I took this photo of our tree in 2010, and like the way the sunlight is illuminating it.
These following ideas were in a recent email newsletter my church sent out, and I added some of my own at the end of this post.
This
Christmas we suggest families spend some time together and hear the
REAL reason for giving and celebrating at Christmas. During the entire
month of December, break the Christmas story into small segments in this
suggested way:
A Savior King is Promised - Read Isaiah 7:14; 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5; Micah 5:2-5a
The Angel Visits Mary - Read Luke 1:26-38
The Trip to Bethlehem and Stable - Read Luke2:1-7
The Christ Child is Born - Luke 2:6-7
The Angel Visits the Shepherds - Luke 2:8-14
The Shepherds Visit the Manger - Luke 2:15-18
The Wise Men Travel to Jerusalem - Matthew 2:1-8
The Wise Men Worship the Christ Child - Matthew 2:9-12
The Trip to Egypt - Matthew 2:13-15
Make the story come alive, don't just
read it from your Bible, but tell it with your Bible by your side.
Don't be afraid to stop and discuss something if your child seems
confused or is having a hard time understanding. Ask questions while you
are telling the story. This could be the start of a new tradition for
your family, or a new way of celebrating the season. Any way you do it,
the entire family will be blessed.
An idea of my own I like to do is to have the kiddoos move the pieces of our nativity set as we read the above Scriptures. So at one point the stable is there but has only sheep and cattle in it, and then it fills up as Joseph and Mary and their donkey arrive and Jesus is born, an angel appears, and the shepherds and wise men arrive.
Thank you for those - love, sandie
ReplyDeleteSweet idea.
ReplyDeleteI also love the sun on your tree. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Pretty picture of your tree.
ReplyDeleteWonderful advice for explaining the season to children.
ReplyDeleteI like how the birth of Christ is divided into topics like this. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteI send my God-daughter
ReplyDeletea new piece for her nativity
set each year. It is so very
important to emphasize
the reason for the season,
especially in today's culture
that has turned Christmas
into everything BUT.
Thank you for your lovely
thoughts!
xo Suzanne
What a sweet and meaningful way to share the Christmas Story.
ReplyDeleteI've taught Sunday School for so many years, and love "Telling" the story vs. reading it.
My favorite new way is from the Children's Rhyme Bible..read it to my 96 year old friend and she enjoyed it in rhyme.
Thanks for sharing good ideas.
Thi s is lovely, this coming Sunday we are having our Sunday school cghildren 's prog. in church
ReplyDeleteTerra, I love the idea of moving the Nativity figurines around to accompany the story! (And I answered your Red Hat question in the comment section of my blog....)
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed, peaceful, and productive week this week ♥
I like how you make your nativity scene "come alive" with the moving of the pieces, and the telling of the story. Great idea!
ReplyDeleteI love your idea for children to interact and participate in telling the Christmas story. That familiarity with the characters lays the groundwork for a lifelong relationship with Jesus, the baby born to offer abundant life to everyone. Merry CHRISTmas indeed!
ReplyDelete