Getting ready for Christmas...

Kids are always ready for Christmas. Ours have already started planning their Christmas lists. It's June, for goodness sake. But I suppose if they're already getting geared up for the holiday season, we should be too.

What should we be doing? I'm glad you asked. Here are a few things to start pondering:

1. Budget. What will your Christmas budget look like this year? And, seriously, I do encourage you to have a budget. Christmas is the #1 season of the year for sending us into debt. Don't let it slip up on you this year. Plan now.

2. Get to work on handmade gifts. Unless you're giving baked goods -- and even then if you want to make/decorate your own containers -- you have a great opportunity to get started. Surf the internet for Christmas craft ideas. Head to the local paint-your-own-pottery store on a rainy summer afternoon and make gifts for friends and family before your schedule gets slammed with new school and church year activities. If you don't want to make your own gifts but love that handmade look, head over to Etsy and stand in awe of the artisans who sell their crafts there.

3. Shop early and save big. Many online retailers have Christmas merchandise on clearance NOW. Order those extra ornaments you need. Buy Christmas decor for teachers and neighbors in bulk. Choose your Advent calendar now, so that it will be in your house as the season nears. A few places to get you started are:

Terry's Village

Oriental Trading Company

Lillian Vernon

ChristianBook.com

Christmas People

ABC Distributing / LTD Commodities

4. Dig into God's Word and choose Scripture for your family's Advent devotionals. Don't wait until the last minute to throw together a family devotional; choose purposefully now based on the make up of your family. Is there a new baby in the house? Are the kids growing older? Will you be at home or on a mission trip? Will you be near grandkids? Is there a friend/co-worker/neighbor with whom you want to purposefully celebrate the season? Begin seeking the Lord for what He would like to do in your holiday season. When He speaks, take steps to make it happen.

5. Ponder how you might like to be a part of the Celebrating Christmas blog. We are up for new friends and we would LOVE to have you share the holiday season with all who read our blog. Email us at celebratingchristmas@gmail.com to let us know if you want to join in the fun for the 2009 holiday season. We need devotionals, tutorials, holiday reflections, gift-giving ideas, holiday traditions, decorating ideas, entertaining tips, ministry opportunities, and words of encouragement for the WHOLE holiday season... Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmastide, New Year's and Epiphany.

And FINALLY... in the way of an update... we asked you to pray for our friend Jenn's daughter, Charlotte, as she had her second huge heart surgery a few months ago. We are thrilled to say that Charlotte came through her surgery with flying colors. She has amazed her parents and doctors, exceeding everyone's expectations for how quickly and how well she recovered. She is doing great and we are all in awe of our Lord. Thanks for your prayers!

Jesus is the Savior ...

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swadding cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those
with whom he is pleased!"

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

~Luke 2:1-21

Beyond the manger ... by Shannon

This year when my mom, who loves Nativity sets, asked what Jocelyn might like for Christmas, I mentioned the Fisher Price Little People set. Since Advent was always a big deal in our home, I shouldn't have been surprised to find the set, along with the coordinating inn and wise men sets, on our doorstep in time for the beginning of the Advent season. We cleared off a side table to allow for the manger, the inn, and the wise men to each occupy a level, and Jocelyn has loved it!

She ignores most of the characters, just playing with the animals, except for baby Jesus. In the pictures above you may have noticed that the main man is missing from the scene. That's because Jocelyn runs around the house with the figure that she calls "baby 'sus." She covers him with kisses and shoves him in the cats' faces, shouting "baby 'sus" the entire time. Occasionally, she gets distracted and leaves the baby somewhere, but she always returns to find him (sometimes after an extensive search). Thus, baby Jesus is rarely in the Nativity set.

As I thought about this, it brought to mind how easy it is for all of us to leave Jesus in the manger. Babies are pretty safe and unintimidating, right? We're often more comfortable with Him in the manger as a babe than we are, for example, as a man clearing the money changers out of the temple. And we're often more comfortable leaving Jesus in His place in the manager … or perhaps at church after Christmas Eve or Easter or just a typical Sunday worship service … than we are taking Him with us in our lives, carrying Him around, giving Him kisses with the way we live our lives, and sharing His message to others (though, unlike Jocelyn's approach with the cats, not shoving Him in their faces!).

I think we'll be beginning a new tradition this year. As I pack up our Nativity set this year, I'll be leaving baby 'sus out as a reminder that He entered His human life in a stable but that He was never meant to stay there.

Jesus is our Joy...

And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices
in God my Savior..."
Luke 1:46-47


And the angel said to them,
"Fear not, for behold,
I bring you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day
in the city of David
a Savior who is
Christ the Lord."
Luke 2:10-11


When they saw the star,
They rejoiced exceedingly
with great joy.
Matthew 2:10

Christmas traditions week...

This week we begin sharing our Christmas traditions. Can you believe that Christmas Day is just a little over a week away? How exciting! We are busy making plans for the present-opening and big-meal-eating day when we celebrate Jesus' birth. But let me tell you something, girl to girl. My sweet husband gave me a HUGE word of encouragement. He looked at me yesterday on the way home from church and said, "You know what? This has been the best Christmas I can remember. I really like that we're celebrating a little bit everyday and not just making everything ride on December 25th." Yay!!! God is so good!!!

Doing this blog has been a challenge at times, especially in my personal time management. And then there's the issue of being sincere. I've always heard the expression, "If it don't work at home, don't export it," so my husband's words were like a great big hug from heaven. We struggle y'all. Just like everybody else. So even though the seven-year-old climbs across the back of the sofa and thumps the dog on the head during devotionals, it's good to know that God is still working in spite of our mess.

The other HUGE blessing is hearing from YOU! It seems from the comments posted that everyone loves to hear others share what Jesus has done (and is doing) in their homes and lives. I wanted to take a quick moment and share with you a few more pictures from our Friends who are celebrating Christmas along with us. Here are a few from Karen:

... Advent wreath...

... Jesse tree...

...countdown chain...
Karen has young children who participate in Advent celebrations by tearing off a link in the day each day until Christmas Day. It gives even the small ones a way to "see" how close we're getting to the birthday party.

... fur wreath...
No, you didn't miss a post. We didn't actually talk about it on this blog, but Karen found the directions on another blog and made this really cool wreath. If you find directions for cool decorations or homemade gifts, let us know. We'd love to post the link! Or if you have a tutorial you'd like to share, please send it in.

We have many wonderful traditions to share with you in the coming days, but there is still room if you want to send in YOUR family tradition. We'll be posting more frequently in the coming days in order to share all the neat ideas. Jump in and join us!

Check back early Monday afternoon for our kick-off post on traditions.

Jesus is Love ...

"For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him
should not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world
to condemn the world,
but in order that the world might be saved
through him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe is condemned already,
because he has not believed
in the name of the only Son of God.
And this is the judgment:
the light has come into the world,
and people loved the darkness rather than the light
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things
hates the light and does not come to the light,
lest his works should be exposed.
But whoever does what is true comes to the light,
so that it may be clearly seen
that his works have been carried out in God."
John 3:16-20


...God shows his love for us in that
while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8


For I am sure that neither death nor life,
nor angels nor rulers,
nor things present nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us
from the love of God
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

Magnify...

Gabriel visits Mary with the news that Jesus is on His way. Mary goes to see her cousin Elizabeth, who confirms Gabriel's message as she's experiencing a miraculous pregnancy of her own. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth blesses Mary, "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord" (Luke 1:45).

Mary responds with the famous song of praise known as "The Magnificat." And in the first line of her song, Mary reveals the secret of celebrating Christmas. She says, "My soul magnifies the Lord..."(Luke 1:46). What a simple, amazing idea. Magnify the Lord.

Now, I am the teacher-type. I have to know what the words mean. So I looked up the word magnify and discovered that it means the same thing in this verse that it does when you're talking about a magnifying glass or telescope or microscope. To place in the center; to bring into focus; to see the subject as bigger that objects surrounding it.

We are halfway through Advent. Christmas events seem to be taking center stage -- parties and concerts and plays. Shopping and gift wrapping become the focus of our "spare" time. Cooking and cleaning consume our domestic moments. Just being where we think we need to be, doing what we think we need to do takes on a life of its own, growing bigger and bigger as we rush towards December 25th.

When we magnify the spectacle of the holiday, it becomes the center of our focus. It gets bigger and bigger and bigger. Ultimately, the events of Christmas grow larger in our lives than the Christ of Christmas. We are rushed and panicked and exhausted, when, as Jesus told another sweet-but-harried woman, only one thing is needed.

So let's take a break. Halftime. Let's make sure that Jesus is still in the center of our lives, in focus and bigger than all else. Let's choose to magnify the Lord this Christmas season.

************************************************************

One of the ways you can keep Jesus as the focus of the Christmas season is by placing reminders throughout your home that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of our Savior. A Friend of Celebrating Christmas has a collection of nativity scenes, but instead of displaying them together, she places them throughout her home as reminders to magnify Jesus moment by moment, day by day. Here are a few pictures of some of the nativity decorations in her collection...

Nativity sets make excellent Christmas gifts. They are visual reminders to magnifyJesus during these holy days.

And after December 25th, there are some wonderful sales on these meaningful decorations, so if you have already finished shopping for this year, you can begin to plan for next year and exercise good stewardship of your resources by catching them on sale in the coming weeks.

Being all here ...

There's a famous quote by Jim Elliot: "Wherever you are - be all there." Words to live by, for certain.

So much of the time we are caught up in the next moment without ever really enjoying the one we're in. I am guilty as charged. All the personality tests I've ever taken identify me as a visionary. I live in the what-could-be's. Which is great if you want to buy a fixer-upper house. But not so great if you want to slow down and simply enjoy life right where you are.

Christmas can be the worst. I plan and shop and spend and clean and bake and make and decorate and wrap and pack and mail. Everything about the customary American Christmas propels me towards December 25th with such force that I slam through it instead of landing in it. The day arrives. In a blur. And then it's gone. And there's a void.

Sunday morning I was sitting in church watching a sweet couple light the second candle of the Advent wreath. It was a beautiful moment. Ah! I caught myself! I was enjoying the moment. THAT moment. Whoa!

And then another thought occurred to me. I have enjoyed this Christmas far more than any other I can remember and December 25th is still a couple of weeks away. Why has this year been so special? As I pondered that thought while we sang "O Little Town of Bethlehem," it dawned on me that each day has become a treasure because I'm looking for the treasure in each day.

We are lighting the Advent wreath each Sunday. We are opening a drawer on the Advent calendar during family devotions each night at bedtime. And we are also documenting this Christmas with the 24 Days of December scrapbook. Each day I've gotten to mine a magical moment to photograph. Each day we've sat down as a family ... even one night with a friend who was here for a sleepover ... and read God's Word and talked about just what it means that God became a man and lived among us. Each devotion brings forth a jewel, adding to the treasure of the holiday.

As I work to be present in the moments of each day, I find myself, like Mary, rejoicing in my Savior, who is filling my Christmas season with Himself. And doesn't that just fit? He is, after all, the great "I AM."

*****************************************************

One of the daily treasures I've discovered is that our Friends are out there celebrating Christmas with us. Jenn sent these photos of the traditions her family has started during this Advent season.

Their Advent wreath...

Their Advent calendar...

It's not too late, you know. Even if you haven't done the first thing to celebrate Advent this year, jump in where you are. You can find Scriptures here. You don't have to worry about "catching up." Just jump in and go. Same goes for starting and missing a few. Jump back in today.

Remember God is "I AM" ... He'll be right there in the moment with you, wherever that moment is.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace...

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those
with whom he is pleased!"
Luke 2:13-14

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1

For he himself is our peace...
Ephesians 2:14a

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,
and may your whole spirit and soul and body
be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
I Thessalonians 5:23-24

Counting down by the book ... by Jen

We LOVE Christmas traditions! One that we all enjoy is unwrapping a Christmas book every night of December. I wrap up 23 different books, the same ones every year, and put them in a basket. Each night the boys take turns opening one up and then my husband or I read it to them. They look forward to it every year. On Christmas Eve, my husband reads The Night Before Christmas and The Christmas Story from the book of Luke. Great memories!

Here is our basket of books!

Here is the first book!

We added a new tradition this year, it was our oldest son's idea. We are singing a different carol each night. He went online and printed out the lyrics for all of us. Though we couldn't sing in a concert hall or anything, it was a sweet, sweet sound!

May you all enjoy your Christmas traditions!

24 Days of December... by Heather

... documenting the everyday things that make our Christmas ...

I originally got the idea of using photos to document our Christmas traditions from Ali Edward's blog. She has developed a routine of creating a December Daily album each year. Ali's ideas are beautiful, but I knew that I needed to scale back my ambitious plans a bit this year, being great with (4th) child and all.

My plan for this year is to fill a simple 5x7 album with photos and text. I made my book out of some chipboard and scrapbook papers, but you can just as easily exercise that 40% off coupon at your local craft store.


This year, I will try to take pictures whenever we do a family activity. Some of these are spontaneous, but I also took the time to brainstorm some of the traditions that we usually observe.

For our family, the list looks like this:

*decorating tree
*lying under the tree looking up at the lights
*playing with the nativities (we have kid-friendly ones in our house)
*decorating gingerbread house
*making gingerbread cookies
*reading Christmas stories
*looking at lights
*Advent readings
*Christmas cards
*Charlie Brown Christmas special
*sparkling cider on Christmas eve

...etc.

By brainstorming a bit, I know to have the old camera ready to go and capture what I can.

My next step is to use my photo editing software to type some text onto the pictures. This way, when I print my photos out at the local lab, the journaling will be already done! Since I'm using a 5x7 album, I'll still have some room around the 4x6 photos to add text if I need to.

I will also try and get some Christmas Scriptures typed up to intersperse through the album.
There are so many options with this idea. You could incorporate your Advent readings into your album, take photos of your children's artwork or wish lists. What about your favorite recipe or where you buy your tree? Do you have any special Christmas Eve services that you attend?
You could try different sizes or styles of albums. If you're not ready to do a "big" project, you could start with a 4x6 brag book. Just print your photos and slip in a piece of cardstock with a description opposite your photo.

For me, the goal is not to produce a magazine-ready product, but to have a tangible reminder each year of our Christmas and the meaning behind it.

I encourage you to "ponder these things in your heart" and document them for your families this Christmas!

Jesus is the Light...

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4-5)

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. (Revelation 21:22-23)

Get Ready, Get Set, Go!

Well, friends... We hope that you have found what we have found during this week of Thanksgiving: our blessings are without measure!!!

And now the turkey is almost gone and the scarecrows are back in the attic. So for those of us who have a hard time getting into Christmas before Thanksgiving...

It's time!

Tomorrow is the first Sunday in Advent. Is your wreath ready? Do you have candles to light? Have you selected the devotional you're going to read? If not... let's get going! Don't pressure yourself to make the perfect Advent wreath. There are wonderful Advent rings available in just about every Christian book store. And if you prefer a simplified, minimalist look, feel free to grab three purple, one pink and one white votive candles and place them on a glass plate. We did just that with items we purchased from the local dollar store. This Advent wreath cost only $4 to make.

Many Advent devotional readings are available online. You can Google "Advent devotionals" or some variation of that concept and select just the right set of readings for you. It's not too late.

Our family usually lights the Advent wreath on Sundays and opens the Advent calendar during daily family devotions every year. But we have always done both with just the people living under our roof. This year we are going to try something different. On the Sundays of Advent, we are having guests over for Sunday dinner. I know! Almost no one does that on a regular basis anymore. But we're going to give it a shot. Tomorrow... Gramma is coming, and we are so excited!

How are you doing Advent this year? Will you take a quick minute and leave a comment, sharing your ideas with others? We know you'll be a blessing...

Advent Conspiracy...

Advent blogging...

Wow... we've been hitting Advent pretty hard, haven't we? If you're lighting the Advent wreath, then next Sunday, November 30th, is the day that you need to have everything ready to go. If you are keeping an Advent calendar of some sort, then Monday, December 1st, is the big day for you. Pray and ponder and see how the Lord would call you to walk with Him in an extra special way as you contemplate the wonder of His incarnation and the glory of His grace.

Let's bring Advent into 2008 and see where technology fits into the mix. If you are here, you are likely a blogger or reader of blogs... or both. Back in the day, people kept journals. Some still keep a personal journal, but the trend is to blog... keep a web log of important thoughts and events. Unlike the traditional personal journal, a blog is usually for an audience.

One of the most fun things about blogging is getting to know other people. I look forward to reading things like "Stuff I like Sunday" and "Domestic Goddess Monday" and "Friday Favorites." Of course I love it when someone recommends a new blog or shares a recipe or reviews a book or movie. And my friends are among the funniest women in the world, so I always appreciate the laughs. But the biggest blogging blessing for me is getting to know my friends better as I see their world through their blogs. How encouraging!

So... here's a little Advent challenge to all you bloggers out there. What about picking one day each week throughout the season to be Christmas Sharing Day (or something that means the same but sounds much more catchy, as my brain is a little tired from the weekend)? Write a post based on a prompt and either tag others to write about the same post topic or ask that they leave a comment sharing their responses to the same prompt. Or write a post based on a prompt and tag a friend with a different prompt. Then have her tag another friend with a third prompt. And on and on and on.

Here are some ideas for prompts. These are just a micro-number of the ideas that are out there, so be creative!

* My earliest Christmas memory ...
* My favorite Christmas present I've ever given ...
* My favorite Christmas present I've ever gotten ...
* What makes me feel like Christmas ...
* The story of how Jesus came into my heart ...
* Why my favorite Bible verse is my favorite ...
* Five things I can do to show people the love of Jesus ...
* My favorite Christmas carol ...
* Three gifts I will give the King on His birthday ...
* Three gifts I have received from the King for which I give Him all the glory ...
* The coolest Christmas ornament in my collection ...
* How I see the Light of the world shining in the darkness ...
* Three people I want to thank for helping me know Jesus ...
* My favorite part of the Christmas story ...
* Christmas morning at our house ...
* Gifts I'd like to give that don't cost any money ...
* What excites me most about the Christmas season ...
* My funniest Christmas memory ...
* My favorite Christmas decoration ...
* The ugliest ornament ever ...
* A prayer for my friends ...
* Three people I've shared Jesus with this Christmas ...
* 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through my house...
* A Christmas tradition I tried to start ...
* My favorite Christmas cookie recipe ...

Any other ideas? Feel free to leave a comment!

Thanks to Heather for sharing her photography!

The Jesse Tree...

Think of it as a little Christmas tree with great big significance. Traditionally a Jesse tree bears either symbols of the Old Testament heritage of Jesus or symbols of the fruit that comes from knowing His love. In earlier days, families would decorate a literal branch off of a tree with these symbols.

The Jesse tree gets its name from the passage in Isaiah 11:1-2:

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots, a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him--the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord---

You can decorate a Jesse tree all at once for the whole season, or you can place one ornament on it each day during Advent so that by Christmas Day, it is complete.

Below is a picture of a Jesse tree decorated with the names of Jesus. Many of these names are found in Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah's coming. Some are New Testament names of Jesus that echo things found in the Old Testament.

The mini glass ornaments each have written on them in gold paint one of the names of Jesus.

Passover Lamb

Alpha and Omega

All you need to make this tree are:

* 1 small (2' - 4') Christmas tree with lights
* 24 mini glass ball ornaments (available this season in the Dollar Spot at SuperTarget and Target Greatland)
* 1 gold or silver paint pen


Here is the list of names of Jesus and their Scripture references:

Son - Isaiah 9:6; Luke 3:22
Wonderful Counselor - Isaiah 9:6
Mighty God - Isaiah 9:6
Everlasting Father - Isaiah 9:6
Prince of Peace - Isaiah 9:6
Creator - Colossians 1:16
Alpha and Omega - Revelation 22:13
Savior - Luke 2:11
Lamb of God - John 1:29
Good Shepherd - John 10:11
Root of Jesse - Isaiah 11:10
Bread of Life - John 6:35
Light of the World - John 8:12
Holy One of Israel - Isaiah 49:7
King of kings - Revelation 19:16
Lord of lords - Revelation 19:16
Anointed One - Psalm 2:2
Foundation Stone - Isaiah 28:16
Redeemer - Isaiah 59:20
Servant - Isaiah 42:1; 49:5-7
Passover Lamb - I Corinthians 5:7
Root of David - Revelation 22:16
High Priest - Hebrews 2:17
Righteous Branch - Jeremiah 23:5
Atoning Sacrifice - I John 2:2

Or you can make your own list. What a blessing to seek Him out in His Word this Christmas season!

Psalm 145 moments...

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
Psalm 145:3-7

There's a sparkle to the Christmas season that jumps from generation to generation. Have you watched a child talk about Christmas recently? Put aside the grown up world of shortages of time and money and patience for a couple of minutes and go talk to a kid about the Christmas season. They start with a twinkle... growing into a sparkle... fanning into a flame... until there's a full blown blaze. It's an amazing thing.

As moms and grandmas and aunts and sisters, we have the privilege of sharing the true sparkle of Christmas. You see, kids will sparkle with whatever we get excited about. If we focus on presents, they'll camp on the Christmas gift list. If we delight in food, they'll clamber for cookies and candies. If we value family and friends, they'll jump at the chance to visit with loved ones. Yes, kids have the sparkle all right. But ours is the task of helping them sparkle with love for Jesus.

One of the best ways to share Jesus with a child during the holiday season is by making Advent calendars together. Of course you are trying to stay organized. Of course you are trying to get the house clean for Thanksgiving and the rubber-hits-the-road Christmas kick-off that immediately follows. Of course it will be messy and take twice as long as you planned. But this weekend, consider pulling out the pretty papers and markers and scissors and glue and for a couple of hours and sit down with a child and make an Advent calendar.

Our friend Heather sent the link to a wonderful online newsletter that highlights kids' crafts. Click here to see the issue on making Advent calendars with kids. The traditional lift-the-flap calendar style is just one way to approach this project. This newsletter gives some other... slightly easier (!) ways to celebrate Advent in a crafty way with kids.

What a wonderful opportunity to create and laugh and share your heart. In addition to the newsletter's suggestions for what to write for each day, here are a few more ideas:

* Have an older child share the Christmas Story, in his or her own words, in 24 sentences. Write one sentence for each day. As your family shares the Advent calendar together, read all the sentences to date and make an especially big point to add a new one each day until the story is complete.

* Have each child take turns making thumbprints for each day. Let each one turn his or her thumbprint into a unique little angel. Write a praise to go with each angel for each day of the season. Then you'll have a heavenly host singing praises in your house this holy-day season.

*Together make a list of prayer requests for people and events and situations that are near and dear to the heart of your family. For each day, write down a request per day and pray for it during family devotions. If you want to use pictures, digital photos or even magazine clippings work well as illustrations.

*Encourage serving with a happy heart. Title the calendar "To Show Jesus' Love Today..." and for each day write something that one member of the family will do for another each day of the season. Examples: "Kayley will read the Christmas story to Baby Alex," "Sasha will help Mom wash the Christmas plates," "Ben will help Dad clean out the garage," "Ella will make a special dinner for the family."

*On Thanksgiving Day, divide the number of days in Advent (24) with the number of people in your family. Have each family member write down that number of things he or she is thankful for. (Example: 24 days... 5 family members... 4 "Thanks" per person, plus 4 whole-family "Thanks.") In family worship each day of the season, read each "Thanks" and spend a few moments in an attitude of gratitude together before the Lord.

These are just a few suggestions. What works with your family? Try it!

How to make an Advent wreath...

There are MANY ways to make an Advent wreath, but we're going to show you this way because it is the least expensive way. (And if you've seen the economy lately... you'll notice stuff costs a lot more than it used to and there's a lot less cash hanging around to get spent!)

Supplies needed (Click on the item name to link to a page with a picture):

-1 x 10" Styrofoam extruded wreath ring (preferably green) and
4 x green candle cups
-or-
-1 x 10' flat Styrofoam wreath ring

-22 or 24 gauge paddle wire

-wire cutters

-1 x 18" Christmas wreath ($1.99 at Michael's this week)

-Christmas holiday picks or 3' of Christmas garland

-Advent candles

-White pillar candle or taper


Once you've made the big trip to Michael's or A.C. Moore, here's what you do.

If you are using a flat wreath ring, you need to place the candles directly in the ring to make an indentation. Make certain that the hole is deep enough that the candles won't fall over. Once you have made starter-holes evenly around the ring, take the candles back out.

If you are using an extruded wreath ring (which we recommend), place the candle cups evenly around the ring. Using candle cups tends to make the candles more stable that if they are simply mounted on the Styrofoam itself.

With candle holes completed or candle cups secured, use the paddle wire to attach the green Christmas wreath to the wreath ring.

Then decorate the wreath itself, using holiday floral picks or a 3' strand of garland. If you use garland, secure it to both the wreath ring and the Christmas wreath using paddle wire. Make certain to leave room for the candles at the holes or cups.

Finally, place the purple and pink Advent candles in the holes/cups. Place in the center of the wreath a white pillar candle on a small plate or a white taper in a candle holder. Light the candles on the appropriate Sundays of Advent, beginning with a purple one on Sunday, November 30th.

Readings for the Advent-wreath-lighting are available from many sources. Our family uses the devotional printed on an old bulletin from a Christmas Eve Candlelight service many years ago. But two books that we recommend as resources that are available from Christian bookstores and various online booksellers are:

Celebrating A Christ-Centered Christmas, by Sharon Jaynes

and

A Family Advent: Keeping the Savior in the Season, new this year from Thomas Nelson publishers

Advent wreaths you can buy...

This Christmas season, there are many different variations of the traditional Advent wreath. These were just a few of the ones available at the local Family Christian Store.

If you choose to make your own, you can assemble all the parts--wreath, candle holders, floral decorations, candles-- for about half of what you can purchase a comparable store-bought wreath and candles.

Tomorrow... How to make an Advent wreath.