This Christmas I wanted to share something special with Harmony. I wasn't sure if I wanted to create a new "advent calendar" tradition or to just experience something unique and enlightening with her. For the Holidays, my husband and I have decided that we want to teach patience, giving, sharing, and appreciation. So much of these qualities diminish throughout the holiday season because we all get so caught up in gift giving and seasonal purchases. It is too easy getting lost in the clutter and crowds, isn't it? My goal is to establish the sense of loving our belongings that we have now, instead of constantly begging for more, and taking the time during this holiday season to have fellowship amongst our families. Fellowship is something that always gets left on the back burner when it's the gifts and wrapping paper that should be. Well, not literally of course!
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| Our Snowflake Advent Tree that has "clues" on the back leading us to the next part of the story.. |
In my search of advent calendars and other family traditions, I kept hearing all of these wonderful things about this book called, "Truth in the Tinsel: An advent experience for little hands." This book includes daily activities that share the story of Jesus and his birth, as well as an ornament a day to go along with each part of the story. Although our household is by far a religious household, I want Harmony to experience The Christmas Story firsthand, rather than guessing or wondering what the differences between Baby Jesus and Santa Clause are.
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| Day 1: Candle Ornament: "The Light" |
This book is an absolute depiction of the Christmas Story, detailed on explaining most of the story through the creation of a daily ornament. Harmony and I have had fun making our ornaments. It has been rather hard keeping her "involved" in the story long enough to really explain what everything means, as some of elements and passages read in the bible are not too accommodating for a younger child but we read the scripture's none the less and discussed what it is we think the meaning of it might be.
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| Day 5: Mary |
So, what have we learned? I figured if Harmony didn't take anything else away from this fun experience than at least I could use it as a moral lesson on teaching kindness, giving, forgiveness, and to appreciate what we have. "We should share our spark and our light to the entire world." This is something that we have been saying a lot in our house and I don't mind that positive encouragement and enlightenment one bit. :)
If you're interested in doing it with us and thousands of others, feel free to stop by and get Amanda's book here. I promise, it is not time consuming unless you want it to be nor is it tedious. You can use the materials you have on hand to create your ornaments and spend as little to no time everyday before or after your kids go to school. The book is beyond worth it!!
Happy Holidays!
Candice S
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