Christmas Traditions 2012

Dan and I feel it's really important to stress the real reason we celebrate Christmas to our children each year. (We are in the minority, but our kids know Santa isn't real.) Christmas is about JESUS at our house! Last year, we started the Edible Nativity Scene tradition! It was great, but this year we added extra activities and projects to it...

I got an idea off Pinterest to wrap up a book for the kids to unwrap each day and then read it together. I decided to also have them unwrap a piece of our Nativity Scene and then read in the Bible how that piece played into Jesus' birth (aka the Christmas story.) They had to set up the pieces as we read the story each day. It was a fun way to get the true story in their heads. 

My goal was to have a gift from the Nativity Scene to open everyday, a devotion that tied into that piece, a book to read, and an activity to do.

 

Here is an overview of what we did each day:

 

Day 7-

Piece(s) Opened - Mary and Joseph

Devotion - Luke 1:26-27 & also read the beginning of the story in the kid's Bible. We discussed that Mary was Jesus' mother.

Book - Christmas Is Finally Here

Activity - Make Christmas goodies while listening to Christmas music (25 Favorite Christmas Songs.)

(Note: both of the kids were just getting over the stomach flu so we did not make goodies.)

 

Day 6 -

Piece Opened - Angel

Devotion -  Luke 1:28-35 and read that part out of the kid's Bible. We discussed how the angel appeared to Mary in this passage.

Book - Christmas Stable

Activity - We built our own Christmas Stable (it went along with the book...very cool & I highly recommend it) & also watched The Little Drummer Boy DVD 

Day 5 -

Piece Opened - Donkey

Devotion -  Luke 2:1-6 and read that part of the story in the kid's Bible. We discussed how Mary & Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem so they could be counted.

Book - The Legend of the Candy Cane

Activity - Made Shepherd's Staff snacks while listening to Christmas music (It Happened One Night.)



 

Day 4 -

Piece(s) Opened - Sheep & other Animals

Devotion - Luke 2:8-18 and read that part of the story in the kid's Bible. We discussed how the angel appeared to the shepherds to tell them that Jesus was born.

Book - The Story of Christmas
(The kids ate the shepherd staff snack that we made last night while I read.)

Activity - Made Sheep out of cotton balls & watched the Really Wolly: The Gift of Christmas DVD...the main characters are sheep.
(Note: I came down with the stomach flu this day so my Mom came to help me with the kids while Dan had to work. Thanks for doing the sheep project with them Mom...and taking care of me!)

Day 3 -

Piece(s) Opened - Stable

Devotion - Luke 2:7 and reviewed the story in the kid's Bible. We discussed how there was no room in the inn so they had to stay in the stable with the animals.

Book - From A Stable So Small

Activity - Edible Nativity Scene while listening to Christmas music (Third Day Offerings.)
(Note: I was just starting to feel better but we decided to wait until the following day to our Edible Nativity Scene.)

Day 2 -

Piece(s) Opened - 3 Wise Men

Devotion - Matthew 2:2 and reviewed the story in the kid's Bible. We discussed how the 3 Wise Men followed the star & didn't return to King Herrod.

Book - The Christmas Story

Activity - Christmas movie with hot chocolate (Max Lucado's Punchinello and the Most Marvelous Gift.) We also made our Edible Nativity Scene that we didn't do yesterday.

 

 

 

This is Daddy making the kid's hot chocolate!

 Day 1 -

Piece Opened - Baby Jesus

Devotion -  Luke 2:6-7 and read the whole story in the kid's Bible

Book - One Special Night - Pop-up Book

Activity - Tortilla Wrap snacks - Baby Jesus & listen to Christmas music (Christmas Treasures.)

 



 

These little projects were so much fun and we all got the real Christmas story in our heads! I will plan to do these projects, or something with the same idea, next year and for MANY years to come!