I wanted to do something fun for the boys this Christmas. I wanted a way to give them little surprises throughout the Christmas season, but also teach them how to do kind things for others, and to at the same time, teach them about the true reason we celebrate Christmas....The Story of the 1st Christmas and Jesus's birth.
I have had all sorts of ideas over the past few months but it slowly started to come together. I decided that since I was doing this for the boys that I would also do one for "the girls" Also known as my nieces, Mary Frannie, Mabry, and Laney. It took some time on pinterest and google, and some time in hobby lobby...but I finally finished the advent calenders this morning after church. I decided they would have a paper bag to open every day in December leading up to Christmas. I found the numbers to label the bags at Hobby Lobby, 50 percent off too. I got some stationary from Walmart so that I could print out explanations/directions to every day. Below are some pictures of me putting together the bags for the girls AND I included a detailed explanation of what is in every bag day by day. I wanted to share so that hopefully it would inspire you to make one for your child/children or for someone you know. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. There is still a week before December 1st...so get to it! Some of the days I probably could have gotten a little more creative or detailed...but I initially made the days around my boys, ages 2 and 4 so I wanted to keep it simple. I also had a hard time working on this and keeping the boys out of them! so I had to work quickly and efficiently. You might have to adjust if you have different ideas or different ages you are gearing towards. For now, I think it turned out good and was a great first year effort. Hopefully I continue to improve over the years.
Remember, these are the bags I did for the girls.....I have to finish the boys this week, than I will hang those in our "advent tree" and I can do a separate shorter post about theirs later.
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| The bags laid out in the office |
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| Day 6 - a candle and an explanation of what to do with the candle |
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| Done!!! now to deliver |
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| My parents came with me today while Phyllis was busy with kelley. We sure had a time getting into their garage! |
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| The advent staircase |
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| 25 bags of Chrsitmas |
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| A letter to the girls |
I started off the advent stairs with a letter to the girls….
Mary Frannie – Mabry – Laney
I wanted to make you guys a fun advent calendar for
Christmas. I have a bag you can open on every day. On the 1st of December, you open the 1, on
the 2nd of December you open the 2, on December 3rd open the 3, and so on and
so on. Don’t worry if you forget one day or you are out of town, you can just
catch up the next day. Also, don’t ever
feel like you have to do whatever it says on that day. Whether it is an act of
kindness, or candy, or a craft….you can always save it for the time that works
best for you during the Christmas season.
Have fun opening the bags every day. Take turns.
Enjoy the surprises. Most of all – remember – Christmas is a time not
only for surprises and gifts for you but also a time to remember the birth of
Jesus and celebrating all month long by doing kind things for other people,
being around family and friends, and spreading Christmas cheer J
Call me if you have any questions. Also, the boys have one
too, but because of their ages some things are a little different.
Love Aunt Ashley!!!
Day 1: M & M candies
As you hold these candies in your hand and turn them, you
will see….
The M becomes a W, and E, and then a 3.
They tell the Christmas Story, it’s one I’m sure you know.
It took place in a stable a long, long time ago.
The E is for the East where the star shone so bright.
The M is for the Manger where baby Jesus slept that
night.
The 3 is for the Wiseman bearing gifts when they came.
W is for Worship, Hallelujah, Praise His name.
So, as you eat these candies or share with your friends.
Remember the meaning of Christmas.
It’s a love story that never ends.
Day2: Card game, Christmas Trivia
What do you know about Christmas?
Test your knowledge and have fun learning some fun Christmas
Trivia.
Enjoy!!
Day 3: A NEW Christmas CD!
I found this CD at our Local Christian Book Store. I thought you girls would enjoy singing along
with the CD this Christmas season.
READ: Psalm 100:1-2
A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord,
all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with
singing!
Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.
Day 4: Happy Birthday Jesus Bracelets
Remember….
Christmas is not YOUR Birthday
It’s Jesus’ Birthday!!
Wear this Bracelet as a reminder of this.
Share any extras and share with them why they say what they say.
Happy Birthday Jesus!!
DAY 5
Activity: Hand out Thank you notes when looking at Christmas
lights. (thank you notes included)
If you go look at Christmas lights with your family, take
these Thank you notes along and place them in some mailboxes. It will make whoever reads the notes feel
good about their hard work.
This is a way to be nice to your “neighbors”
“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command:
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” –Galatians 5:14
Day 6
Today your gift is a candle
Light your candle……
READ: Matthew 5:
14-16.
“You are the light of
the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they
put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let
your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your
Father in heaven.”
SHARE: Jesus told His followers not to hide their light.
How can we be light to show Jesus to other people?
SING: “This Little Light of Mine”
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Day 7: Salvation Army Bell Ringers
The Red Kettle campaign,
first started in San Francisco in 1891, has traditionally been the Salvation Army's most prominent fund-raiser.
Where all have you seen the Salvation Army Bell Ringers this Christmas season?
Next time you see one – put this money in their red kettle and thank them for what they are doing.
Thank you!
Day 8: Jingle Bell Bracelets
Jingle
Bell Bracelets!
Have fun wearing these around this Holiday season.
So you know the words to Jingle Bells? Sing along!
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtail ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight!
(chorus)
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way;
Oh! what fun it is to ride
In a one-horse open sleigh
Day 9: Send someone a Christmas card
Enclosed you will find some greeting cards. Write a thoughtful card to someone you know:
A friend, a family member, or a neighbor.
Thank them for something they have done for you or wish them a Merry
Christmas.
Day 10: Compliments
I wrote everyone a compliment….below is what I did for the boys
Max – You look so smart with your glasses. You have so much energy. You are the best big brother. You are so creative. You are so genuinely
sweet.
Alex – You are such a blessing to our family. You have the best laugh. You have the sweetest smile. You are the best
little brother.
What is a compliment?
com·pli·ment - a polite expression of praise or
admiration.
Too often we
underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an
honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the
potential to turn a life around.
Act of
Kindness:
Look for
people to give compliments to. Not only
today, and tomorrow, but all throughout the Christmas season. Watch as you give them a compliment the smile
that comes to their face. It can be
something simple, like you like their hair or their shoes, or just anything
that comes to mind.
Day 11
Activity: Craft – Make a picture or make a card out of the
snowmen and snowflakes
Did you know that every single snowflake is different? There
are no two snowflakes that are exactly the same! God made you different and
unique as well. There is no one else like you! He had a plan for your life
before you were even born. He knew what you would like and dislike and what you
are going to be when you grew up. He loves you and created you to fulfill a
special purpose!
Read Jeremiah 1:5.
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you
were born, I set you
apart.” -Jeremiah 1:5
How does it make you
feel to know that God has a plan for your life?
Day 12: Be kind to your mailman day!
Think of how much mail your mailman delivers not only to
everyone on his route but just to your house….Now , the month of December, with
all of those extra packages and Christmas cards!
Holidays by the numbers
236
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Number of years the U.S. Postal Service has been delivering holiday
cheer
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16.5 billion
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Number of cards, letters and packages to be delivered between
Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
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2.7 billion
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Number of letters mailed over the holidays.
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801 million
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Number of pieces of mail processed on Dec. 20, the busiest mailing
day of the year.
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551 million
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Average number of pieces of mail processed daily.
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589 million
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Average number of pieces of mail processed daily during the holidays.
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30 million
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In pounds, the amount of mail the Postal Service will process for
overseas military installations, including war zones in Afghanistan, as well
as Iraq.
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155,000
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Number of vehicles used to transport holiday mail
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3.3 billion
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Number of holiday stamps the Postal Service has available this year.
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97 million
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Number of customers who visit the Post Office during the holidays.
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47.2 million
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Number of customer visits to usps.com during the holidays.
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4.7 million
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Number of shipping labels printed from home and office using
Click-N-Ship during the holidays.
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Today – leave a treat – and a kind note – for your postman
(or woman) and let them know how thankful you are for what they do and wish
them a Merry Christmas
Dear Mailman,
We wanted to take a day and thank you for everything you do. Thank you for all of the mail you deliver to
families everywhere during this holiday season.
Thank you for all of your hard work.
We hope you enjoy this treat and have a very Merry Christmas.
Taped to the note is a Chocolate Santa!
Day 13: Make Hot Chocolate for everyone in your family
Baby it’s cold outside!
BBRRRRRRRRR….
The cold has arrived with the Holidays
Warm up with some Hot Chocolate!!!
Enjoy J
Day 14: GIFT!!
The ball catching game.
Isn’t this a fun game? Imagine if you lost your ball, would
the catcher be very fun by itself? What
if you lost the catcher? Would the game be the same with just the ball?
Imagine if the catcher is God, and you are the ball.
God is always there to catch us when we fall, and we always
work better when we have God with us, than when we try to tackle something by
ourselves.
READ: Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be
frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you
wherever you go.”
Day 15: Chocolate Santas!!!!
There isn’t a lot to say about Chocolate except that it is
delicious!
Enjoy your chocolate Santa…
More surprises in store for tomorrow!!
Day 16: Play-Doh
Theme: God
is the potter, we are his clay.
We are the clay, you are the potter; we are the work of your
hand. Isaiah 64:8
Scripture: We are the clay, you are the potter; we are the
work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8
Open your play-doh. Play with it. Do you know what you call someone who shapes
things from clay? He or she is called a potter. Let’s be a potter and see what
we can make out of this ”clay”. Let’s
see we could make a bowl, a cup, or we could even mold it into the shape of an
animal if you choose. Sometimes you might start out to make a bowl and change
your mind. If you change your mind, you
can easily reshape the clay into something else. What happens to a piece of clay if you forget
and leave it out for a long time? It dries up and gets hard doesn’t it? That
makes it very hard to mold it into what we want it to be. Just like the people in Isaiah’s day, we
sometimes stray away from God and our hearts become hard. All is NOT hopeless. If we will turn back to God and ask him to
forgive us, he can mold us and shape us into what he wants us to be. He is still the potter and we are still the
clay!
Day 17: Sticky Hands!
Sticky hands stick to everything.
How do you get yourself out of sticky situations? I think a
sticky situation is any situation in life where you might not be sure what is
the best solution. Anytime you just aren’t sure what is the best decision to
make.
Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
Cares Chorus
by Kelly Willard
|
C
G F C
I
cast all my cares upon You,
F
C Dm G
I
lay all of my burdens down at Your feet.
C
G C C7 F Fm
And
any time I don't know just what to do,
C G F
C
I
will cast all my cares upon You.
C
G F C
I
cast all my cares upon You,
F
C Dm G
I
lay all of my burdens down at Your feet.
C
G C C7 F Fm
And
any time I don't know just what to do,
C G Am
F
I
will cast all my cares upon You.
C G F
C
I
will cast all my cares upon you
Day 18: Activity
Have fun making your own stocking! (Stockings, stickers,
glitter paint pens, glitter balls, glue, etc included)
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.
In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.
Christmas will soon be here.
Are your stockings hung with care?
Day 19: Act of Kindness:
Bake these brownies!
Have fun baking them for your home, or for a friend, a neighbor, a
teacher, your mom or dad, or for a Christmas party you plan on attending. Anyone you want. Have fun baking together and making something
delicious. It’s so much fun to bake
during the Holidays.
Enjoy!
Day 20: Bible Trivia Game
Where did Mary and Joseph find Jesus when they thought he
was lost?
In which book of the Bible will you find the story of Adam
and Eve?
How many disciples did Jesus have?
Isn’t it fun to learn more about the Bible?
Play this Bible Trivia game or just read the cards to learn
more.
(Answers are Temple, Genesis, and 12)
Day 21: Scripture Candy
The below is also written on your bag.
Thank you Lord for these jelly beans that remind me of your
love.
Black represents my sinful heard keeping me from you above.
Red represents the blood you shed to provide salvation free.
White shows the cleansing of my sin as I put my faith in
thee
Yellow is for heaven above.
Green is for the growth I will see as I read your word and
pray
Purple shows you are king of all, the one I choose to obey.
Thank you lord for these jelly beans. They mean more than words can say.
Day 22: Candy canes
Christmas Candy Cane Poem about Jesus
Look at the Candy Cane
What do you see?
Stripes that are red
Like the blood shed for me
White is for my Savior
Who’s sinless and pure!
“J” is for Jesus My Lord, that’s for sure!
Turn it around
And a staff you will see
Jesus my shepherd
Was born for Me!
What do you see?
Stripes that are red
Like the blood shed for me
White is for my Savior
Who’s sinless and pure!
“J” is for Jesus My Lord, that’s for sure!
Turn it around
And a staff you will see
Jesus my shepherd
Was born for Me!
Ps…I know these are more red – and pink (not so white) but
these were the new pixy stick version and looked delicious. You will still get what the poem is meaning
to say with the candy cane you are holding and about to eat. The candy cane, can now, and always, should
remind you about Jesus, no matter what the color J
Day 23: Craft time!!
Christmas is a time for Crafts
Enjoy making a letter or card or just a piece of art with
this craft supplies or any other craft supplies you might have.
Make a card for your mom or dad? Grandma or Grandpa? Friend?
Or Neighbor….
Ideas…
Spell out your name
NOEL,LOVE,PEACE,JOY,Merry Christmas
Write a note with pen on the foam….
Have fun!!
Day 24: Glow Bracelets – Your Star of Bethlehem
Since tomorrow is Christmas, I thought it fitting to share
with you tonight The Story of Birth of Jesus…
At this time, the land where Mary and Joseph lived was part
of the Roman Empire. The Roman Emperor Augustus wanted to have a list of all
the people in the empire, to make sure they paid their taxes. He ordered
everyone to return to the town where their families originally came from, and
enter their names in a register there. Mary and Joseph travelled a long way
(about 70 miles) from Nazareth to Bethlehem, because that is where Joseph's
family came from. Most people walked but some lucky people had a donkey to help
carry the goods needed for the journey. Joseph and Mary travelled very slowly
because Mary's baby was due to be born soon.
When they reached Bethlehem they had problems finding
somewhere to stay. So many people had come to register their names in the
census, that every house was full and every bed was taken in all of the Inns.
The only shelter that they could find was a stable or cave with the animals. In
this place Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God. In those days it was the
custom to wrap newborn babies tightly in a long cloth called 'swaddling
clothes'. Jesus' bed was the manger that the animals ate their hay from.
In the hills and fields outside Bethlehem, shepherds looked
after their sheep through the long night. As the new day began, suddenly an
angel appeared before them and the glory of God shone around them. The
shepherds were very, very scared, but the angel said, 'Don't be afraid. I have
good news for you and everyone. Today in Bethlehem a Savior has been born for
you. You will find the baby lying in a manger.
Then many more angels appeared, lighting up the sky. The
shepherds heard them praising God singing: 'Glory to God in highest, and peace
to everyone on earth.' When the angels had gone the shepherds said to one
another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem to see what has happened.' So the shepherds
went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph. The baby Jesus was lying in a
manger as they had been told. When they saw him, they told everyone what the
angel had said and everyone who heard the story were astonished. Then the
shepherds returned to their sheep, praising God for sending his Son to be their
Savior.
When Jesus was born, a brand new bright star appeared in
sky. They set out to find the new king and bring him gifts. The Wise Men
followed the star towards Bethlehem. It seemed to stop and shine directly down
upon the place where Jesus was. The Wise Men entered the house where they now
lived and found Jesus with Mary, they bowed down and worshipped him. The Wise
Men spread the gifts they had brought before Jesus. The gifts were gold,
frankincense and myrrh.
Day 25: Christmas Day
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
I wish you a Merry Christmas
I wish you a Merry Christmas
I wish you a Merry Christmas….
And a Happy New Year
I hope you enjoyed your Advent Calendar. I had so much fun putting them together for
you. The last day is….Thank you
cards. You probably received a gift or
two this Christmas. Over the next few
days, try and sit down and write someone a Thank you card for a gift they gave
you. Remind them of how thankful you are to have them a part of your life, and
thank them for the gift and maybe tell them how you are going to use it!
Merry Christmas!!
Love you!!!
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