25 Days Closer to Christ

My Favorite thing this time of year is trying to think of ways to bring the true meaning of Christmas into our home, as well as just having some good fun!  I think it's good to have a mixture of activities. I don't think everything needs to be spiritual to get the true meaning and spirit of Christmas in our hearts.  Because to me family time I something that always helps me feel the spirit of Christmas!

This is our 

25 Days Closer to Christ List this year

• Open Grammie Cluff’s Gifts and have hazelnut hot chocolate.
• Read “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” and have a treat.
• Learn of Jesus and decide on a gift you want to give to Jesus this year.
• Learn of Mary.  Decorate our “Uncle Doyle Tree”
• Family Fun Night……meet at the temple to watch the Live Nativity then come home to enjoy smores by the firepit.  Maybe play a game or two….like Elf Party games.
• Go watch Kiersten and Hunter dance before the Light Parade.   Watch the Light Parade then go out to dinner.
• Watch the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional in the theater room and take Santa pictures with Silvio as Santa!  Invite Grammy and Grampy Boswell to join us if they want.
• Learn of the Angel and read the book Christmas Oranges, then have a special treat.
• Learn of the Joseph and start our “Large Jingle Bell Tradition.”
• Go to Kiersten and Hunter’s violin concert and get frozen yogurt afterwards.
• Watch a Christmas movie, like National Lampoones Christmas Vacation.
• Decorate gingerbread houses or nativity scenes while we Learn of the Lamb.
• Go watch the kids dance recitals.  Go have dinner or dessert following.
• Have our Jerusalem Dinner!
• Decorate gingerbread houses or nativity scenes while we learn of the shephards.
• Read Christmas Stories while cuddled up in Mom’s bed and learn about the Wise men!
• Learn about the Innkeepers and our need to make room for Christ.
• Caroling with violins and have a treat.
• Pack your bags we are heading up north and getting to make a special trip to visit Santa’s workshop!!!
• Hopefully there is snow…..sled, snowboard, build a snowman, etc.
• Go on a sleigh ride in the snow.
• On the way home from up north, stop in Phoenix to ice skate!!!
• Go to Grammie Cluff’s for our Doyle sock and gift exchange.
• Deliver Secret Santa gifts and look at Christmas lights.
• Give Everyone in your family a hug and show your appreciation for what you got for Christmas!

Some how we often end with the the Shupe kids joining us for some of our activities.  

Ryker and Logan had a fun time making their gingerbread houses.

Grant and Carsyn had fun as well!

This was Silvio's first time decorating a gingerbread house.  He seemed to enjoy it, especially when I explained you get to eat the candy off the house.  Man he loaded his house up!!

Our Jerusalem dinner is one of the high lights of our Christmas season.  The kids really look forward to this special night.

The kids dress like wisemen and search for us through out the house.  We turn all the lights off and the kids enjoy using a couple of flash lights to search for the new born babe.

We have dinner on the floor.  Crackers, cheeses, olives, different meats, nuts and flat bread is what we enjoy.  Along with apple cider in wine glasses.  The kids find Joseph (Justin), Mary (Becky) and baby Jesus (a doll) in some room in the house. 

While we eat dinner Justin reads the story of Jesus Christ's birth and we discuss what it might have been like to have lived during that time.  It was a sweet night.  It worked out great because Ella took an extra late nap after church so we didn't have to wrestle her during our spiritual evening.