Christmas at Home

I’ve been a bit negligent in posting pictures from Christmas. 

Our celebration at home included a simple lunch, singing Happy Birthday to Jesus, eating birthday cake, blowing up a birthday balloon, reading the Christmas story with our nativity set for props, opening presents, and playing with new toys. 

Just in case you’re under the impression that our kids sat docilely with their hands folded in their laps while we retold the Christmas story, this is Caleb kicking Jesus’ birthday balloon and Sophia chasing the birthday balloon.  And yes, that’s baby Jesus that Sophia is eating in the picture above.  

Letter A

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I planned several activities to help Caleb understand Christmas and worship Christ through the season.  As I did so, I realized that he was really enjoying having some planned activities in his day, so I thought I’d continue challenging him with various activities in the new year. 

To help me brainstorm, I’ve adopted a letter of the alphabet for the week.  Most of these activities are planned and created on the spot, without a lot of prep work on my part. 

This week we did a lot with the letter “A.”  I thought I’d record what we did here on the blog, so I can look back for ideas as we make our way through the alphabet, or even in a few years when Sophia’s ready for this kind of thing.   

Attribute of God: Awesome. (Additional ideas: “All” as in all-knowing, all-powerful, almighty)

Bible Story: Abraham
The story has never resonated with Caleb.  He doesn’t remember Abraham like he remembers Noah or Jonah, so I focused mostly on God’s promise to Abraham.  (Genesis 15:5-6 and Genesis 12:2-3) Caleb colored a picture of Abraham, added sticker stars, counted the stars, and identified the letters in Abraham’s name.  

Music: The Ants Go Marching, Awesome God
Caleb has been requesting “Awesome God” at breakfast, in the car, at the piano, and on YouTube.  Pretty fun.

Craft/Art: Christmas thank you cards
Hopefully I won’t spoil the surprise by saying Caleb was very excited about using glue and ink.

Snack: Ants on a Log
No recipe needed, unless of course you’ve never eaten ants before.

Video: Sesame Street “A’s Anatomy”

Common vocabulary: ant, alligator, afraid, apple

People we know: Uncle Anthony, Aria, Grandma
Grandma’s name starts with “A,” but Caleb got a bit confused because Grandma starts with “G.” 

Celebrating Christmas

A few ways we’ve been celebrating Christmas around here with a preschooler:

Reading the Christmas story from The Jesus Storybook Bible or from The Story of Christmas most days before naptime.  Sometimes we’ll add in a Christmas carol or two. 

Playing Hide and Seek.

Getting ready to give gifts.  Wrapping.  Shaking. Guessing what’s under the tree.  Encouraging Mommy to open her presents early (which hasn’t happened).  Caleb is also starting to realize that letters make words, so he understands that if a present has a label starting with L, it’s for Luke, etc. 

Making and eating Christmas cookies.  If we have time today, we’ll package some up for our neighbors.  These cookies were great for Caleb to make almost all by himself.  He had a blast unwrapping all the Rolos! (He is his father’s son.  He unwrapped all the gold ones first, then the green, and then the red.)

Decorating for Jesus’ birthday party:

And decorating some more…

And some more.  Caleb wanted to keep making these, so they are everywhere!

   Making a cake for Jesus’ birthday party:

We’ll be throwing a birthday party for Jesus today before we head out to see family and celebrate some more.  Have a great Christmas!

P.S. Caleb has been asking about going to Grandpa’s house for a week, about 20 times a day.  “Caleb, we’re going on a car ride to the store.  Let’s get your boots on.” “Grandpa’s house?”  or “Caleb, eat your peas". “Grandpa’s house?”  In the process of explaining when we’ll be going to Grandpa’s house, Caleb has starting learning the days of the week.  “Twosday…Threeday!”

Hide and Seek: Christmas Edition

We’ve been playing a Christmas version of Hide and Seek the past few days.  Here’s how it works: Take Jesus from your nativity set and hide him. Take a star ornament from your tree and put it somewhere above Jesus.  Then go find Jesus! 

The Box that Became a House

Yesterday Caleb decided to build a house out of the box.   Bedtime.

Suppertime.

Thankful today that turning a box into a house is simply a fun way to play and not a harsh reality!  

Baby Jesus

This Christmas season, I’ve been reflecting on the fact that Jesus—the Savior, Creator, King—came as an infant.  An infant whose Mama could have dropped him on his head, or not responded immediately to his cry, or misinterpreted his cries and didn’t feed him when he was hungry.  Who knows… the chickens in the barn could have started pecking at him and although he could have fought back with his God-powers, he chose to be a helpless, vulnerable infant whose only defense was to cry.  The God who sees inside everyone’s heart committed himself to be an infant who couldn’t even see across the room.  The God who knows the ultimate best committed himself to be a sinless, obedient child of young, inexperienced, and sinful parents.

So what?

Through Christ coming as an infant, I see…

…God’s power to bring about his plan. Jesus survived all manner of hazards (high infant mortality rates, absentminded chickens(?), and King Herod) and accomplished his purpose on earth.

…Jesus trusting his Father. Can you picture the scene if Jesus didn’t trust God the Father?  “You want me to be a baby? in diapers? in a barn? in unsanitary conditions? to a teenage girl? to a poor family? What if she drops me on my head? What if the chickens peck at my eyes? What if…” Instead, Jesus was a healthy baby (despite high infant mortality rates and unsanitary conditions), survived to adulthood (escaping King Herod’s killing spree), and died at God’s allotted time and in God’s plan.  (Anyone else ready to celebrate Easter?)  

Glory to God! I marvel at the way you work, Lord. 

Christmas Shopping

One more reason to shop online:

 

(You know you’re loved when you get one of these hugs!)

 

In addition to playing with boxes on Christmas day, you get to play with them before Christmas!