switch from copy paper to thicker card stock.

Can we make the chains ahead of time?

Yes. Put finished chains loosely in a box and check the joints before hanging them. How long they keep their shape depends on the paper, adhesive and storage. Try a sample ahead of time if you plan to keep the decorations for another year.

Are the printable cards full-size strip templates?

No. They contain color sequences and countdown activity suggestions, with picker and print controls. To cut strips, mark your paper with a ruler using the dimensions above. You can also print the blank measurement notes and fill them in by hand.