Advent 2011: The Light of Christmas

When the Christmas season rolls around, one of the great highlights of the season is riding around looking at the outdoor light displays.  I am not sure why, when there are so many great parts of Christmas, I love this part the most.  Perhaps it is because we didn't really hang outdoor lights when I was growing up.  Or maybe it's because we didn't have snow so I never saw the glisten of winter lights on a new fallen snow.  I just don't know why.  But, what I do know is that my fascination started young.  I remember watching neighbors line their driveways with paper bag luminaries.  I would think, "When I grow up, I am going to put those everywhere!"

Well, I did grow up.  And, I still love those holiday lights whether they are simple or complex.  And, I have had my turn at lighting up the house for all to see. (That promptly ended about a year after marriage when our lights froze to the gutters and we had to blowdry them off before moving!)  Now, I keep it simple... a luminary here and there, lights on the trees, and that is it.

Tonight we celebrate the lights of Christmas.  The lights that are painstakingly hung each year or tenderly tucked in a paper bag to light each night.  Tonight we celebrate the Light that only Christmas can bring.

Christmas Adventus 2011 Day 9:  Before the family advent time begins tonight, turn on a tea light and place it in Advent Bag #9.  Dim the lights and ask your littlest angel to get the bag for tonight's advent time, but don't peek inside.  Talk to your family about the light that you used to see at Christmas.  Ask them if they rememer any special Christmas lights that they enjoyed.  You may read my introduction to "The Light of Christmas", if you would like.

When everyone has shared, remind your angels that Christmas lights are just another reminder that Jesus came as the Light of the World (John 9:5, NIV).  Remind them that, just like the light shines through their Advent bag, they should let their Light shine so that God may be praised (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV).

Click on Christmas Adventus 2011 to find out what we did to remember that Jesus is the Light of the World.



For our other Advent activities, see "Christmas Adventus 2011: Celebrating Allergy-Free".

Advent 2011: Be Ready!

Before you were born and even before Jesus mother, Mary was born, God knew that Jesus would be born.  He knew how Jesus would come and who His mother and Earthly father would be.  God knew all things, even what Jesus would be called.  God also knew that many people would not accept this Messiah.

Knowing that accepting Jesus would be difficult, God began preparing many years before the birth.  God sent prophets, gave people dreams and visions.  He sent messengers like the John the Baptist and the angels.  And, once Jesus was born, He continued to help us understand through Jesus preaching and miracles.  But, still many were not ready.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” Matthew 24:42-44

Jesus will come again.  Will you be ready?

Christmas Adventus Day 8:  Place craft sticks or popsicle sticks in the advent bag for Day 8. 

Tell your angels: 

“Today, we are going to do advent differently. Before we open today’s bag, we are going to prepare ourselves by playing a game. I will tell you an activity and I want you to bring me something that we might need if we were going to do that activity. Do you understand? Then, let’s begin:

What would we need to prepare if we were:

• Going to the store?
• Having a picnic?
• Taking a nap?
• Doing our homework?
• Going to work?
• Visiting Grandma/Grandpa?
• Taking a jog?
• Hosting a birthday party?

Great job! December 1st, we began preparing for something. Can you guess what it might be? (Christmas, Jesus birth) What have we done to prepare for Christmas? (wrap presents, sing carols, read our Bible, pray…many possible answers here)”

Read the beginning of today’s post aloud before opening Bag #8 on the advent calendar.  Once you have read that, continue with the craft for December 7^th found on my Christmas Adventus 2011 page. Today, we will make a manger in preparation for Jesus coming.




For our other Advent activities, see "Christmas Adventus 2011: Celebrating Allergy-Free".

Advent 2011: Give and Be Blessed

With wish lists to write and grandparents asking whether we know what we want, it can be confusing for little people.  Sometimes, it may be difficult to remember that this is not the season of getting, but the season of giving.  Sometimes it is difficult to help little ones understand the joy that giving brings when they are always focused on what they are getting.  However, just as a bird a flies because it mother does, we give because God first gave to us.  With Jesus’ example, we see the value that our Father places on giving so that others may receive.  For, it is in the giving that we are blessed.

Christmas Adventus Day 7: In Advent bag #7 on our Advent calendar, place a gift card (maybe $10) for a toy store.  If you are shopping with more than one child, you may want to give each of them a $5 card to make this experience more personal. 

When your Advent time begins, have the children remove the cards from the bag.  Tell the children that you are going to take them shopping and that they will decide how to spend this money. If you are shopping with older children, you can take them shopping and help them wrap their gifts before explaining that they are going to donate these toys to children who do not have any.  However, if you have little ones in the group, it can be difficult for them to shop without the understanding that what they buy is for someone else. So, if you have little ones shopping in your group, I would begin by explaining to them that there are children who do not have any toys, even at Christmas.  Tell your angel(s) that they are going to use their money to buy toy(s) for those children.  Then, go to the store and help them shop.  Use this opportunity to help your little ones learn the value of a dollar as they choose what they can afford to buy and what they cannot.  Once the gifts are purchased, let the children place them in the donation bin themselves.

For more on our Day 7 activities, click Christmas Adventus 2011 .



For our other Advent activities, see "Christmas Adventus 2011: Celebrating Allergy-Free".