2. Jesus received only three gifts -
gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Have
a basket on the table with three
containers holding those three gifts.
This activity provides lots of
discussion and teaching opportunities!
Last year’s After Christmas Sale, I was
able to find three different lovely
decorative boxes to use in the coming
years, but anyone can use simple boxes,
baskets, or whatever is on hand. Use
Sacagawea dollars or chocolate
foil-coins for the gold. Health food
stores often carry frankincense and
myrrh, and just an inexpensive teaspoon
of each makes the room smell exotic.
Bible commentaries abound in opinions
about the symbolism of the three gifts.
Here’s one take I particularly like:
Gold - something practical. Joseph and
Mary were literally dirt poor, and this
was practical provision by God for their
journey into Egypt and the following
years. Frankincense - used in spiritual
offerings and sacrifices, denoting
Jesus' holiness and His office as our
High Priest. Myrrh - a perfume used in
ointments, denoting Jesus' future death,
since His body was anointed. Now, these
translate into modern times as something
needed and practical (like a textbook or
socks/underwear), something to help
spiritual growth (like a new Bible,
devotional, or Veggie Tales video), and
something to prepare for the future
(like a savings bond or an educational
toy to encourage creative thinking).
Limiting the number of gifts a child
receives helps the greed/thanksgiving
factor.
(Time: just
planning ahead)
3. Thankfulness basket –
Gratitude shouldn’t end when the
turkey leftovers are finished. Keep
that thankfulness mindset all
through the holidays! Set out a
decorated basket, Christmas bag, or
other decorated container on the
dining table. Attach a bell or
jingle to the basket. Also set out
a small notepad and a pencil. It
might help to tether the notepad and
pencil to the basket with colorful
ribbon. Have family members write
notes of thankfulness throughout the
Advent season. The notes can range
from the serious to the frivolous,
from acknowledging servant-heart
actions to special events to
particular items. Every time
someone puts a slip in the basket,
that person rings the bell and calls
out “Glory to God in the Highest!”
Adults can help smaller children
express their thankfulness. Then,
on Christmas morning, before opening
any presents, read the different
expressions of gratitude aloud as a
family. Saving the slips of paper
from year to year can help revive
memories and help track your
children’s spiritual growth.
(Time: 1-2 minutes each time)
4. Kids love magnets. Kids
love marbles. Combine the two and
create a great, inexpensive gift at
the same time. Materials: ¾”
magazine images, clip art, or
photographs, ¾” clear flat-bottom
glass gems, tacky glue, small tin,
¾” round magnets, small tin (like
Sucrets or Altoids). Trim images to
fit the flat bottoms of the marbles
so they show through the glass.
Glue pictures to marbles and allow
to dry. Then glue each marble to a
magnet. Decorate the small tin for
an extra splash of cheer. Bonus:
create a different magnet for each
character in the nativity and turn
the fridge into a showplace. There
is plenty of Christmas artwork
available on the Internet.
(Time: less than 1
hour to make, but several hours to
dry. Note: because this uses small
pieces, this activity is not
appropriate for the under-3 set.)
5. Jesse Tree – Another
Advent tradition that incorporates a
great deal more teaching into each
day of Advent, not just the
Sundays. The Jesse Tree was started
as an effort to give Christmas trees
a more Biblical focus, overcoming
the suspicious pagan symbolism.
Some use wreathes, garlands, or a
tree or branch of some shape. The
Jesse Tree is named from Isaiah
11:1: “A shoot will spring forth
from the stump of Jesse, and a
branch out of his roots.” The Jesse
Tree becomes a way to tell the Story
of God in the Old Testament, and
connect the Advent Season with the
faithfulness of God across 4,000
years of history. A detailed
discussion of the Jesse Tree can be
found at
www.cresourcei.org.
There are several different symbols
that can be used for your own Jesse
Tree. Some patterns can be found at
www.rca.org. [Editor's
Note:
See Below
for suggested scripture readings for
the Jesse Tree.]
(Time: 15-30 minutes per day)
6. Chrismon Tree – Christ
Monograms –Chrismons are another
type of Christmas Tree decoration
used in many churches and often in
the homes of Christians. The
symbols used represent a variety of
biblical and theological concepts
that are well known among most
believers. Some people decorate
trees with symbols representing the
many various names of Jesus.
Technically, if the ornaments on a
Christmas tree are comprised mostly
of Christian symbols, the tree is
known as a "Chrismon Tree." Most
Chrismons are white with gold
decorations of beads, ribbon,
glitter, etc.
(Time: 15-30 minutes per day)
www.umcs.org
www.grovecityalliance.org
www.paperchrismons.com
7. Holiday Hunt – A
great quiet activity that keeps
young children occupied for long
periods of time looking for
various objects. Take a clear
plastic bottle and fill with
various shapes from the nativity
– small plastic barnyard
animals, tiny angels, glitter
stars, a tiny baby, etc. Then
fill the bottle with birdseed or
macaroni (maybe star-shaped
pasta?). Add some glitter for
extra shine. Secure the lid
with super glue. Happy
Hunting! I found tiny nativity
figures at Hobby Lobby very
inexpensively.
(Time: less than 15
minutes to make)
8. Glitter Stars – The
Wise Men followed a brilliant
star to find the infant Jesus.
Wise men today still look for
Jesus. Make your own stars to
hang on your tree or place in
your windows! Lay out tag board
or white cardboard on a cooling
rack over a cookie sheet. Using
white all-purpose glue, draw
stars thickly. Then allow
children to liberally shake
glitter on the stars. Allow the
stars to dry flat overnight,
shake off excess glitter, and
allow the stars to dry flat
another full 24 hours. Cut the
stars out of the paper, punch a
hole for thread, and hang in
windows or on the tree. Or
attach magnets to the back and
decorate the fridge.
(Time: less than 5
minutes to make, several hours
to dry)
Scripture
Readings for the Jesse Tree
|
Date |
Persons |
Events/Themes |
Scripture |
Symbols |
|
First |
Introduction of the
Jesse Tree |
1 Sam 16:1-13 |
The Tree |
|
Sunday |
Isa 11:1-10 |
|
Mon Wk 1 |
God |
Creation |
Gen 1:1-2:3 |
Dove |
|
Tues Wk 1 |
Adam and Eve |
The First Sin |
Gen 2:4-3:24 |
Tree with Fruit or
Apple |
|
Wed Wk 1 |
Noah |
The Flood |
Gen 6:11-22,
7:17-8:12, 20-9:17 |
Rainbow or Ark |
|
Thur Wk 1 |
Abraham |
The Promise |
Gen 12:1-7, 15:1-6 |
Field of Stars |
|
Fri Wk 1 |
Isaac |
Offering of Isaac |
Gen 22:1-19 |
Ram |
|
Sat Wk 1 |
Jacob |
Assurance |
Gen 27:41-28:22 |
Ladder |
|
of the Promise |
|
Second |
Joseph |
God's Providence |
Gen 37, 39:1-50:21 |
Sack of Grain or
Coat |
|
Sunday |
|
Mon Wk 2 |
Moses |
God's Leadership |
Exod 2:1-4:20 |
Burning Bush |
|
Tues Wk 2 |
Israelites |
Passover |
Exod 12:1-14:31 |
Lamb |
|
and Exodus |
|
Wed Wk 2 |
God |
Giving the Torah |
Exod 19:1-20:20 |
Tablets of the Torah |
|
at Sinai |
|
Thur Wk 2 |
Joshua |
The Fall of Jericho |
Josh 1:1-11, 6:1-20 |
Ram's Horn Trumpet |
|
Fri Wk 2 |
Gideon |
Unlikely Heroes |
Judg 2:6-23, 6:1-6,
11-8:28 |
Clay Water Pitcher |
|
Sat Wk 2 |
Samuel |
The Beginning |
1 Sam 3:1-21,
7:1-8:22, 9:15-10:9 |
Crown |
|
of the Kingdom |
|
Third |
David |
A Shepherd |
1 Sam 16:1-23-17:58, |
Shepherd's Crook or
Harp |
|
Sunday |
for the People |
2 Sam 5:1-5, 7:1-17 |
|
Mon Wk 3 |
Elijah |
The Threat |
1 Kng 17:1-16,
18:17-46 |
Stone Altar |
|
of False Gods |
|
Tues Wk 3 |
Hezekiah |
Faithfulness and
Deliverance |
2 Kng 18:1-19:19,
32-37 |
An Empty Tent |
|
Wed Wk 3 |
Isaiah |
The Call to Holiness |
Isa 1:10-20, 6:1-13,
8:11-9:7 |
Fire Tongs with Hot
Coal |
|
Thur Wk 3 |
Jeremiah |
The Exile |
Jer 1:4-10, 2:4-13,
7:1-15, 8:22-9:1-11 |
Tears |
|
Fri Wk 3 |
Habakkuk |
Waiting |
Hab 1:1-2:1, 3:16-19 |
Stone Watchtower |
|
Sat Wk 3 |
Nehemiah |
Return |
Neh 1:1-2:8,
6:15-16, 13:10-22 |
City Wall |
|
and Rebuilding |
|
Fourth |
John the Baptist |
Repentance |
Luke 1:57-80,
3:1-207:18-30 |
Scallop Shell |
|
Sunday |
|
Mon Wk 4 |
Mary |
The Hope |
Luke 1:26-38 |
White Lily |
|
for a Future |
|
Tues Wk 4 |
Elizabeth
|
Joy |
Luke 1:39-56 |
Mother and Child |
|
Wed Wk 4 |
Zechariah |
Anticipation |
Luke 1:57-80 |
Pencil and Tablet |
|
Thurs Wk 4 |
Joseph |
Trust |
Matt 1:19-25 |
Carpenter's Square
or Hammer |
|
Fri Wk 4 |
Magi |
Worship |
Matt 2:1-12 |
Star or Candle |
|
24-Dec |
Jesus |
Birth of the Messiah |
Luke 2:1-20 |
Manger |
|
25-Dec |
Christ |
The Son of God |
John 1:1-18 |
Chi-Rho Symbol |