Nativity Scene Handprint Parent Gift

It's better late than never, here are the results of our Christmas parent gifts. 

They are a little time consuming, but they come out beautifully. I even did a set for my mother in law and great grandma using my daughter’s hand. For my mother in laws, I put two back to back and created tree ornaments.

The best part of this present is that it is a truly meaningful keepsake.

This is our second year doing this project. We found it last year over at Planet of the Apels. Over the two years I have learned a few tricks. 

First, it easiest to make a chart about which hand become which animal so they all face baby Jesus. Second, have the children do the hand print and then add all the extras later. The exception being the camel we have the children add an extra thumb print for the head and then a print for the neck. It's easiest to use a nice marker to make the manger, we tried finger prints the first year but it's just too much. 

Lastly, practice how you are going to do the writing including what kind of pen you are going to use. This year I started doing it on two sides and it looked awful. I felt so bad, my assistant and I spent a day pulling them off and re backing them. Go Miss OCD! Luckily my assistant loves me (or at least she pretends too), so she forgave my craziness.

Anyway, they came out wonderfully and I hope the parents cherish them forever.