Our Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree is one of our Christmas traditions we started a couple of years ago. All the ornaments on the tree represent Bible stories or verses. Beginning on December 1 when we put up the tree, we read a story or verse or two for our family worships and then the kids - Alyssa at this point - put the ornaments on the tree to represent what we read. She loves it, and it makes our Christmas tree both beautiful and meaningful while keeping our focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Many of the ornaments can represent more than story or verse. Every year when I go shopping I keep my eyes open for a few new ornaments, and I have a list of things I want to look for. If you have any ideas, leave me a comment below. Here is a picture of our tree this year.

Thanksgiving Traditions

This Thanksgiving I had opportunity to try out a couple ideas for leading children to develop attitudes of thankfulness which I learned at the recent seminars I attended. In the process, our family began a new Thanksgiving activity I hope will become a family tradition. It's called the "Thanksgiving Box." Before Thanksgiving I purchased some tiny maple leaf candies which I individually wrapped and attached a Bible verse card. Then I placed the candies in a box which I wrapped in several autumn-themed papers (one wrapping paper for each person who would be at our Thanksgiving dinner.) Included in each wrapping was a slip of paper with some instructions on it, such as, "Tell something that has happened this past year for which you are thankful," "Share a childhood memory of Thanksgiving or invite someone at the table to do so," "Offer the blessing for our Thanksgiving dinner," "Share something you have seen or heard for which you are thankful," "Lead the group in reciting Psalm 100," and so on. Once the box was wrapped and re-wrapped, I placed it on the table. When everyone was seated I invited someone to begin by taking off the first wrapping and doing what the paper said inside. Then they passed it to the next person who took off the next paper. We continued passing the box around the table while we ate until everyone had taken off one wrapping and followed the instructions inside. The last person passed the box around and everyone took a little maple leaf candy for dessert. The whole meal was spent in praise to God and thanksgiving for His leading throughout the past year. Many at our table, including the children commented how much they enjoyed the activity. We'll definitely do it again next year!

Another idea I adapted was to have Alyssa take two tiny baskets and fill it with as many little things as she could that represent things for which she is thankful. I hung the little baskets on an ornament hanger (in picture above on right side) and put hanger on the Thanksgiving dinner table. During the meal let her tell our guests what things she had found. She really seemed to like this activity. In the other two baskets I put little magnetic alphabet letters. As part of the box activity described above, a guest was to pick a letter from the baskets and tell something beginning with that letter for which they were thankful. This activity worked well for both children and adults at our table.