Ep. 42 || Making Christmas Traditions Matter
Someone important has already come, and is coming again. Have you told your children? Despite the busyness and the expectations around us, Advent is a perfect time to rest the hearts of our family on the Savior. But how exactly can we do that with small children or less-than-ideal-circumstances? In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the opportunity we have to point our children to Jesus during Advent. They also share practical ideas for engaging children in the Christmas story, and encourage moms who feel like they can't live up to the Pinterest-perfect standards. Ultimately, it's the most wonderful time of the year, not because of the presents or the decorations, but because of a person.
Resources:
Advent Activity Ideas:
Advent Bags for a calendar( <---- purchase some if you're in a time pinch!) as Laura mentioned on the show
Jesse Tree // Jesse Tree Family Devotions (Appropriate for toddlers) Jesse Tree Book (Ages 8+)
December Countdown Chain (as Emily mentioned on the show): Cut 25 strips of colored paper and form a simple chain. Each day, remove a strip and do one "fun activity" from a list. Ideas include: drink hot chocolate, sing Christmas hymns, deliver cookies to daddy at work, watch a video of the manger story, etc.
The above is similar to the "Promise Tree" Laura mentioned on the show. Now she puts the "fun activity" in her advent bags to do after the scripture readings.
Prepare Him Room (Devotional book most appropriate for elementary-age children, have not personally used, but was recommended to us from a trusted source.)
Articles & Books:
Celebrating Advent: Looking Back and Looking Forward - Melissa Krueger
Creating Traditions That Point To The Gospel - Revive Our Hearts
Hidden Christmas (Book) - Timothy Keller
Treasuring God in Our Traditions - Noel Piper
Don't Touch the Nativity! - Erin Davis
7 Reasons to Celebrate Advent - Ryan Shelton
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