3 Super Simple Christmas Crafts

I am not a super crafty person, but my kids love to do crafts.  So whatever crafts we do in our household need to be super simple.  My oldest son is a very independent, out-of-the-box thinker and his favorite kind of craft is one where he is free to follow whatever creative path his brain suggests.  This works out well for me since my favorite kind of craft is one where I gather up some supplies, dump them on the table and let them explore the materials and be creative.

1.  Construction paper ornaments- Everyone knows how to do this.  X-man had been begging to make ornaments all morning one day last week.  So I thought, why not?  I pulled out some green and dark pink cardstock (this was as Christmas-y as I had on hand), scissors, markers, glue, tape, and yarn.  I helped with the tying of the yarn so they could hang their ornaments on the tree.  I also cut out little gingerbread people for them to decorate.  Otherwise, this was a totally independent craft that took at least an hour.  I gave my two year old scratch paper and markers so he could craft with his siblings.  I played Christmas music and it was a very merry time!

Construction Paper Ornaments

2.  Craft Stick Snowflake- I gathered smal craft sticks, glue, glitter, sequins, white paint, and paper with which to cover my table.  Yesterday, I showed the kids how to make snowflake forms with the craft sticks.  They formed a variety of snowflakes and glued them together.  Today, they decorated them with white paint, glitter, and sequins.  Once they are dry,  plan to tie some sort of yarn, string, or wire around them and hang them in our windows or on our tree.

3.  Button Tree Collage– Next week, I plan to give my daughter (and any other interested parties) a piece of cardstock or green felt in the shape of a Christmas tree, some glue, and a bunch of buttons of a variety of sizes and Christmasy colors.   She can fill the tree with the buttons in any pattern or arrangement she wishes.  It sounds easy, fun, and pretty -3 important components of any successful craft!

I like these crafts since they encourage my children to explore their own creativity.  If any of you have any more ideas like these for this craft-challenged mommy, I’d appreciate them!

 

Great Christmas Books for Kids

We love reading stories.  And I love getting into the holiday spirit with my kids by reading them Christmas stories during the month of December.  Here are some recommendations and ideas for good books to read at Christmastime.

Christmas Picture Books We Like

These are the books we’ve (or at least I’ve) read and enjoyed:

1.  The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt  -I cry every time I read this story.  It works for Christmas and Easter and I like how it ties the two together.  I think it is important to remember at Christmas time, when all is sweetness and light with babies and shepherds and gifts of gold, that the little baby came to earth to die.  For us.

2.  A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe  -This is a sweet little picture book about love and friendship and kindness.

3.  Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck  -A boy gives a precious gift to his father.  As a mother, I want my children to get ideas from this book and carry them out!  🙂

4.  How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss  -A classic story that we love.

5.  The Nutcracker by Susan Jeffers  -I love the ballet and I was excited to introduce the story to the kids.  This version has great illustrations.

6.  The Legend of St. Nicholas by Dandi Daley Mackall  -I really like telling the legend of St. Nicholas.  I tell my kids that this is legend- so we don’t know how much of it is true- but it seems like there was a guy who loved God and out of that love God poured forth generosity toward others.    He is a hero worthy of emulation- we also should be generous with what God has graciously given us because of our love for Him.

7.  Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant  -This is a sweet story of the ‘circle of generosity.’  It even touches on having a good attitude and a thankful heart, even when you don’t get what you wish for the most- this is a good lesson and a very needed one for my kids!

8.  Stephen’s Feast by Jean Richardson  -A tale of King Wenceslas and his page.  A boy learns from his king to follow in his footsteps and give to those in need.

9.  The Christmas Knight by Jane Louise Curry  -A fun story about a generous, loving man and what happens when he gives all that he has away.

10.  The Story of Holly & Ivy by Rumer Godden  -A very sweet story of a little homeless girl and her Christmas doll.

11.  Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening– by Robert Frost and illustrated by Susan Jeffers  -A great way to introduce this poem to kids- with lots of fun snowy illustrations!

12.  Jolly Old Santa Claus by Mary Jane Tonn  -This was a book my mother read to us when we were little, every Christmas Eve.  So now, I read it to my children every Christmas Eve.  Ah, tradition.  I love it.

13.  The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore  -This was another book my mother read to us every year on the night before Christmas.  The version I read to my kids is a pop-up book from Barnes and Noble I picked up one year when I started having Christmas at home.

14.  The Story of Christmas illustrated by John Walker  -My mother also read a pop-up book of the very first Christmas to us every Christmas Eve.  So, again, when I started my own family traditions, I found this book.  I fell in love with the amazing illustrations and I liked that the text was taken directly from the Bible.

Chapter Books & Books for Advent

1.  The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens  -I like to listen to the Focus on the Family Radio Theater version of this classic tale.

2.  The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis -when I taught school, this was the book I assigned at Christmas (to my 7th graders.  I assigned The Christmas Carol to my 8th graders.)  It isn’t a Christmas story really, but since Father Christmas is in it, it is Christmasy enough for me.

3.  The Jessie Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean -We read this last year as our Advent family devotional time.  I love that it starts at the beginning and traces God’s plan for the coming Messiah throughout the Old Testament.

4.   Jotham’s Journey by Arnold Ytreeide (and also Bartholomew’s Passage and Tabitha’s Travels) -We are reading Jotham’s Journey this December, with daily readings throughout the advent season.  It is exciting and scary and we are all really enjoying it- the kids are at the edge of their seats with wide eyes and we are all excited to read the next section.  My plan is to read Bartholomew’s Passage next year and then Tabitha’s Travels the year after that.  Ah, so many books to read, so little time.

Books On Our List This Year (But We Haven’t Read Yet)

I searched the internet for recommendations for Christmas books to read to my children that I could also find at my local library.  Here was the result:

1.  The Snow Queen retold by Sarah Lowes and illustrated by Miss Clara  -We haven’t yet read this book based on Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytale, but I was drawn to this story by the beautiful and whimsical illustrations.  It is long tale, comprised of 7 chapters, about a young girl who sets off to rescue her friend from the Snow Queen’s clutches.

2.  A Certain Small Shepherd by Rebecca Caudill  -We like this author and so I am looking forward to reading this story about a mute boy who longs to do something special at Christmas.

3.  The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson  -The bad kids in town get involved in the Christmas Pageant in this chapter book.  I hear it is funny and sweet.  My kids are totally into funny.

4.  Albert and the Angels by Leslie Norris  -A boy and his dog try to find a gift for his mother.

5.  The Remarkable Christmas of the Cobbler’s Sons by Ruth Sawyer  -A playful goblin king pays a visit to the cobbler and his sons.

6.  The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett  -We enjoy Jan Brett’s fun stories and vivid illustrations, so this year,we’ll give this one a try.

7.  Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera  -A little girl stows away in her Aunt’s luggage to discover her Christmas secret.

8.  Dance in the Desert by Madeleine L’Engle  -All sorts of animals come to dance for a child who is traveling to Egypt with his parents.  I am intrigued by this different take on the Christmas story.

9.  The Christmas Candle by Richard Paul Evans  -A boy buys a magic candle that changes how he views others.

Five Things We Don’t Do to Keep Christ the Center of Christmas

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

-Helen H. Lemmel, 1922

If you ask my kids what Christmas is, they’ll tell you, “It’s Jesus’ birthday.”  If you ask them why they like Christmas so much, they’ll tell you, “Because of PRESENTS!”  When pressed, they’ll agree that the festive decorations, the fun activities, the food, and giving to others is fun too.  But it’s all about the presents right now.  And you know what?  I understand that.  Presents are fun.

It is just important to my husband and I that we take that excitement in our children for presents and turn that passion toward the Lord.  The presents they get are a symbol, a picture of the amazing gift we were given on that very first Christmas.  If we had that same excitement our children have when they wake up on Christmas morning and see the gifts under the tree every time we thought of the gift of salvation, how that would change our lives.

So here are a few things that we don’t do in order to keep Christ as the focus of our Christmas celebrations.

1.  We don’t neglect our time with the Lord.  I carve out time, usually early in the morning, every day (as best as I can), to spend time with my Lord.  During December, we pause our regular Bible lessons and go through the story of the very first Christmas, from Luke and Matthew.  I use flannelgraph or paintings as visual aids, we sing Christmas Carols that (attempt to) tie to the theme of the lesson each day.

Today, X-man noticed with a look of dawning understanding that in our Bible story, “Mary is almost going to have Jesus.  And it’s almost Christmas when it’s Jesus’ birthday!”  I know it is awfully obvious, but for my 7 year old son to notice the correlation himself fills me with delight.

We also go through a Advent storybook together as a family every evening.  Last year, we read through and very much enjoyed The Jesse Tree.  It was wonderful to have a review of the whole Old Testament and how it all points to the coming Savior.  This year, we have begun the story Jotham’s Journey.  It was highly recommended by our pastor and so far it is really enjoyable.  It is exciting and scary and the kids all groan when the chapter is over.  Then we sing Christmas Carols and rejoice and worship our Savior around the lit up Christmas tree.  It is a beautiful family time of worship together.

2.  We don’t try to modify behavior by threatening lumps of coal instead of presents.  In fact, we don’t tie gifts to behavior at all.  Sometimes the idea of presents only coming to good children does come up in the stories we read or the movies they watch.  Then we explain that Christmas is a time to celebrate the gift God gave us in His Son- the gift none of us deserve at all.  Although we all are sinful and deserve to be on the naughty list, if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, our names were crossed off of that list with His blood and He has signed our names on the good list, the Book of Life.  Christmas is all about grace.  Just like we don’t deserve the gift of God’s Son, none of us deserve presents under the tree.  We get them anyway, because of love.

3.  We don’t forbid Santa and we don’t lie to our kids either.  We read stories about Saint Nicholas (and watch the Veggie Tale) and explain that legend has it that St. Nicholas was very generous with his family’s wealth, giving away what he had to those less fortunate because he loved Jesus.  Now people love to make up pretend and magical stories about him that are fun to read and watch.  We enjoy reading and watching stories about Santa ourselves.  He is a good role model- a generous, loving, joyful guy who loves to share and give.  We should all be like that- giving to others because we love Christ.

4.  We don’t just think about what we are going to get.  I definitely let my kids give me ideas for their Christmas lists.  I break up the list into the four categories- Want, Need, Wear, Read- so that they are thinking about more than just toys.  I am also very careful to remind them that this is just to give their parents and grandparents ideas and they will not get everything on the list.

Then we try to talk more about what we are giving to others at Christmas time.  We pack boxes for Operation Christmas child.  This year, each of our older three kids (7, 6, 4) got to fill a box for a child his or her age.  We also went to the grocery store to purchase items for a “Stocking the Staples” (cute play on words there) drive for a local mission that helps out the homeless.  I also encourage them to think of what they might want to get for their siblings.  We want to teach them while they are young the joy of giving to others.

5.  We don’t complain or accept entitled attitudes.  We are currently working on the habit of gratitude and thankfulness.  Whenever I hear a complaint, I (try to) stop the child in his tracks, quote I Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  Then the child has to tell me something he is thankful for. Then we will get into the practice of focusing on our blessings, instead of our wants and filling our minds and words with thanksgiving instead of grumbling.  The more gratitude, the more joy and praise will fill our home.  The more joy and praise we have in our hearts and home, the more it will feel like Christmas.

What we do is try to make the most of every opportunity we have to point our whole family’s eyes to Christ.  As we turn our eyes to Jesus, the things of the world, the stuff, the frantic stress of the season, the many worries and concerns, fade in the light of his awesome glory and his amazing grace.

*Need some Christmas Bible lesson ideas?  I’ve attached my Christmas Bible Lessons– my Christmas gift to you.