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 8—Make a paper chain out of construction paper, with one link representing each day left until Christmas Day. (If desired, you can make extra links and let your children rip them off until you get to the number of links you need to have.) Point out that just as we look forward to Christmas, when Jesus was born, so we also look forward to His return, when He will come take all those who love Him to live with Him in Heaven.
December 9—Remind your children that some people don’t know the story of Jesus’ birth. Some people may have never heard of Him, or may not realize how important He is. Who does your family know that needs to hear the good news of Christmas? Make plans as to how you might share it with that person.
December 10—(Note: requires advance preparation!) You will need Styrofoam cups, jingle bells, and pipe cleaners. Punch two small holes in the bottom of the cup. Thread one end of the pipe cleaner through one hole. String a jingle bell onto the end that’s inside the cup, then thread that end back up and out through the other hole. Twist both ends together to make a handle. Let your kids have fun ringing their bells. Talk about what a neat sound it is to hear bells ringing. Point out that it’s even better to hear the good news about Jesus. Suggest that every time they hear a bell ringing, they think about the news of Jesus being proclaimed to a world that needs to hear.
December 11—Take a trip to look at Christmas lights. (If you’re really brave, stop and get ice cream and let the kids eat it as you ride.) Admire the beauty of the lights. Talk about how just as Christmas lights light up our dark world with beauty, even so, but to a greater extent, Jesus lights up our world with His beauty. Encourage your children to shout, “Jesus is the Light of the world!” when they see a particularly beautiful display of lights.
December 12—Take your kids to visit a Salvation Army bell ringer at any place you know there will be one. Have them be prepared to put something (any amount you want, whether great or small) into the kettle. Talk about serving others and giving to those in need. If you prefer to support a different charity, feel free to do so.
December 13—Spend some time singing Christmas carols together. Make sure your kids understand the words they’re singing—not just what the words are, but the great, uplifting spiritual truths behind them.
December 14—Talk about the gifts the Wise Men brought Jesus—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Explain to your children the possible meanings for each of these gifts (see Wikipedia.com. Use “gifts of the Magi” for a search term, then scroll down to the section entitled “Gifts”). Discuss what kinds of gifts your children could give to Jesus that reflect each of these meanings.