Make a Lenten Paper Chain Countdown

Lent is almost here! If you are looking for a meaningful way for your family to observe Lent in your home, I’ve got the perfect thing - create a Lenten Paper Chain Countdown. This hands-on project isn’t just a fun craft; it’s a visual and interactive tool that helps your children (and you!) count down the days until Easter while reflecting on the significance of this time of preparation, prayer, and introspection.

The beauty of a Lenten paper chain is just how simple it is. Each little loop stands for one day of Lent, and every time you tear one off, your kids can actually see that you’re getting closer to Easter. It turns this long, sometimes abstract season into something tangible. And in that small daily moment, pulling off one link together, you’re gently reminding your family that we’re walking toward something incredible, not just giving things up.

Lenten Paper Chain Countdown

Materials:

Construction paper:

• Purple

• White

• Black

• Red

• Pink

Glue stick or glue

Ruler

Colored pencils

Instructions:

Rip strips of colored paper along the width of the paper using a ruler. Add decorative elements to the strips listed below. Interlock the strips in the order given below and glue the ends together. Hang it in a prominent place in your home. As you begin each new day, remove the appropriate link.

You will need:

• 33 purple strips for the regular days of Lent. On the first purple link, color a black cross on it to represent Ash Wednesday.

• 9 white strips for the feast days of Lent, including Sundays and Easter (Sundays are always feast days since they celebrate the resurrection of Jesus). Decorate the Easter strip with a gold cross and flowers.

  • Four of the white strips are for the Sundays of Lent.

  • One of the white strips is for the Feast of St. Patrick on March 17th.

  • One white strip is for the Feast of St. Joseph on March 19th.

  • One white strip is for the Feast of the Anunciation on March 25th.

  • One white strip is for the Feast of the Resurrection (Easter). Decorate the strip with flowers.

• 1 pink strip for the 4th Sunday of Lent, known as Laetare Sunday.

• 2 red strips. One is for the Feast of St. Matthias, since he was martyred, and one is for Palm Sunday. Draw a green palm on the one for Palm Sunday.

• 2 black strips for Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

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The order of the strips:

1 purple with a black cross for Ash Wednesday

3 purple

1 white for the First Sunday of Lent

1 purple

1 red for the Feast of St. Matthias

4 purple

1 white for the Second Sunday of Lent

6 purple

1 white for the Third Sunday of Lent

6 purple

1 pink for the Fourth Sunday of Lent, also known as Laetare Sunday

1 purple

1 white for the Feast of St. Patrick

1 purple

1 white for the Feast of St. Joseph

2 purple

1 white for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

2 purple

1 white for the Feast of the Annunciation

3 purple

1 red for Palm Sunday. Draw a green palm on it.

3 purple

1 white for Maundy Thursday

2 black for Good Friday and Holy Saturday

1 white decorated with a gold cross and flowers for Easter

Have a blessed Lent +