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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Advent Calendar

Finished the planned advent calendar, just in time!!

I did decide to re-create something different to last year, which I discussed previously.

Thinking about how to make the one I use more fun for the kids, with things to open, etc, I decided on a box creation. A store in Central Markets has all these cute little noodle shaped boxes, and in lots of colours, so it was easy to set up. I just stuck a number on each.


The more important thing was deciding what to actually do with the calendar. In the end, I made up my own, using the one by Kent and Barbara Hughes, in Disciplines of a Godly Family, as a base.

I have changed a number of the readings, questions and prayers, but the general format stayed the same.

So, I have now created a booklet with all 25 days in it, each containing bible verses (NIrV), a special verse, questions, a prayer and an idea of what to draw in a picture. We will draw a picture each day, and put it up on the wall near the boxes.

I felt there was a challenge to make it appealing to 2 levels of children, one who is reading well  (5) and another who has not even started yet (age 3).

In the end, I selected a 'special verse' as the Hughes did for each day for Mr 5, and then summarised it into a phrase or short sentence for Miss 3.

A print out of each is in the box, as well as a treat of some kind (balloons, bubbles, and a whole lot of Christian knick-knack things from Koorong - stickers, bouncy balls, erasers, etc)



I have had fun doing it, and since I really only started on Saturday, it has not taken long at all.

In theory, I am happy to share the booklet with others, however, I am concerned about breaching some sort of copyright with regard to the Hughes' calendar. I have acknowledged them as the main source on it, but I want to be careful.

I am looking forward to doing this with the kids, especially as we are getting more and more Santa-drivel from school!

*****

They looked cute stacked too, until they all fell down!

8 comments:

  1. Looks great. Boxes look like fun.

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  2. Dear Wendy
    A great idea for Advent! Something you might like to add to this little activity each day is using a nativity set. Have the shepherds and star set up as Bethlemhem, somewhere central in your lounge room. Have Mary & Joseph & donkey 'travelling' from a distance so they are further away from Bethlehem just now. Each day they are moved a little closer to their destination. The Wise Men are quite a way behind them and they move a little each day as well. Ours are in a different room at present!

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  3. Thanks Jennifer, I like that idea too. We have a Fisher Price nativity, which is great for our children's current ages - it's no problem if the baby Jesus gets thrown around the room! They are now travelling daily around the room, getting closer the 'Bethlehem' under the tree. A friend also once said to me that they don't get the baby Jesus out at all before Christmas, but they wrap him up as a present and he is the first gift they open - because he is the best gift we can ever receive. I thought that was clever too!

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  4. Hi. I really like your new Advent calendar set-up. I'm just starting to think about creating one to use with my kids (ages 4, 2, and 1 week) this Christmas. Would it be possible to get a copy of the booklet you've made? Obviously with a newborn I'm a bit short on time to start totally from scratch myself.

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  5. Mel, happy to share - just give me a few weeks if that's OK? I am working on a new one this year, so I will have two finished shortly - one called 'From Genesis to Jesus' a sort of biblical theology up to Christmas (that is the one that I have referred to here, but I am editing it a bit again). And another one called 'The birth of Jesus' - taking all the readings of Jesus birth in order in 25 readings.

    Let me finalise them all (which has to be done in about 3 weeks because I have to present them somewhere! then I will forward them to you, if that's OK. If you think you will do one, you can at think about the boxes/tree etc, whatever you want to use to make each day fun! I presume I could email them to you at the address listed on your blog??

    Thanks,
    Wendy

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  6. Thanks for your willingness to share. Yes, the email address on my blog is where you can email it to. I look forward to using them this year.

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  7. Hi Wendy. Thanks for your ideas about advent calendars, I have enjoyed reading them. Would you mind sharing your booklets of readings with me? I am an overseas worker and can't get hold of any of the books with readings set out in them over here. I really like the idea of the verse written out differently for each of the kids - my boys are 6 and 2 so at very different stages but I would like for both of them to be involved and enjoy it. Thanks

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