As announced, I am trying something different this year. Instead of posting weekly devotions, I will post Advent activities for each day in December up to, and including, Christmas. Each activity illustrates a particular aspect of the Christmas story and is designed to help you and your children think about this precious story in a (perhaps) new and different way. Most activities require almost no advance preparation; a few do require some prep time, and these are clearly marked. If it works better for your family to do different activities on different days, feel free to do so. Or, if you think of your own activity that would be more meaningful to you and your family, I hope you will use yours instead of mine.
My prayer is that God will use these activities to bring you and your children closer to our Savior. May He grant you a new appreciation for the tremendous gift He gave us in sending His Son, and may the peace of that Baby born in a stable rule your hearts this Christmas, and always.
December 1—Make sugar cookies. Have fun cutting out, baking, and decorating them. Talk about how delicious and sweet they are. Point out to your children that as sweet as cookies and candy are, Jesus is the sweetest part of the Christmas season. Remind them that even though the cookies will soon be gone, they can experience Jesus’ sweetness throughout the Christmas season, and all year long.
December 2—If you have a nativity scene in your home, use the figures to act out the Christmas story. (If you don’t have one, you can make one cheaply using ClipArt pictures on cardboard backing, and a cardboard stable. When we did this one year, my kids loved it and were very proud of it.) Let each child have a chance to be the characters he or she wants to be.
December 3—Make birthday cards for Jesus, which you will present to Him at His birthday party (which will be the advent activity for December 25). Remind your children that Christmas is about celebrating Jesus’ birthday, not only about receiving gifts. Display the Christmas cards just as you do your children’s birthday cards.
December 4—Have a “Mall Treasure Hunt”. Print out various pictures of Christmas-related items on a sheet of paper such as candy canes, wreaths, reindeer, etc. (you can use ClipArt). Be sure to include Santa and also a picture of Baby Jesus. Go to the mall, and have your kids look for these items. When they find one, they should cross it off. They will likely have difficulty finding Baby Jesus. Point out that the reason for this is that Jesus isn’t welcome at the mall sometimes. Discuss why this might be (people don’t know Jesus; they don’t want to offend others; etc.). End by talking about what you and your family can do to show people that Jesus is welcome in your home. (Note: if, by chance, you do find a manger scene or two at the mall, point out that the secular symbols far outnumber the religious ones. Then make the point suggested above.)
December 5—(Note: advance preparation needed!) For this activity, you will need white 10-gallon trash bags, plenty of newspaper, Scotch tape, cardboard paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls (two paper towel rolls or four toilet paper rolls per person involved), construction paper or a paper plate (one per person), and a marker. You will be making sheep so that you can then go abide in a field (your front or back yard) with your flocks. Stuff the trash bag with crumpled newspaper until it’s the desired size of your sheep. Twist off the remainder of the bag and secure it by wrapping tape around it. (If there is much extra bag left, cut some off, leaving the remainder for a tail.) Use four toilet paper rolls (or two paper towel rolls, cut in half to make four pieces) for the legs. Tape them onto the bottom. They won’t be completely stable (pun intended), but who cares? Use the paper plate or construction paper to make a face and—you guessed it—tape it onto the sheep body. Now, you have sheep. Go out to your front yard and abide in it with your flocks. Talk about how the shepherds must have felt when they were minding their own business, tending to their sheep, and suddenly, an angel appeared with an incredible announcement, and then a multitude of singing angels! If you have a front porch, let the kids take turns going up on the porch and being the angel making the announcement.
December 6— If you have a sleeping baby, great. If not, prepare a doll in a doll bed if possible. Go out your front door and be the shepherds on their pilgrimage to find the baby Jesus. Travel around to your back door and go inside. Marvel at the sleeping baby.
December 7—(Note: requires advance preparation!) Cut out the shape of a large Christmas tree and several shapes for ornaments (no need for these to be complicated, unless you want them to be). Put the Christmas tree up on the wall. Each time your child sees someone else in the family do something that makes Jesus happy, write it on an ornament and tape it to the tree.