K is for King
Again, what a whirlind these past few weeks have been. We've spent a lot of time doing Christmas-related things: parties & gift exchanges, family dinners, going to see Christmas lights (even when the weather wasn't permitting!), shopping, baking and a Christmas performance at church. Sometimes I wonder if doing all of these things adds to or takes away from my personal celebration of Christmas. For me, it is in quietness and stillness that I am able to meditate and reflect on the deeper significance of the season. While I am still hopeful for some of my own personal quiet time, here are a couple of things we did to help our son focus during Advent: our eager waiting for Christ's arrival.
Our Advent Calendar:
Here is my attempt to create an advent calendar that correlates with a book that I've enjoyed reading with my son at Christmastime. Each day has a scripture and describes a different aspect of Jesus or the story of His birth.
I bought 24 little jars and found/created 24 various odds and ends to put in them for my son to open each day. I put magnets on the back of each jar (which never got spray-painted the way I'd intended, maybe next year) and arranged them so nicely on our refrigerator in time for December 1st.
By the time we woke up on the 1st, most of them had fallen off the refrigerator (looks like I also need stronger magnets next year) so we rearranged them all on a cookie sheet and kept them on a counter top. It has been really fun to watch our son wake up each morning and excitedly grab the jar for the day and notify me that it's time to read the Advent book. Since I tied string to each object to make them into "ornaments" we hang each object on a small "Advent tree."
Our son is really excited about Christmas only being ___ days away and I know he wants to peek into the 24th jar, which is, of course a miniature baby Jesus. I hope the anticipation that this is creating is a feeling that will help him someday understand how the earth waited, and is waiting again for Jesus.
Our Preschool Playdates:
The last letter that my neighbor and I presented to our kids before we took a break for the holidays was the Letter K. My neighbor did such a great job of creating "K" experiences for the kids. They made Kettle Corn, sorted keys, made a keychain and decorated king's crowns.
At the end of our "preschool" time, she organized a very simple play where the kids put on their crowns to be the "kings" that brought gifts to the Baby Jesus. (Guess who got played the part of the baby?) The kids wanted to do it over and over again. And my daughter (who I thought would NOT enjoy being stuck in the "manger") totally reveled in the attention they gave her. She was so happy! It was very cute.
O come let us adore Him, Christ our newborn King.
Our Advent Calendar:
Here is my attempt to create an advent calendar that correlates with a book that I've enjoyed reading with my son at Christmastime. Each day has a scripture and describes a different aspect of Jesus or the story of His birth.
I bought 24 little jars and found/created 24 various odds and ends to put in them for my son to open each day. I put magnets on the back of each jar (which never got spray-painted the way I'd intended, maybe next year) and arranged them so nicely on our refrigerator in time for December 1st.
By the time we woke up on the 1st, most of them had fallen off the refrigerator (looks like I also need stronger magnets next year) so we rearranged them all on a cookie sheet and kept them on a counter top. It has been really fun to watch our son wake up each morning and excitedly grab the jar for the day and notify me that it's time to read the Advent book. Since I tied string to each object to make them into "ornaments" we hang each object on a small "Advent tree."
Our son is really excited about Christmas only being ___ days away and I know he wants to peek into the 24th jar, which is, of course a miniature baby Jesus. I hope the anticipation that this is creating is a feeling that will help him someday understand how the earth waited, and is waiting again for Jesus.Our Preschool Playdates:
The last letter that my neighbor and I presented to our kids before we took a break for the holidays was the Letter K. My neighbor did such a great job of creating "K" experiences for the kids. They made Kettle Corn, sorted keys, made a keychain and decorated king's crowns.
At the end of our "preschool" time, she organized a very simple play where the kids put on their crowns to be the "kings" that brought gifts to the Baby Jesus. (Guess who got played the part of the baby?) The kids wanted to do it over and over again. And my daughter (who I thought would NOT enjoy being stuck in the "manger") totally reveled in the attention they gave her. She was so happy! It was very cute.
O come let us adore Him, Christ our newborn King.
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