Christmas Countdown... the Advent Calendar

Okay. I have determined it is too late to post about Thanksgiving, but Christmas is another story.
We started a new tradition this year! A Christ-centered advent calendar! It was how we accomplished family scripture study during the month of Dec.

Here's how it worked:
First: We sang a Christmas song or hymn and had family prayer. Our first day we sang 'We Three Kings,' as Jack played.
Second: One of the boys opened up the day. The box had a piece of paper in it with something we could learn about the Savior. They included things like scripture references to stories about His life, principles of the atonement, etc... a quote from a prophet, instructions to a video on LDS.org, or words to a hymn.

If the paper was white (except for the first day... I thought of this later!) then it was a normal day. If the paper was red, then there was some kind of Christmas tradition that went along with the scripture. Either way there was also a little piece of candy inside to eat.

I had many more red slips of paper planned than we actually accomplished... but I am happy with what we did. The boys were so stinkin' cute too!

Day No. 1 (before the calendar found a permanent home):

Inside was a quote from President Monson about the true meaning of Christmas. On the back it said "Let's go get Hot Chocolate and Cinnamon Rolls." The boys were thrilled!

Isaiah 1:18
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

After reading this scripture and not commenting at all Corey asked the boys what it was about. Jack said kind of timidly: "repentance?" Wow! I don't think at 6 I would have known!

For this scripture we had a wonderful time teaching the boys about the color symbolism of Christmas... ie... why all that red and white? The boys were so interested in it and had several "ah-hah!" moments. The exciting thing was that it stayed with them. They noticed the colors other places and would tell me and others what they meant. Very, very cool. What smart, sweet boys we have!

In celebration of red and white specifically and as a hanging reminder of the Savior's sacrifice we made a popcorn/cranberry decoration. Aly would tell everyone who commented about it "It's for Jesus.":

John 12:46
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever should believe on me should not abide in darkness.

We talked about how Jesus is the light of the world and also the light of our life. We talked about how He lights our path and then we literally lit the one leading to our doorstep!

Making luminaries is fun! Unfortunately not all of the pictures the boys drew could actually be cut out, but we still had fun in the process. I don't think Aly even noticed to tell you the truth (the one he is holding up in the picture is a snowman)!

Can you see Jack's sled? Corey made the star. I made the fancy B, and yes I was proud of it because Corey said a B couldn't be done:

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We talked about how the atonement was not just a gift from Jesus, but it was also a gift from our Heavenly Father and why we should be grateful to both of them. Then we talked about how because they loved us... we ought to love each other. To remind us we hung mistletoe! It was actually what served as mistletoe in my house growing up. I loved thinking about it in my old house, and seeing it in our current one.

I let the boys choose where to hang it, and they chose smack dab in the middle of the living room. We explained the tradition associated with mistletoe, and from there the fun began! Oh dear. We had many hugs and kisses... much laughing and wrestling... much teasing and tricking...

I think my favorite were the frequent calls that would come when I was doing dishes or making dinner in the kitchen "hey mooooom! guess where I am!" If I could, I would drop everything and try to catch them under it. If I was successful I would either tackle them to the floor or bring them up way high and go crazy with my kisses! Do you think they will still do that when they are... 13?

I was especially grateful that Jack was willing to let Aly show some affection. :)

Another favorite advent calendar moment was when we talked about what it means to rejoice. We even practiced our rejoicing faces :)

Later that week as we drove to school Jack said "If I have P.E. today?... I'm going to REJOICE!"

I was so grateful that we did the Calendar. It ensured that not a day of the Christmas season went by (or pretty darn close anyway... we aren't perfect!) without thinking and learning more about the Savior. I'd love to know your Christ Centered Christmas Traditions! Please... do tell!