Countdown to Christmas

Based on the last post I wrote -- about Advent -- this article continues the idea of a countdown to Christmas.

There are many ways to commemorate the Christmas spirit throughout the month of December.  These ideas are based on doing a countdown from the first of December through Christmas Eve (unless otherwise noted).  The activities are for the whole family to enjoy together.

Christmas Books - Put 25 books (wrapped in Christmas paper, if you wish) in a basket.  Read a book each night before bed. There are many books about Christmas, the birth of Jesus, and the holiday season.

Advent Calendar - Open the door (drawer, box, etc.) and find a small surprise.  There are many many many versions of this type of calendar in the stores and online.

Jesse Tree - The Jesse Tree represents the family of Jesse, father of King David.  Out of this family line, God would take flesh and live among the people of Earth. The genealogy of Jesus, Matthew 1:1-17, names a person from each generation before Jesus' birth.  Make or add an ornament each day that represents the ancestors of Jesus.

Daily Scripture Readings (4 weeks)

1. Luke 21:5-19
2. Matthew 21:1-11
3. Matthew 21:12-22
4. Matthew 21:23-32
5. Matthew 21:33-46
6. Matthew 22:1-14
7. Matthew 22:15-22
8. Luke 1:57-68
9. Matthew 22:23-33
10. Matthew 22:34-46
11. Matthew 23:1-12
12. Matthew 23:13-26
13. Matthew 23:27-39
14. Matthew 24:1-14
15. John 5:30-47
16. Matthew 24:15-31
17. Matthew 24:32-44
18. Matthew 24:45-51
19. Matthew 25:1-13
20. Matthew 25:14-30
21. Matthew 25:31-46
22. John 3:16-21
23. Luke 1:1-25
24. Luke 1:26-38
25. Luke 1:39-56
26. Luke 1:57-66
27. Luke 1:67-80
28. Matthew 1:18-25

Community Cares

1. Bake cookies, brownies, and other sweets, then deliver them to a local fire company &/or police station.
2. Go Christmas caroling at a local senior citizen center.
3. Do a Christmas craft with a local Head Start class.
4. Shovel the sidewalk/driveway for an elderly neighbor.
5. Help a local Boy Scout or Girl Scout group buy presents for a low-income family .
6. Provide babysitting for a single parent so they can go shopping without the kids.
7. Donate a Christmas tree to a local library.
8. Donate money to your favorite charity.
9. Help out at your local soup kitchen.
10. Provide mittens, hats, & scarves to less fortunate classmates.
11. Host a food drive for a local food bank.
12. Volunteer your time at a local pet shelter.
13. Host a Christmas book reading for kids at a local library.
14. Help low-income families by making a gift to the Dollar Energy Fund via your local gas or electric company.
15. Anonymously pay for the coffee/tea/pop/water for the next person in line.
16. Invite a homeless person over for a home-cooked meal.
17. Make ornaments with kids from your church to decorate the Christmas tree in the sanctuary.
18. Spend time - getting to know a person and talking about past Christmases - with a person from a senior citizens center.
19. Pamper a cancer patient with a stocking of beauty and health care products.
20. Create Christmas art with the kids to hang in the local veterans center.
21. Provide hot chocolate &/or mulled cider for local emergency room doctors, nurses, and staff.
22. Be an elf (or Santa) and deliver small gifts to a local children's hospital.
23. Donate a Bible to a youngster via the Angel Tree program.
24. Visit and pray with those incarcerated at a local jail.
25. Invite all the friends, neighbors, colleagues, etc.,  - who have no place to go - over for Christmas dinner.

 

 Of course, you can combine more than one idea to create your own unique countdown.