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Day
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1
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2
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Angel Tells Zechariah of John's Coming Birth
- Read Luke 1:5-25
- Make an angel craft. Here are a few ideas...
- Tissue Paper and Glitter Glue Angel
- Feather on an angel
- Foot and Handprints Angel
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3
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Angel Tells Mary of Jesus' Coming Birth
- Read Luke 1:26-38
- Make another angel craft
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4
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Mary Shares Her Good News and Joy
- Read Luke 1:39-56
- Read Mary's First Christmas by Walter Wangerin Jr. - chapter 1
- Cover a cardboard paper towel roll with construction paper to create a whispering tube. Let your kids use various materials to decorate with, such as ribbons,
glitter crayons, Foamie stickers and regular sticker hearts, crosses, stars, smiley faces, multicultural boy and girl faces, the name Jesus, etc.
Brainstorm ideas for what we could tell other people about Jesus and the real meaning of Christmas. "What could we whisper through the tube to share with them?" Consider whispering phrases such as 'God loves you', Bible memory verses, simple songs, etc. through the tube.
(Idea from: www.daniellesplace.com)
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5
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John the Baptist is Born
- Read Luke 1:57-80
- John the Baptist was born to prepare the people for who was about to come - Jesus! Matthew 3:3
states..."Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him." (In context, read Matthew 3:1-11)
- Play a matching game. Ahead of time, make cards, half with locusts and
half with honeybees. Your kids must clear the way for Jesus by getting rid of all the bees and locusts that are in the way. Children turn any two cards over and see if they match. If they do
match, they pick up those cards, clearing the way for Jesus!
(Idea from: www.daniellesplace.com)
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6
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Angel Tells Joseph of Jesus' Birth
- Read Matthew 1:18-24
- Read Mary's First Christmas - chapter 2
- Draw a picture to share and/or help write the family Christmas letter and tell others the good news of Jesus!
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7
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Mary and Joseph Travel to Bethlehem and Give Birth to Jesus
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8
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Angels Tell the Shepherds of Jesus' Birth
- Read Luke 2:8-20
- Do a Lamb Craft. Some suggestions...
- Glue cotton balls onto a lamb printout.
Lamb Printable - free from Activity Village
- Handprint Lamb
- Styrofoam Lambs
- Read The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado
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9
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- Read The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg or The Candy Cane Story by Joy Nell.
- Make a Candy Cane Craft. Some ideas...
- Candy Cane Cookies
- Paint a candy cane with paint mixed with peppermint extract
- Glue red and white squares to a candy cane shape

- Tri-Bead Candy Canes - from Kids Domain
- Form with peppermint playdough.
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10
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Jesus is Named and Presented in the Temple
- Read Luke 2:21-38 and Luke 1:31-32
- Decorate Jesus' name and hang (use confetti, glitter, small stickers, jewels, etc.)
Printable Name 'JESUS' - with verse from DLTK Printable Name 'JESUS' - larger, but without verse
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11
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The Wise Men Follow the Star to Find Jesus
- Read Matthew 2:1-12
- Read Mary's First Christmas - chapter 4, 1st half only
- Go on a treasure hunt - Write a series of clues on some star cutouts. Each clue will lead them to the next star (and the next clue). Have the last clue state
"The greatest treasure of all!" which will lead them to the baby Jesus in your nativity! Discuss how Jesus truly is the greatest treasure and gift from our loving God.
- Make a Star Craft. Ideas....
- Paint a star printable with water colors
- Glue cut pieces of foil onto a star cutout
- Tissue Paper Star
- Patterned Star Ornament

- Glitter Star
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12
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- Read Lift the Flap Nativity by Allia Zobel-Nolan
- Create another star craft or make and attach links on to the bottom of the star from yesterday (or glue the star to construction paper and attach the strips to the edges).
Use it to countdown the days until we celebrate Jesus' birth. Attach the following poem. (shared by barb on the T- Net Kindergarten chatboard)
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13
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- Read Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keats
- Make a Gift.
These are just a few, simple ideas for gifts even the younger kids can make...
- Decorate a frame using sticker Foamies
- Help with a fleece scarf or pillow
- Help prepare Christmas Gospel Cookies (Gift Jar Cookies)
 Recipe and Printable Tags
- Decorate a flower pot
- Hand Paint an ornament
Cute example of a snowmen handprint ornament from
Terry Maddox's K class!
- Make a votive holder using tissue paper, watered down glue and a small glass baby food jar
- Decorate a plastic food container and place special treats inside
- Paint and stamp handprints onto hot pads, dish towels, a decorative pillow, etc.
- Make a decorative bookmark
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14
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- Read Three Presents for Baby Jesus by Joanne Bader or The Best Thing About Christmas by Christine Tangvald
- Make Wrapping Paper and Bow
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15
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Herod Becomes Angry; Jesus' Family Flees; Jesus Grows
- Read Matthew 2:13-23; Luke 2:39-40
- Read Mary's First Christmas - chapter 4, 2nd half
- Sing Christmas Carols
- Wrap gift
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16
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Why Did Jesus Come?
- Read 1 John 4:9 and John 3:16
- Read The Tale of the Three Trees
- Make Christmas Cards or Gift Tags
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17
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- Read Saint Nicholas: The Real Story of the Christmas Legend by Julie Stiegemeyer or Santa, Are You For Real? by Harold Myra.
- Discuss who he was, how he relates to Christmas and Jesus, and why we see Santas everywhere this time of year.
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18
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- Read The Legend of the Christmas Tree by Rick Osborne
- Make a Christmas Tree. Here are some various ideas...
- Ice Cream Cone Tree

- Serrated Rectangle Christmas Tree

- Marble Painted Glitter Tree

- Handprint Christmas Tree

- Tissue Paper Christmas Tree
- Watercolor Trees- from Terry Maddox's K class
- You may also have fun playing Roll A Christmas Tree - from Little Giraffes
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19
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- Make Ornaments. Ideas...
- Pipe Cleaner Christmas Tree
- Tri-Bead Wreath - from Kids Domain)
- Jingle Bell Wreath

- Tissue Paper Ornaments - from ChildFun (scroll down once there)
 (We used 2 1/2 inch Styrofoam balls, liquid starch, glitter, and 1/3 of a pipe cleaner.)
- Shank Button -from ChildFun (scroll down once there)
- Cinnamon and Applesauce Ornaments
 (We mixed 1 cup of applesauce and 1 cup of cinnamon, rolled it flat, and cut approximately 16 ornaments using
playdough cutters. Use the tip of a thin straw to make a hole, let air dry for a few days, and then string with a ribbon in order to hang.)
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20
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- Read My Merry Christmas and the Real Reason for Christmas Joy by Sally Lloyd-Jones
- Make Christmas Cookies to Share (Angel, Trees, Stars, Candy Canes, Baby Jesus, etc)
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21
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- Read Baby Jesus Is Born by Gloris Truitt
- Deliver cookies and sing carols
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22
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- Read This Is the Star by Joyce Dunbar or What Star is This? by Joseph Slate.
- Use the nativity characters to retell the Christmas story
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23
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- Reread favorite Christmas books and sing carols
- Focus on God's great gift to us - Jesus!
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24
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Christmas Eve
- Make a Birthday Cake for Jesus
- Sing Christmas Carols
- Read The Real Night Before Christmas by Isabel Anders or 'Twas the Night: The Nativity Story by Melody Carson
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25
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Christmas Day - Happy Birthday, Jesus!
- Read the Christmas Story in Luke and Matthew
- Open Presents
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