I have always found the song “The 12 Days of Christmas” to be maddening. All that repetition drives me nuts, and it sticks in my head and refuses to get out. I do like the idea, however, of celebrating the days after (and before!) Christmas, and the holiday season is upon us now. Many people celebrate the countdown to Christmas with an Advent calendar, and Kitronik has created one that is much more productive than most.
Kitronik has been known to get into the holiday spirit, with its Halloween projects and Christmas makes for last year. The educational company creates electronic project kits that often also include 3D printing elements, offering STEAM education in a box for all ages. The kits aren’t just learning tools, however; the end results are often beautiful or useful items to proudly keep, display and use around the house. The 12 Makes of Christmas set is no exception, with a dozen attractive Christmas items for holiday-loving makers to put together. These include:
A 3D printed LED snowman- A 3D printed LED Christmas tree
- A BBC microbit ZIP halo compass
- A copper tape LED Christmas tree
- Rudolph the LED Nosed Reindeer
- Cut out winter cabin
- Microbit ZIP halo Christmas baubles
- LED silhouette Christmas cards
- :MOVE mini Santa sleigh
- MI: power microbit Christmas baubles
- ZIP halo Christmas tree
- Servo and microbit controlled Christmas bells
The projects range from simple to highly involved and complex, with 3D printing and laser cutting featuring prominently in many of them – the emphasis, as always, is on digital fabrication. Regardless of the difficulty level, these are projects that should engage both kids and adults. They’re not your typical Christmas crafts.
“Our 12 makes of Christmas is proving very popular,” said Kitronik Founder and Director Kevin Spurr. “Makers are entering into the spirit of this offering and are pleased to have something to get their teeth into over the Christmas period. There’s plenty for everyone to engage with, and there’s the added excitement of seeing what’s behind the next day’s door!”
The 12 Makes of Christmas is set up like a true Advent calendar, with 12 doors each concealing a different project. Makers can flip open a different virtual door every day to find a new thing to make, starting out with a few simple 3D printed projects and working up to more involved challenges involving wiring and soldering. If you can finish one every day, you’ll have an impressive collection of Christmas decorations – some interactive – by the time the holiday itself arrives.
Store-bought Christmas decorations can be lovely, but they just don’t compare to homemade ones, whether that’s a wreath made from construction paper in an elementary school classroom or a 3D printed LED Christmas tree. If you’ve been wanting something to make, as well as a new way to celebrate the holidays, check out the 12 Makes of Christmas and see what’s behind each door.
Will you be making any of these projects? Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.
