December is coming in hot! It’s three shorts days after Thanksgiving this year! In this hectic season, it’s easy for families to get so busy that the time flies by and we miss out on creating memories and experiences that are most important.
A few years ago, I decided to stop the busy madness of December. I wanted to better prepare my heart for not just the part of Christmas that includes gifts, lights, Hallmark, and trees, but for the arrival of the One who the season was created for, Jesus.
It’s Him who the people waited for thousands of years ago, and it is my heart that needs to take time out to think about the miracle of his Birth and the Salvation given in His death. I don’t want the season to fly by. So, we created a new tradition… a month-long family experience focused on Advent. Advent means “The arrival of a noble person, thing, or event.” So in Christianity, Advent celebrates the arrival of Jesus.
Each morning in December, our kids wake up and open an envelope that includes a surprise. The envelope includes a scripture verse that we discuss as a family AND a Christmas-related activity such as having a Christmas movie night, building a Gingerbread House, or Volunteering at the Open Door Mission.
I hang simple white numbered envelopes on a farmhouse ladder in my hallway, and each day my kids take turns opening one to reveal the contents. It takes a little time to plan it out, but it has become our kids’ favorite tradition in our home. The little things of the season become anticipations as we await the arrival of Jesus.
Twenty Five days is a lot. If you want to start simple, I have included 12 days below that you can personalize for your family: 12 verses and 12 different Christmas activity ideas to start the tradition.
Little things become big things when they are treated as a gift. So maybe a candy cane hunt doesn’t seem like a big deal, but when it’s planned out and written on a piece of paper, it becomes an exciting part of Christmas. 🙂
If you would like a PDF of the verses below you can email us at hello@holdlooselylivefreely.com. Maybe this year, don’t just count down to Christmas but take time to think about the arrival of the greatest gift of all.
HLLF – Melissa
Christmas Activity Ideas
Christmas Movie night, Candy Cane Hunt, Make Christmas Cookies, Build a Gingerbread house, Christmas Scavenger hunt, Volunteer at Open Door Mission, Write Someone a Christmas Letter, Share Hot Chocolate and Christmas Books, Family Game Night, Ice Skating, Looking at lights, Make Ornaments, String Popcorn for the tree.
Twelve Days of Bible Readings
Day One – Isaiah 9:6-7
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.
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Day Two – Luke 1:28-33
Gabriel appeared to Mary and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
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Day Three – Luke 1:35
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
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Day Four – Matthew 1:20-21
An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
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Day Five – Luke 2:1-5
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.
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Day Six – Luke 2:6
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no lodging available for them.
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Day Seven – Luke 2:8-13
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
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Day Eight – Luke 2: 16-20
The shepherds hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
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Day Nine – Matthew 2:2
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:
‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”
After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
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Day Ten – John 1:14
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
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Day Eleven – John 3:16
For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
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Day Twelve – Colossians 3:16
Let the message about Jesus, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts!
