This year our family is doing a new educational Christmas Advent for the 12 days of Christmas. This advent idea was given to me by my good friend, Yvonne Averett. She has two girls ages 9 and 11, and made it for them. They are a homeschool family, and this is one of the ways that they are inviting the Christmas Spirit and Christ into their homeschool this year. I know not everyone who reads my blog is a Christian, but I am and loved this idea. So, I thought I would pass it along. I am always up for family learning and good homeschool ideas.
If your family dynamic is a bit different from the Averett family, no worries, just use these ideas to create age appropriate or gender appropriate activities for your family. Make sure you have a notebook for each child to put his/her daily creations into. It will be a great school and Christmas memory to look back on in years to come.
12 Days of the Christmas Story
- 1. Luke 1:26-38, The Annunciation-Gabriel announces the coming Messiah to Mary (Each child chooses a favorite fine art picture from online to print for notebook, discuss what virtues Mary would have possessed for God to have chosen her? Write what virtues are most important to develop in preparation for motherhood?
- 2. Mathew 1:18-25, Vision comes to Joseph and announces the name for Jesus. (Discuss ancient Hebrew engagements. For notebook glue or print a picture of Jesus in the center of a blank paper, then using the Bible Dictionary look up names and titles for Christ and record several onto the paper around His picture. At the bottom of the page tell which name or title is your favorite and why.
- 3. Luke 1:1-25, 57-80 Story of Elisabeth (Burn some incense while reading, possibly re-enact)
- 4. Luke 1:39-56 Mary’s Psalm or Magnificat (sing hymns praising God, and or share testimonies, listen to a version of Avi Maria, discuss the presence of the Spirit on all, including the babies in the womb)
- 5. Luke 2:1-6 Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem, the royal city of David to be taxed (Discuss the literal meaning of Bethlehem, “House of bread,” significant historical events there and compare to Christ’s name “bread of life. Make gingerbread ornaments in a silhouette of an ancient city)
- 6. Mathew 1:1-17 lineage of Christ (For notebook make a page that flips, one side a royal crown the other a crown of thorns, discuss Christ as the lawful king of the Earth, his heel bruised at crucifixion, but Satan and death conquered, sing Joy to the world)
- 7. Luke 2:6-7 No room at the Inn, (For notebooks look up “Caravanserai” in Wikipedia also Asian Inn or Khan and draw a diagram of one, print off picture of old ruin, sing Christmas lullabies, watch short video “Luke II”)
- 8. Luke 2:8-20 “glad tidings”, Greek “evangelion” to the shepherds, the first missionaries, (Discuss 1 Peter 3:15… “be ready always…” write the gospel message in one paragraph, possibly angel craft)
- 9. Continuation from above scripture (discuss symbolisms such as lambing season, the Lamb of God comes to earth, the law of sacrifice, Passover, the Sacrament, a Savior, possibly make a lamb craft or copywork and sing a sacrament hymn)
10. Continuation of the above a scripture (discuss the Birth of the Good Shepherd announced to Shepherds (memorize psalms 23, tell the parable of the lost sheep, or write how little lambs follow the Good Shepherd)
11. Mathew 2:1-8 Christ’s star in the east (enjoy a night sky, point out North Star and common constellations, discuss how the appearing of the star to have appeared at the right time must have been planned and set at the time of creation-Genisis 1:14, disucuss Christ as the “Bright Morning Star”, Rev 22:16, Numb 24:17, star craft)
12. Mathew 2:9-12,13-18 Wise men of the east and Herod’s slaying of infant boys (discuss the contrast between those who seek Christ and those who reject him, make 3 tiny sacks out of fancy cloth for tree ornaments, fill one each with gold-chocolate coins, frankincense-incense, myrrh-essential oil, discuss the symbolic meaning of each gift)
Merry Christmas!
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In the interest of pedantry and pet peeves, let me remind you that the 12 Days of Christmas actually run from Christmas up to January 6.
Thank you, Eben! : )
Ebenezer, “And a very Merry Christmas to you sir!”
True, the 12 Days of Christmas was hijacked. But, we sure love doing it on the inappropriate dates at our house. It adds so much to the anticipation of the great day and the spirituality of the season! It helps us look to the past, improve the present and plan for the future Christmas seasons as a family.
Merry Christmas!