So one of our Christmas traditions is that everyone gets to pick out an ornament for Christmas. Mine is one that has a star, manger scene, and the word HOPE. (Just so you know that we pick out ornaments that are usually $3-$5 NOT expensive ones- Hobby Lobby has tons that are fun and cheap :)
Jason's is a red mixer....
Abigail picked a horse...
(oops out of birth order) Joshua picked a tiger in a little car with a football uniform. 
Andrew picked a football snowman....
Matthew picked a speeding train (not just any ol train)....
Sarah picked a candy cane looking striped lollipop....
Elizabeth picked a ballerina....
Jonathan picked a snowman.....
This is Naomi's - as we think about our baby this Christmas and the fact that we pray we get to meet her in person soon..............
Jonathan got to put on the star this year.....since this is his first official Christmas with us this year....his first time decorating......
Here is our tree....not fancy, but fake, simple- and full of memories of family time!
One of the things we do for Christmas to remind of the REAL Christmas....is to have Mary & Joseph "travel" until Christmas Eve.....
Here is another set.....
Here are some empty mangers......with animals......
Another waiting stable scene....
And another..... (hmmm....don't think I got them all matched- ooops) Anyway this is one of the things we do to have an active roll of the REAL Christmas- we move Mary & Joseph around until Christmas Eve....Then on Christmas Day after we read the Christmas story the kids get to each put in a baby Jesus into the manger scenes.......**We also have the wise men travel around after Christmas.......they find the manger scenes on Jan 6th! We talk about the fact that Jesus was probably 2 by the time the wise men came....and read about it in the Scriptures and why they brought the gifts...etc.
If you have never seen this.....we bought it last year....and love it. It is called What God wants for Christmas....the 7 weeks before Christmas or the week before (whichever you prefer) you read a couple of pages from the book, some scripture, and open a "present". It is a powerful tool especially for the younger children. I won't ruin it for you what the last gift is, but let's just say it is the best!!!I was sad to see on other's blogs that they get sad when they see Christmas stuff go up the day after All Hallow's Eve.....well.....although I do not like the commercialism.......I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! Why wouldn't we as Christians get really excited- What a perfect opportunity to tell others the real reason for the "holiday season". What a perfect way to describe our faith and why we are sooo excited.
So the above are some things we do... I will be sharing more as the season continues.......
If you have a favorite Christmas tradition or way to witness to others or your family during the season....or a Christmas story.....let me know. I love sharing about how we as Christians keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas.
Thanks for sharing! Personally, I get overwhelmed and really try not to think about the whole Christmas scene until I can't avoid it any longer. I used to cry b/c no one let Joseph and Mary in while she was so pregnant and now I know it had to happen that way! I became overwhelmed b/c I got into the whole commericalism of Christmas, and now reading your post, I know it doesn't have to be my old way, but the 'wright' way! Hey, I like how your name has fit nicely into my comment!
ReplyDeleteHugs and prayers for your newest little one!
Maria
love the moving mary and joseph around until christmas.. we've left the manger empty before, but i like this addition :) -- and the ornaments for each kid is supercute too :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent! We do ornaments each year too. Love it! The girls were SO cute today. We were in Target and they kept pointing to the Christmas decorations saying, "Momma, what's that?". Over and over. There were big snowflakes and ornaments. I am going to have so much FUN this Christmas! They will not get a lot of toys, but they will have a lot of love.
ReplyDeleteI am so excited as you get ready to head to England. Will you be able to blog while you are there or should I start preparing myself for Dawn withdrawl?! ;)
I posted lots of ideals last year if you want to check them out on the blog.
ReplyDeleteI love the traveling mary and joseph! We read advent verses every night and hang up a different character on our manger advent calendar....I try to make the verse fitting for the person/animal (although that is challenging) so my little ones get a little more out of it. We also light the candles every night in advent season and sing a few carols or hymns after dinner together.
ReplyDeleteFun! We do ornaments for each child each year. We have to buy a HUGE tree every year (yea ... 13 kids ... oldest has 25+ ornaments ...) and we have to anchor the tree to the ceiling because we've had some fatal Christmas tree accidents (you know, fatal for a few ornaments). I shop for special ornaments all year long. Bought 7 of them in Texas this year, on our Road Trip. :)
ReplyDeleteI, too, have read several blogs where the moms are sad/frustrated with Christmas. I, too, was shocked and saddened. I LOVE the Chritmas season ... and make it as long as I can make it.
This year ... living in a small borrowed home ... we have no room for a tree ... none of our treasured decorations ... it's going to be HARD. But, we will have several of our Big Kids home for a few days and we will CELEBRATE and REJOICE and be BLESSED by our time together, focused on CHRIST. It's not all about the tree, or the decorations, or the presents ... it's about the LOVE of our LORD JESUS!
Can't wait to read about more of your traditions.
Laurel
mama of 13
That's AWESOME! I love your traditions and I love Christmas! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I love that you have your tree already! I'm going to look for that book...
ReplyDeleteLove in Jesus!
Amy
I like the moving Joseph and Mary idea...I'll likely make use of that one myself this year. One of the things we do every year is fill an advent calendar with chocolates and coins, and every day after we read from Scripture during advent the children go and discover the treasure of the day. If it is candy, we stress that God wants us to taste and see His goodness; if it is money, we stress how He is of greater value than silver and gold. Within a few days, the kids are doing the stressing while enjoying their token reminder.
ReplyDeleteGoodness Christmas already...;o) Love it! I too like the idea of moving Mary and Joseph around, that's great! We have that kit, I will have to get it out this year. Love the choosing of ornaments, that's great. Do you buy new ones each year, or do they choose one's you already have?
ReplyDeleteWe have them pick them out - a new one every year. We go to a specific aisle at Hobby Lobby (which is $3-5 range :) and then let them pick what they want. Of course the younger ones we give them some guidance. We really try to make it a time controlled thing- for all of our sakes especially since we have a lot of children :)
ReplyDeleteBy the way- I will be posting in England. My mother in love has more than one computer so I should be good to go :) Awww....so sweet that you would go through Dawn withdraw.
Great tree! It makes mine look so small lol. We also do the ornament thing every year! Of course we havnt got far since the girls are only 2 and 1! =-)
ReplyDeleteAwesome ideas-- but we won't be doecorating our tree for another month or so. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tree! I bet the holidays are wonderful with al your kids! You have some great Christmas ideas!
ReplyDeleteI love the "Joseph and Mary" traveling and the wise men reaching Jesus on Jan 6. I'm definitely going to incorporate it into our Christmas traditions. Thanks for sharing!!!
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