December Day #1

I love Christmas time.  I love what it is about and who it is about.  And I love making memories with my children ALL December through while we learn more about the truth of this historical event and its implications for our future.

This year I have added a few new traditions.  And I am much more organised than I have been in previous years which will make life easier.

So here we go....

I've read a bit this year about the Elf-on-the-shelf tradition, but we don't do Santa or elves so I made up my own version!  Ours is Follow-The-Star-Angel-Messages.  We have 2 Precious Moments Angels called Promise and Grace who will hide in different places around the house.  The children will be able to find them by locating a star ornament hanging nearby.  The angels will be holding a clue to that days devotional reading.  When they have found the clue we will do our family devotions and craft activities.

The letter the children found in the mailbox this morning introducing the angels and the tradition.

The red star hanging above and the angels holding a tiny loom band advent wreath.

Today's devotional was the first of Advent - the Prophesy Candle representing Hope.  God's promises give us hope.  God promised he would send a messiah (Bethlehem...out of you shall come forth the One to be ruler in Israel. Micah 5:2) and he did; he sent Jesus.  And God promised that by sending Jesus a way would be made for us to be free from our sin (All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, everyone, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6).  

Our Advent Wreath and Candles - Prophesy/Hope candle lighted

And on the topic of wreaths we made 2 today...

Cedar with our front door wreath

Butterfly with the wreath she made for our gate from conifer branches and flowers

We also do advent calendars because they are fun to do the count down with!  This one is possibly the favourite as I fill it with candy canes and each child gets one candy cane each day of the count down!  That is 216 candy canes!!...I know OTT and crazy...

Advent calendar (made by my mum) laden with candy canes!

This advent calendar is a newbie to my collection.  It came from my Grandparents house and is probably about 60 years old.  Special to me.

Another fun tradition we started recently is wrapping Christmas books to unwrap each day.  Since I am an avid collector of books (I adore second hand stores!!) I have enough to unwrap 2 each day, which of course is very helpful when there are so many  hands eager to unwrap!

Crystal and Blossom got to unwrap today's books.

Blossom and Crystal with today's stories.
Dick Bruna's The Christmas Book and Scripture Union's Jesus is Born.  

And to end the day off we had a wreath themed dinner!  This is another new tradition I decided to try.  Food is such a great way to cement a message and a memory!  

Chicken Pie wreath

Berry Meringues 

If you want the recipes I will have them here on my food blog.