Countdown to Christmas Cont....

Ok, how cute is this?! My friend Shellie shared her Christmas Advent (you can use this in conjunction with the Christmas Chain idea.) Thanks for sharing Shellie!

There are three parts to each day – a scripture, song and activity. Some of them are a stretch, but I have fond memories of them as a child. Have fun counting down the days!

December 1st “A” is for angel – Luke 1:30-31, “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing,” and be and angel – do a secret deed.

December 2nd “B” is for bells – Luke 2:13-14, “I Heard the Bells,” and ring the bells – sing songs or add bells to your tree.

December 3rd “C” is for candle – Matthew 5:14-16, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Eat by candle light.

December 4th “D” is for drum - D&C 25:12, “The Little Drummer Boy.” Decide what to give Him (pa rum-pa-pum-pum).

December 5th “E” is for evergreen – Psalm 100:4, “O Christmas Tree.” Put up your evergreen tree.

December 6th F is for friendly beasts – Luke 1:26-38, 46, 47 “Away in a Manger” -2nd Verse. Feed the friendly beasts – make a bird feeder with peanut butter and seeds and hang in a tree.

December 7th G is for gingerbread- Luke 19:29-38, “Up on the Housetop.” Make a gingerbread house.

December 8th H is for hug – 1 Nephi 11:8-23, “Because I Have Been Given Much.” Give a hug and make cookies for a friend/neighbor.

December 9th I is for inn – Luke 2:1, 3-7, “O, Come all Ye Faithful.” Help someone in need.

December 10th J is for Joy – 3 Nephi 1:13, “Joy to the World.” Make a joyful noise – go caroling.

December 11th K is for kings – Psalms 24:9-10, “We Three Kings” Set up a nativity adding kings.

December 12th L is for lamb – Isaiah 40:11. “While Shepherds Watched.” Add lambs to the nativity.

December 13th M is for manger. Luke 2:12 and read the definition of “manger” in the dictionary.“Away in a Manger.” Add the manger and Mary and Joseph to the nativity.

December 14th N is for names. Isaiah 7:14. “Tell me the stories of Jesus.” Names, names, names – address cards while listening to or watching the nutcracker.

December 15th O is for ornaments. Matthew 6:19-21. “Deck the Halls.” Decorate or make ornaments.

December 16th P is for presents. Matthew 7:11. “12 Days of Christmas.” Wrap or give presents.

December 17th Q is for quiet. Luke 2:19. “Silent Night.” Be quiet! Enjoy a puzzle, book or game at home.

December 18th R is for rod. Luke 2:8-18, 20. “Far, Far Away.” Make hot chocolate and stir it with a candy cane rod.

December 19th S is for Santa. Helaman 14:3. “Here Comes Santa Claus.” Visit Santa.

December 20th T is for twinkling stars. Helaman 14:5-6. “The First Noel.” See the lights or go to the planetarium.

December 21st U and W is for unto us. Isaiah 9:6. “Angels We Have Heard On High.” Unto us a child is born. Go to the visitor center on temple square or watch a live nativity.

December 22nd V is for visit. Matthew 2:1 -14. “With Wondering Awe.” Visit neighbors bearing gifts.

December 23rd X is for extra visitors. 1 Nephi 11:20-24. “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Have extra people over to visit (play games, dinner, or for FHE).

December 24th Y and Z - 3 Nephi 1:19 and John 3:17. Sing or read “The Night before Christmas.” Yawn and get some ZZZ's

Countdown to Christmas Chain

Make a Christmas chain out of construction paper to countdown the days to Christmas. Find scriptures about the Savior to write on each chain link. Each day, cut a link down and read the scripture.

Obedience

I think that this lesson goes without saying. We need it and variations of it routinely through out our lives. As a parent I am always trying to teach my children principles not just "do this now", "do that now". I hope that this lesson teaches a principle. It also has many resources. I like to gather more than I need so that I can adjust to how things are going that night and what my kids are responding to.

Obedience
Adapted from the Primary 1: I am a Child of God manual for FHE

Purpose
To strengthen each child’s desire to obey heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and to obey his or her parents.

Scripture
John 14:15

Attention Activity
Ask your children to do several actions, such as stand up, turn around reach up high, touch their toes, and sit down. Remember to say thank you for doing as you asked. Explain that they were being obedient. They obeyed your instructions.

Lesson
Show a picture of your children when they were babies.
who does this picture show?

Talk about how each of us came to earth as a baby. Remind the children that because babies are so small and helpless, they need someone older and bigger to take care of them.
Who took care of you when you were a baby?
Who takes care of you now?

Explain that you love them very much and want them to be safe and happy.
Talk about rules of things that your children are not to do, things that might hurt them or make them unhappy. (example: playing in the street, touching the stove fighting with family members or friends)

Talk about things that your children can safely and happily do. (example: playing with toys, friends, and family, being kind to others.)
Why are these things ok?
Why should we obey Mom and/or Dad?

When we obey our parents, we can feel happy. Our parents are also happy when we obey.

Story Ben Obeys
Friend Magazine October 2006
Song “Quickly I’ll Obey”
Children’s Songbook p. 197

Our Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to obey our parents. Show a Picture of the Sermon on the Mount (GAK 212). Explain that when Jesus was on the earth, he taught the people what Heavenly Father wanted them to do. These teachings are called commandments. Hold up the scriptures. Tell the children that the commandments are written in the scriptures.

Talk about some of commandments the children can obey. Utilize Beatitude Flip Book, pictures, or other objects to emphasize the concepts. (example: Love our families, Pray to Heavenly Father, Attend Church meetings, Be kind to others)

Scripture Story Shadrach Meshach and Abed-nego as found in Daniel 3.
(GAK 116, Living Scripture Video: Daniel)

Testimony of obeying our parents and Heavenly Father’s commandments brings happiness.

Preparing for the Temple

Twice today, Andrew pointed to pictures of temples and called them "castles." I figured we needed a refresher course on temples!

Preparation:

1. Obtain 7 pictures of temples (clip art, GAK, Friend, etc.). On the back of each temple, print: Pray, Obey Parents, Love each other, Go to church, Pay tithing, Eat good foods, Be honest.

2. Post the temples on the wall.

Scripture:

Psalms 24: 3-5

Lesson:

1. Have the children stand and sing or say the words to the first part of “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, p. 95), using the following actions:

I love to see the temple (interlock fingers and raise the forefinger of each hand to make a spire). I’m going there someday (walk in place).
To feel the Holy Spirit (put hand over heart),
To listen and to pray (put hand behind ear, then fold arms).

2. Read the above scripture.

3. Tell the children that if they keep Heavenly Father’s commandments, they can go to the temple when they are older. Explain that in the temple we make special promises to Heavenly Father to obey his commandments. We can also be married in the temple, and we can be baptized for people who weren’t baptized while they lived on the earth.

4. Have each child find a temple that is around the room and talk about what is written on the back. Explain that these are things we can do to prepare to go to the temple.