Our Family Advent Calendar

December has arrived and that means Christmas time!! The shopping, the trees, the lights, the cold weather and big warm jackets, the singing and carols and of course the family traditions. We are starting a new one in our family this year: an Advent Family Calendar. I was reading a magazine and got the idea from this blog:

http://www.likeawarmcupofcoffee.com/home/2008/12/telling-his-story-and-offering-him-gifts-an-advent-calendar-and-jesse-tree/

For each day in December we have a way to look forward to Christ's birthday as well as His returning. We want to teach Sadie and Noah the true meaning of Christmas, not just giving and receiving of presents.

Each morning we pull the card from the sock and see what we are to "do" that day. On the first day, we read the Christmas story and on the second day we bought gifts for children who don't have toys and got them ready to pack in Christmas Shoeboxes. We plan later in the month to make cookies for the post man and other ways to serve those around us as well as shine the light of Christ. On the last day, the 25th, we will "CELEBRATE JESUS!!" I took the ideas from the "Warm Cup of Coffee Blog" and tweaked them for our family and am excited about this season for all the above reasons, but mostly to celebrate the Savior, who is the true meaning of Christmas. We look back and celebrate all He did and look forward to His returning!