Our Favorite Advent-Christmas-Epiphany Tradition

 For several years now, our family has had a baby crib sitting under our tree. 

During Advent it's empty:

Christmas Morning
Christmas morning the best gift of all can be discovered under that glowing tree! 

On the Epiphany

 Then, on the morning of the Epiphany, our King of Kings, baby Jesus, is found to be wearing a golden crown, red velvet cloak, and holding a jeweled scepter!

The crib is a cradle that my father made for my older girls years ago, but you could use a wooden crate or box. The "hay" is actually raffia. It's much cleaner than hay because it stays together in the crib and it has very few small pieces to make a mess. Baby Jesus is a toy baby doll, but it's one I keep just for this family tradition. That makes this baby seem more special to the kids! The baby is dressed in a plan white newborn size onese, and is wrapped in a old white baby blanket.
The King of Kings crown is a golden cardboard crown for kids. I cut down the length and height so it would fit the doll. Then I added a few gems to make it look more royal! The cloak is a piece of velvet. I sewed a draw string into the top.  I hot glued the decorative edging to the sides, since I'm not much of a sewer. The scepter is a wooden ball on a stick. (a styrofoam ball would work) I covered the ball with some of the velvet, and tied it together at the stick. Then I glued on some fancy trimming and gems. I covered the stick with gold ribbon.

Another idea: The first year of  this tradition, our kids did a play of the three kings. In the kings each carried one of the three  "King of Kings" items. Then they dressed Him as they gave him his gifts.

(but if you do this, have the kids dress Him starting with the cloak and add the crown last!) ☺

Hope you all have a blessed Advent while waiting for our Savor's coming,

~Jennifer