A Christmas Tradition

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A couple years ago when Ellia was still a tiny baby and had absolutely no idea what the holiday season even was, I found myself feeling disheartened at how we've so distorted the meaning behind why we celebrate Christmas.

Everything has become about how decorated our yards are and how much we can outdo our neighbors with Christmas lights (have you seen the picture of the family who wrote "ditto" on their house with lights next to a completely decked out one? It's hilarious...)

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1233485/DITTO-When-compete-neighbours-Christmas-lights-just-best-thing-.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1233485/DITTO-When-compete-neighbours-Christmas-lights-just-best-thing-.html

We focus on what the newest apple product or toy is, obsess over the shopping, stress over making the perfect Pinterest holiday meal and freak out about getting the perfect family portrait in matching Target outfits (I do all those things...).

So as I'm sitting there holding my little one year old daughter who's sucking on an ornament the thought came to me to make every day in December a special day that would point towards the true and most special meaning of Christmas- Jesus. THIS is what I want to teach our kids, this is what is important, this is what changed my life and what will change theirs. So I grabbed a pen and started scribbling some advent notes.

Here's how it works:

Every day in December the girls find a little gift under the tree (it could be anywhere; in their bed, on the front step, in a stocking) with one character from the Nativity story.

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It starts with an empty stable and slowly, day by day, they add each piece to the story...

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reading the scripture passage behind each piece each day. 

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Finally on Christmas day they open their final gift to complete the nativity advent- baby Jesus, the Savior of the world!

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We've created a graphic illustration for a standard nativity set with 12 pieces so you can try this at home with your nativity! We hope you find as much joy in this as we all do!  Don't get me wrong, I'm still Pinteresting cute holiday meals and looking at the cute Target outfits...

Click on picture below for the updated 2018 downloadable/printable file

For those of you who would like the full 25 day advent (one piece every day of December) that we do with our family, click on the graphic below to find the nativity pieces we use with the corresponding readings. Merry Christmas!


Watch the video below: