Christmas is my ALL time favorite holiday! I have even gone so far as to start Christmas over on January first! I start thinking in January what the people I love will be getting as Christmas gifts the next holiday! I am one of those weird people who is finished Christmas shopping by the end of summer. (No kidding, I’ve had a full closet for MONTHS!) I do this so that I can be free to enjoy the holiday. If someone loses a job, something tragic happens or (:/ it’s happened) you forget a birthday, there’s always something thoughtful laying around for the ones you love! I LOVE giving to my family and I love doing it with no expectation, just because I love them. In our family, gifts and special toys for no reason are reserved for two holidays: Christmas and birthdays. (I happen to get the added bonus of having an Anniversary and a very giving husband who loves me, but we’re talking kids here) 🙂
I love the chocolate Santas, decorating the tree, the way my house looks by Christmas tree light, the warmth I feel in my heart when I breathe in a lung full of Douglas Fir mixed with cinnamon. I love the excitement in my children’s eyes, the jumping up and down, the sleepy smiles even two weeks before Christmas when they see the lit up tree and I remember my childhood and how special the holiday was for me. I have built Christmas in this house.
As a religious person, there is ONE thing missing for me. We read a little here and a little there about Jesus and my children have a book that explains the nativity, but last year for our advent calendar we only utilized the bottom portion of our advent calendar, the portion in which carries the CANDY! lol This went over well, but I was hoping this year to add some scripture tags in those candy filled pockets 🙂 In order to get the candy, you have to read a scripture! I really love the idea because it allows us to think EACH day about what brings us this wonderful holiday and what it is all about.
I happen to have some extra hanging price tags from a craft show I just did as I overbought!
If you’re not religious, you could use these tags to write down a daily activity that will help children to remember what the season is for. (Help someone without being asked today; Give everyone extra hugs today; Give some toys to the local shelter; Tell about your favorite Christmas smell/vacation, etc.)
I plan to utilize mine for scripture. I am including here 3 different options that I’ve found for you and your family to utilize for YOUR family’s advent calendar this Christmas! This way, you can write them all out (with a number on the back to show which order they go in, don’t forget that!), keep them in a plastic sandwich baggy and place them into the storage pocket on the back (If you’re utilizing my pattern for my advent calendar then you may or may not have this option.) and you can change it up every year! I hope that you find this useful!
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25 Days of Christmas Scripture – SET ONE
1. Isaiah 7:14
2. Matthew 1:18-24
3. Luke 1:26-27
4. Luke 1:28-30
5. Luke 1:31-33
6. Isaiah 9:6
7. Luke 1:35-36
8. Luke 1:37
9. Luke 1:38-41
10. Luke 1:42-45
11. Luke 1:46-56
12. Luke 2:1-3
13. Luke 2:4-5
14. Luke 2:6
15. Luke 2:7
16. Luke 2:8
17. Luke 2:9-11
18. Luke 2:12
19. Luke 2:13-14
20. Luke 2:15-17
21. Luke 2:18-20
22. Matthew 2:1-2
23. Matthew 2:3-7
24. Matthew 2:8-10
25. Matthew 2:11
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25 Days of Christmas Scripture – SET TWO
1. Romans 13:11-14
2. Corinthians 1:3-9
3. Mark 13:33-37
4. John 1:1-5
5. Jeremiah 33:14-16
6. Isaiah 6
7. Romans 15:4-13
8. Psalms 43:3-6
9. Psalms 27:14
10. Psalms 119:105-106
11. John 12:35-36
12. Ephesians 5:6-14
13. 1 Peter 2:5-9
14. Isaiah 60:1-3
15. 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
16. 1 John 1:4-7
17. John 3:16-21
18. Isaiah 40:1-11
19. John 9:1-7
20. Luke 3:1-6
21. Isaiah 11:1-10
22. Zephaniah 3:14-17
23. Matthew 1:18-25
24. Luke 2:8-20
25. Matthew 4:14-16; Isaiah 2:1-5; Luke 2:25-33
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25 Days of Christmas Scripture – SET THREE
1. Luke 1:26-28;31
2. Matthew 1:18
3. Luke 1:46-55
4. Matthew 1:20
5. Matthew 1:21
6. Matthew 1:22-23 and Isaiah 7:14
7. Luke 2:4
8. Luke 2:5
9. Micah 5:2
10. Luke 2:6-7
11. Luke 2:7
12. Isaiah 9:6
13. Luke2:8-11
14. Luke 2:12
15. Luke 2:13-14
16. Luke 2:15-18
17. Psalm 95:6
18. Luke 2:19-20;33-35
19. Luke 2:21
20. Luke 2:22-24 and Luke 3:21-22
21. Luke 2:25-32
22. Matthew 2:1
23. Matthew 2:1-2
24. Matthew 2:9-10
25. Matthew 2:11
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