We try to keep Christmas fairly simple and as meaningful as possible. Christmas is about Christ. It's not about presents or decorations or cookies. Those things can be fun, but I don't want them to be the only focus of the season. Mapping out a budget and doing a little bit of planning on how we'll be spending some time helped take away a lot of stress.
One fun tradition that helps keep our focus during December is the refrigerator Advent Calendar. I originally got this idea from a blog a couple of years ago when I was preparing an Advent devotion for some elementary aged students and their families at church.
The blog's ideas were for more of a secular Christmas Countdown but one could easily change the "tasks" on the back of these refrigerator cards and make them a good fit for their own family. The blog suggested using Christmas numbered scrapbook paper which I actually did find at Michael's and cut out each number to paste on construction paper. You could also just cut up 25 squares of paper and write your numbers on it. I got magnetic tape at the craft store, too, and used glue stick to glue a small piece on the back of each card. The adhesive didn't seem to be quite enough to get it to stay.
You can decorate the cards however you'd like. Since I was doing this originally in large quantities, I gathered stickers, markers, bows, etc. to let the kids decorate. You can use whatever you have on hand. I also had a 26th card with DECEMBER written on it and a bible verse that picked out. I added little things Mateo had made in Sunday school, our fam pic, the bible verse from our Christmas card, etc. to the fridge as well as a picture of the little girl we sponsor from India. It was a fun and beautiful refrigerator "scrapbook" and devotion for the month.
I went through the gospel story in Luke and also chose a couple verses from the book of Isaiah. All of the tasks were printed on sticker labels and placed on the back. You could surely do this differently. In the future, as the boys get older, I look forward to changing some of the devotional tasks to be more at their level. For now it was exciting to see Mateo begin comprehending the story of Jesus coming to Earth as a baby.
I also left about 10 of the cards blank for each family to fill in additional activities that fit with their family. This year I used sticky notes on those blank cards to come up with things that worked with our family's likes and schedule. I also took into account days off of my husband, which days were on a weekend, etc.
Here is what's written on the back of each card:
1. Read Isiah 7:14
Isaiah was written over 600 years before Jesus was born. What did God promise way back then?
2. Blank (Below task written on a sticky note)
"Make Gingerbread Houses"
3. Brainstorm something your family can do (or are doing) this month to show Jesus' love to someone else (using time, money, or resources).
4. Blank
"Christmas Craft" Split Pea Christmas Tree**
5. Read Luke 1:26-38
How did Mary respond to the angel?
6. Blank
"Read about Jesus' birth in the big children's bible. Tell the story of Jesus' birth with the felt set story board" (We were given an awesome set with all of the characters, animals, backgrounds, etc. Mateo had fun creating the set. Alex was too young to participate with all the small pieces. Maybe next year.)
7. Read Luke 1:39-45
Why do you think God chose Mary to be Jesus' mother?
8. Blank
"Sing Christmas Praise Songs: 1. Silent Night, 2. Joy to the World, 3. Come on Ring those Bells"
9. Who is someone that would enjoy a letter this month? Write one and send or deliver it.
10. Blank
Play the Thankful Game and have prayer time (Play your own variation of this game which let family members take turns saying what they are thankful to God for).
11. Read and discuss Luke 1:46-56
"Christmas Craft: Make a tissue paper star with the verse Matthew 2:2" **
13. What do you think Jesus would want as a "birthday present" as we celebrate his birth this year?
14. Blank
"Write/tell the story of Jesus' birth from the perspective of the stable animals."
15. Read Luke 2:1-7 What do you think Mary and Joseph were feeling.
"Drive around after dinner and look at Christmas lights. Lights can remind us of the star the wise men followed."
16. Sketch a picture of what the manger where Jesus was born might have looked like. What animals do you think were there?
17. Blank
"Christmas Craft: Christmas Tree with paper Pattern Block Shapes"**
18. "Make cookies for the neighbors and deliver them with Christmas cards"
19. Read Luke 2:8-12
What was the great news that was for all people? Why was it so great?
20. Blank
"Go visit the capitol and look at the lights"
21. Pray together. Thank God for sending Jesus to be our savior.
22. Blank:
"Christmas Craft: Tree Crayons" **
23. Read Luke 2:13-20
Where did the shepherds go and find Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus?
24. Blank
"Tell the story about Jesus' birth with the felt set story board"
25. "Sing some Christmas praise song such as 1. Silent Night, 2. Joy to the World, and Come on Ring those Bells"
Now of course schedules change, you forget to do the calendar one day, people get sick, and sometimes you BUY cookies to give to your neighbors instead of make them from scratch. I'm pretty convinced those alterations don't really matter. The point is being intentional with your family and honoring your God. I'm already looking forward to next year with my boys :)
**Christmas Crafts:
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| Christmas Tree Crayons We made these as gifts. Check out link for directions. |
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| Split Pea and Lentil Christmas Tree. Draw a Christmas tree template and use the dried split peas and lentils like glitter. Add a star on top. |
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| Christmas Tree Pattern Block Template. I came across a neat site that had a variety of templates available to print. I had a lot of di-cut shapes from my teaching days to glue on tape. You could cut out your own shapes or even just color it. |
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| I cut out a star shape from white paper and glued it on black paper. I wrote the verse Matthew 2:2 in white crayon. Mateo could either cut or rip pieces of yellow tissue paper and glue them on. He wanted to rip :) |
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