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Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holidays. Show all posts
Despite the snow outside my window right now, my favorite day of spring, Resurrection Day, is right around the corner! I am planning a few crafts this week to point my kids' back to Jesus's death and resurrection, and I have a whole Easter study planned for morning time. I'm also going to finish getting my kids’ Easter baskets ready - we don't usually give our kids alot on Resurrection, because we want the day to be about celebrating Jesus’s resurrection first and foremost. But we always do some type of Easter basket, and I thought I'd share what I got with you this year (just for fun).
First I should say, the bedrock of our Easter baskets every year is a new Adventures In Odyssey volume for each of our five kids. I save up our credit card points every year to pay for Easter baskets, and so we've been able to collect quite a few of the old Adventures In Odyssey CDs for no extra cost to us. We will probably stop collecting after the James Dobson Odyssey era, so we only have a couple more years of doing this, which will be just about right for our kids' ages. We really enjoy listening to the stories in the car, and they also provide good opportunities to discuss biblical or character topics.
Another thing that has been practically free for the girls' baskets this year has been earring sets from Claire's. My youngest got her ears pierced last fall, and Claire’s had a deal that you can get a “year of free earrings” with an ear piercing, so each month we receive an email coupon for any earring set under $17. Since my older girls didn't get this deal when they got their ears pierced, I decided to split the free earrings for all three of them, so I've been collecting the earrings with the coupons, and I'm adding them to the girl's baskets!
So in their individual Easter baskets we'll have:
-An Adventures In Odyssey volume
-One of these devotional books by Joel Beeke
-Earrings for the girls
-Sunglasses for the boys
-Playdough eggs
-Candy
-Peeps
I decided to do an extra all-kids basket this year as something a little different (for us). Even though actual spring doesn't come to our mountains for another month or two, I wanted to give them some things to enjoy on warmer days, so the communal Easter basket is my chance to do it! I also collected a few Christ-focused books for them over the last couple months, and I'll sneak them into the basket too.
For the group Easter basket I got:
-A very large bouncy ball
-A colorful volleyball
-A colorful football
-A kite
-Bubbles
-A light-up bouncy ball
-Sidewalk chalk
-Socker Boppers
-Splat balls
Books:
-The Knight's Map by R. C. Sproul
-The Poison Cup by R. C. Sproul
-Little Pilgrim's Progress by Helen L. Taylor
-Big Truths For Young Hearts by Bruce Ware
It's nothing too special, but with five kids there are always those little items that they point out in the grocery store that we have to pass by. They are such good kids and never give me a hard time when I say "no" to something. I'm using this Easter basket as my chance to give them all those fun odds and ends!
The group basket is also a good excuse to collect some beautiful picture books that I've been eyeing for a while and add them to our family collection. What I love about R. C. Sproul's books is how he communicates such poignant biblical truths in story form. I've also heard good things about the other books on my list - we've read Pilgrim's Progress with our kids already, but I think having read it they will enjoy this illustrated version even more. Big Truths For Young Hearts is supposed to be almost a systematic theology for kids, which we'll go through as a family. The “Building On The Rock” devotionals for their individual baskets are something we will end up reading all together as well!
Do you have any items that you put in your kids' baskets every year? Are you adding anything new to the mix this year?
A couple years ago I shared a list of our favorite Christmas picture books to read together. The kids and I love a beautifully illustrated Christmas book while sitting near our Christmas tree and having a treat! I've expanded our favorites list quite a bit since then, and have sorted through nearly two hundred Christmas picture books to make this list!
The list is broken up into three sections, depending on what you’re looking for. The books related to the Nativity and the Christian faith are listed first, and there are some beautiful books in there for believers. Not every Christmas book labeled as “Christian” has a biblically solid message or points to Christ, but I feel that these ones did a good job of pointing to the true meaning of Christmas - Christ’s birth!
The next category contains books that focus on Santa. I know some families that like to avoid or minimize the topic of Santa Claus at Christmas, so the ones with a story centered around Santa are separated out for your convenience.
The last category are full of just general Christmas stories, focused on the celebration of the holiday itself. Some of them may reference Santa briefly, but he’s not a big part of the story.
I hope this list is useful for you as you look for Christmas books that resonate with your own family! You can also see my original book list here, which contains different titles than this list. And don’t forget to scroll to the end of the post for a printable list that you can take to the library - which includes all my picture book recommendations for Christmas from both posts!
Christian Christmas Stories:
The Spider Who Saved Christmas by Raymond Arroyo - This is a Christmas fable, about a spider who saves the lives of Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus as they are fleeing to Egypt. This book is very sweet, and I love that it focuses on the Nativity - I do make sure to tell my kids that this story is not in the Bible, it's just an imaginative story. Also note that the story does involve fleeing the soldiers who were killing the baby boys in Bethlehem, so make sure your kids are ready for that part of the story.
The Gift Of The Christmas Cookies by Dandi Daley Mackall - I loved this book! A mom tells her boy about how Christmas cookies got started as a way of telling peasants about the Nativity, and the boy realizes he can use Christmas cookies to spread the good news of Jesus's birth the same way. I think this would be a fun and meaningful book to read before a Christmas baking day, especially if you have nativity-shaped cookie cutters!
Song Of The Stars by Sally Lloyd-Jones - A lovely book highlighting all of creation rejoicing in the birth of Christ!
Humphrey's First Christmas by Carol Heyer - A funny story about a camel who loses his greatest treasure - his carpet-blanket! But in the end, he meets the Baby Jesus and gives up his greatest treasure for the King of kings. Very sweet and humorous twist on the Nativity story.
Fear Not, Joseph! by Julie Stiegemeyer - The Nativity story from the perspective of Joseph. This book sticks pretty close to the biblical narrative, with a few details filled in. It seems like Joseph is often left out of the story in Christmas picture books, so I liked that this book focused on his perspective! Great notes from the author in the back too.
The Legend Of St. Nicholas by Dandi Daley Mackall - I love this version of the story of the real St. Nick. A boy is wandering through a mall, thinking about everything he wants to buy for himself, and then hears a mall Santa telling the story of Saint Nicholas and his gift-giving. In the process he refocuses on the joy of giving at Christmas. Very well-done book.
The Little Shepherd's Christmas by Carol Heyer - A beautifully illustrated version of the Christmas story from a shepherd boy's perspective.
Christmas Is Here by Lauren Castillo - The words of this book are just the Scripture text from the KJV, but the illustrations are lovely. The book starts with a family visiting a living Nativity, and then flashing back to what happened on the night Jesus was born.
A Star For Christmas by Trisha Romance - A carpenter moves to a new place and works to build a house in the woods. The local villagers comes to help him, and so he decides to make them a very special gift for Christmas. A sweet story that points to Jesus's birth.
A Churchmouse Christmas by Barbara Davoll - Christopher Churchmouse wants to make something to celebrate Jesus's birthday in this sweet story told in rhyme. If you've read any of the other Christopher Churchmouse books, this one is especially fun as all the characters make an appearance.
Mortimer's Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson - A mouse named Mortimer finds a house that is perfectly sized for him - the problem is that it's filled with statues! He just tosses them out and enjoys the comfortable manger - until he learns the Nativity story. Very cute story, and a creative way to point to the Nativity.
‘Twas The Evening Of Christmas by Glenis Nellist - Written in the metre of “The Night Before Christmas”, this book focuses on the story of Jesus's birth instead. I love this one!
The Lightlings by R. C. Sproul - A gorgeously illustrated, imaginative retelling of the story of God sending His Son to save us. The additional discussion questions in the back are excellent for guiding a discussion about Jesus's birth and the gospel, complete with Scripture references!
Santa Stories:
Little Red Sleigh by Erin Guendelsberger - A little red sleigh wants desperately to be Santa's sleigh and help bring joy to children everywhere, but on her journey to the North Pole she learns that things in life come more gradually. She brings joy to a little girl as she goes sledding on Christmas Day, and Little Red Sleigh realizes she is already fulfilling her purpose.
The Night Santa Got Lost: How Norad Saved Christmas by Micheal Kerne - This was a great find for us this year! The book is written as a twist on "The Night Before Christmas", but the real treasure is the history of NORAD's tradition of tracking Santa on Christmas Eve, and the other Christmas-related military history stories in the back. We found it delightful, and this book would be a great jumping-off point for other studies about history and the military, writing short stories, etc.
Mouse's Night Before Christmas by Tracey Corduroy - It turns out there was a mouse stirring on Christmas Eve, and this book shares the story of how a mouse helps Santa, and Santa helps the mouse find a friend. Very cute!
Rudolph Shines Again by Robert L. May - Rudolph starts to feel sorry for himself as all the reindeer pick on him for being Santa's favorite...until one day, Rudolph's nose stops shining. This is a cute story about the "continuing adventures" of Rudolph beyond the traditional tale!
The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett - All of Brett's illustrations are so Christmas-y, and in this story, Teeka must train the reindeer to pull Santa's sleigh.
Truffle's Christmas by Anna Currey - Truffle can't decide whether to ask Santa for a hula hoop or a blanket. He settles on asking for the hula hoop, but the next night he gives up his blanket for the baby mice. So he goes on a journey to see if he can change his request to a new blanket instead. Really cute little story!
The Finest Christmas Tree by John and Ann Hassett - A quirky story about Farmer Tuttle, who was a Christmas tree farmer until his customers started to dry up. Then suddenly he gets a note, and tiny little figures carry off one of his Christmas trees!
Carl's Christmas by Alexandra Day - In this book, the dog Carl is tasked with watching the baby while the parents go out (not realistic, but cute). He takes the baby on all kinds of Christmas adventures through the rest of the book. This is a wordless book, so it would be a fun writing project to have kids write their own words for each page.
Fletcher And The Snowflakes Of Christmas by Julia Rawlinson - Fletcher is a classic in our home at this point, and in this book the little fox Fletcher worries that Santa won't be able to find the home of his rabbit friends, since they just moved to a new burrow. This is a sweet Christmas story, highlighting friendship with beautiful illustrations.
Other Christmas Stories:
The Christmas Owl by Ellen Kalish - In this story, none of the animals know what Christmas is, until an owl's tree is cut down and taken to the big city to be a Christmas tree. He is sent to an owl rescue and shown kindness and care by the humans there, and afterward he thinks he understands a little better what Christmas is.
A Wish To Be A Christmas Tree by Colleen Monroe - A large pine tree is never picked as a Christmas tree, and tells his woes to the forest creatures. They appreciate the big tree, and set out to show him how much they love him by making him into a Christmas tree. Really sweet book about friendship.
Fletcher And The Snowflakes Of Christmas by Julia Rawlinson - Fletcher is a classic in our home at this point, and in this book the little fox Fletcher worries that Santa won't be able to find the home of his Rabbit friends, since they just moved to a new burrow. This is a sweet Christmas story, highlighting friendship with beautiful illustrations.
Mistletoe by Tad Hills - Mistletoe loves to be outside in the snow at Christmastime, but her friend Norwell likes to be warm and cozy - so she sets out to make him a present that will allow them to spend more time together. Cute illustrations, and fun for knitters!
The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains by Annie Silvestro - A tree grows in a Christmas tree lot right next to a train track, and loves the feeling of the trains whooshing past...until a family comes and takes the tree to their home. Will she ever see a train again? This is a cute one for kids who love trains.
Finding Christmas by Leslie Evans - In this story, Hare, Mouse, and Squirrel find a wounded Sparrow, and give up all their presents to help a creature in need. I loved the reference to the Bible verse in the very back, and stories that highlight sacrifice and selflessness at Christmas are always welcome.
The Perfect Tree by Corinne Demas - Bunny wants to find the perfect Christmas tree, and all his friends tell him what to look for - but when he finds it, he can't bear to cut it down. This is a basic finding-a-Christmas-tree story, but we enjoyed it!
A Christmas Wish For Corduroy by Don Freeman - If you like the original Corduroy book, you'll enjoy this Christmas backstory that explains how he got his cute green overalls!
Lighthouse Christmas by Tony Buzzeo - Two kids, who have moved to an island with their dad to be the new lighthouse family, try to figure out how to celebrate Christmas with no resources, since their supply ship is delayed by the weather. The information in the back of this book about the "flying Santa" program that brought Christmas cheer to lighthouse families was especially interesting, and would make a great Christmas research project for homeschoolers who do "Christmas School"!
I Love You More Than Christmas by Ellie Hattie - An adorable book about a bear family enjoying all that Christmas brings. Younger kids will enjoy all the interrupted endings of the poem!
The Magic Of A Small-Town Christmas by Megan Alexander - Cute illustrations depicting Christmas traditions in a small town. I enjoyed this book since my little town has some unique Christmas traditions as well.
The Peterkins' Christmas by Elizabeth Spurr - My kids know the Peterkins from A Peterkins Thanksgiving, and so they were greatly amused by this zany Victorian family's Christmas hijinks. This is a longer book, but also pretty fun!
Winter's Gift by Jane Monroe Donovan - An old man finds himself lonely at Christmas, until a lost mare reminds him to always to keep hope - in an unexpected way! This is a sweet Christmas book for horse-loving kids!
Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant - A beautiful picture book about a Christmas train that brings presents to poor boys and girls in the Appalachian mountains - and how one of those boys grows up and finds his way back to Appalachia. This book makes me want to cry for a reason I can't pinpoint - we loved it.
Christmas Farm by Mary Lyn Ray - An old woman and a boy decide to plant a Christmas tree farm - and after ten long years the trees are ready to sell. This book is an imaginative look at what it would be like to grow Christmas trees, and as a homeschool mom I noted that the built-in math problems abound!
An Orange For Frankie by Patricia Polacco - Get ready to tear up at the end of this book. A sweet story about a boy named Frankie, who loses his Christmas orange - but his family pulls together and creates an orange for Frankie.
Cranberry Christmas by Wende and Harry Devlin - We rejoin the gang of Cranberryport, as Mr. Whiskers tries to save the skating pond and also get his house ready for a visit from his sister. The "Cranberryport" books are all delightful, and this is a fun Christmas story!
Christmas In The Country by Cynthia Rylant - A little girl shares her favorite parts of celebrating Christmas in the country with her grandparents. The illustrations in this are very cute, and all the traditions shared are sweet and nostalgic.
The All-I’ll-Ever-Want-For-Christmas Doll by Patricia C. McKissack - A story of a family in the south during the Great Depression. A little girl wants a Baby Betty more than anything - and she gets one on Christmas morning! The problem is, there is only one between herself and her two sisters. A sweet story for a reminder that people are more important than things. Some Santa talk in this one, but that's not the focus of the story.
The Story Of Holly And Ivy by Rumer Godden - A doll in a toy shop wants to be given to a little girl, a little girl wants to spend Christmas in a real home, and a woman wishes she had a child to pour her love on at Christmas - and all these stories come together in this adorable and sweet book.
Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett - This book along with the next two are a trio of books about Gingerbread people! This book is a fun play off of the traditional gingerbread man story - but the Gingerbread Baby is not obnoxious and gets away in this one.
Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett - In this one, the Gingerbread Baby is lonely when the little girl leaves for school, so he goes in search of a friend.
Gingerbread Christmas by Jan Brett - In this book, a whole gingerbread band joins the Gingerbread Baby and plays sweet music in the town square...until someone decides the band looks pretty tasty!
Construction Site On Christmas Night by Sherry Duskey Rinker and A. G. Ford - Very similar to the classic 'Goodnight, Construction Site', except a Christmas version!
If You Take A Mouse To The Movies by Laura Numeroff - In the same tradition as If You Give A Mouse A Cookie, one thing leads to another in this Christmas version!
The Gift Of The Magi by O. Henry illustrated by Robert Sauber - A beautifully illustrated version of O. Henry's classic Christmas tale!
A Cowboy Christmas by Audrey Wood - Evan's cowboy friend, Cully, is a big help around the ranch ever since Evan's father died - but then at Christmas, Cully doesn't come home one night and Even and his mother must go looking for him. A sweet story that gives a peek into what life may have been like in the Old West. This one has a sweet ending.
The Christmas Crocodile by Bonnie Becker - A crocodile causes chaos for a family at Christmas, until the family sends him away - or so they think! A humorous Christmas book!
A Christmas For Bear by Bonny Becker - This is a funny book about a bear who has never hosted a Christmas party before. His friend Mouse arrives and is worried that there are no presents - only pickles! I highly recommend reading the bear with an English accent.
Apple Tree Christmas by Trinka Hakes Noble - A story about a terrible blizzard that brings down a family's apple tree. One of the daughters is heartbroken, because the tree used to be her "art studio" - but her father finds a way to bring the feeling of the old tree back for the girls. Sweet, old-fashioned Christmas story.
Suzy Goose And The Christmas Star by Petr Horacek - Suzy Goose spots a star in the sky and goes on a journey to see if she can snatch it for the top of the animal's Christmas tree...until she gets lost! A light, simple Christmas story.
If I Could Give You Christmas by Lynn Plourde - This book features a sweet Christmas-themed poem from a parent to a child. What really makes this book shine, in my opinion, are the absolutely beautiful illustrations of animal kids and parents.
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry - This delightful book features Mr. Willowby's Christmas tree, which keeps getting chopped smaller as small animals use the cut-off top as their own Christmas tree. Very cute and humorous for the kids!
Merry Christmas, Anne by Kallie George - A cute Christmas story surrounding Anne of Green Gables, and inspired by the book! Our family just read L. M. Montgomery's classic together, so this is a fun picture book to add to our stack this year.
The Queen And The First Christmas Tree by Nancy Churnin - This story is based upon the life of Queen Charlotte. The title is a little misleading in that I’m not sure she can claim the first Christmas tree, but she was the first to popularize Christmas trees in England. I love this for a Christmas history tie-in!
For a printable Christmas picture book list, click here!
Enjoy, and Merry Christmas until I write again!
For several years now we've celebrated Reformation Day, and while we could do the same things each year and my kids would be perfectly happy, I like to change things up a little to keep the day interesting for them. So this year, the night before Reformation Day, I locked myself in my room for a couple of hours and threw together a spur-of-the-moment plan.
I had been mulling over our options all day, and the idea for this scavenger hunt just came to me. Everything in this post I threw together in an hour, and I was a little unsure if it would come together, but my kids loved it and it also led to some good conversations about theology and the gospel!
You can read more about why we celebrate Reformation Day here. All of my Reformation Day posts, including many more ideas for marking the day, can be read here.
Organizing The Scavenger Hunt
For this scavenger hunt, I hid a series of clues that when put together spell out the word "REFORMATION". On each slip of paper I wrote a household scavenger hunt clue adapted from this website, but any household clue hints will do! Hints like these led the kids from clue to clue, but in between searching for each clue we would pause and do activities related to the corresponding letter in the acronym REFORMATION.
The activités for each letter of the acronym are listed below. I also created a printable of all this information which you can download below, but keep in mind you may want to get all the links opened in your browser ahead of time so you have them ready before your kids start finding the clues.
Resources You Will Need
1. Reformation ABCs. In addition to the printables above, you will need the book Reformation ABCs by Stephen Nichols. I centered the scavenger around this book and you will need to read the corresponding pages in the book for several of the acronym letters. If you are willing to put a little work in to research some of these topics yourself, you could make do without buying the book, but it is a fun one to have around!
2. Optional: Another book or video about Martin Luther. For an optional book option, you can also get another book about Martin Luther to read to your kids so they have more background information about this central figure of the Reformation. We read this Martin Luther pop-up book, because I think it is a great one to introduce Luther and the Reformation to my littler kids in a way they can more easily understand. You may also consider watching the Torchlighters Martin Luther episode, which is a great introduction for kids!
3. Optional: Printed Music For Hymns. I included three hymn options in this scavenger hunt, and I have the lyrics included in the printable I created, but it's sometimes nice to have the sheet music. I recommend downloading "Hymns To The Living God", which is a free hymnal from G3. All three of the hymns are included, and you can print out the corresponding pages by referencing the index at the end of the hymnal. You'll need:
-A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
-O Worship The King
-O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
4. My Reformation Day Scavenger Hunt Printable. This document includes all the information below which you can print as your parent "cheat sheet", the REFORMATION acronym that you can cut into strips and hide for the clues, and lyric sheets for the hymns.
5. Optional: Supplies for the fortress craft. I was excited to find this great craft (originally recommended to me in this blog post), you'll want to get the supplies for that ready ahead of time if you choose to use it. One significant item is toilet paper rolls, so start collecting those before Reformation Day!
6. Candy or another easy snack reward. To keep my kids excited about the scavenger hunt, I built in some small snack moments. We used candy, but any quick snack food will do!
7. Dirt/worm pudding, or another Reformation Day treat. There are lots of ideas out there, but worm pudding is a favorite of our family! You could also do marshmallow hammers, or door-shaped cookies, etc. This is a fun final reward to wrap up the scavenger hunt!
All the rest of the information for the scavenger hunt is included below, or once again, you can download the printable that includes all this information here!
R is for the Rhine River
-Read “R is for Rhine River” from Reformation ABCs.
-Locate the Rhine River in an atlas and see which countries it runs through.
-Eat one candy from the reward bowl!
E is for Erasmus
-Read this: Erasmus published a version of the New Testament translated into Greek and Latin directly from old manuscripts, because of a movement called “ad fontes”, which means “back to the sources”. This was an idea popular at the time of Luther - many thought to get the most accurate information, they should go as close to the original source as possible, especially regarding ancient documents. This movement eventually led to the reformers searching for the truth about what was going on in the church by going back to THE source - God’s Word! Erasmus unintentionally influenced Luther and the Reformation.
F is for Fortress
-Luther wrote the great hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”. Let’s do a fortress craft together! Younger kids may also enjoy this coloring sheet.
-Read Psalm 46 and talk about how God is our fortress in times of trouble.
O is for Oxford Martyrs
-Read “O is For Oxford Martyrs” from Reformation ABCs.
-Read Acts 5, and take note of Acts 5:41. Why do you think the disciples, and later on the Reformers, rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Jesus?
R is for Reformation
-Look up the word "Reformation" in the Websters 1828 dictionary.
-Now read about the Five Solas of the Reformation on Got Questions.org. How did the Five Solas address different problems in the Roman Catholic Church?
-Luther hoped to reform the Catholic Church and bring it back to God’s Word. Was he successful? Do you think there are any things in Christian churches today that need “reformation” to be more in line with God’s word?
-Eat a candy from the reward bowl!
M is for Martin Luther
-Read “M is for Martin The Monk” from Reformation ABCs.
-Optional: Read another book about Martin Luther or watch this Torchlighters Martin Luther episode.
-Eat a candy from the bowl!
A is for “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
-Let’s sing Luther’s great hymn!
-Eat a candy from the reward bowl!
T is for Tyndale
-Read “T is for Tyndale” from Reformation ABCs
-Eat a candy from the bowl!
I is for Indulgences
-Read “I is for Indulgences” from Reformation ABCs.
-One of the major complaints Luther had for the Catholic Church was regarding indulgences. He rightly thought it was disgraceful that the clergy were telling the people they could purchase a proverbial “ticket to Heaven” (ie: less time in Purgatory) with money. Read the Five Solas again if necessary, and discuss the what the gospel is. How are we truly forgiven and saved? In light of that, can you see why indulgences were such a terrible distortion of the true gospel?
O is for “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing” or “O Worship The King”
-Let’s sing one (or both) of these hymns together!
-Read about some of the ways that Luther changed church music (scroll down to where it says “Church Music”). Talk about how we have some wonderful hymns, like the one we just sang, because of the reforms Luther made in music.
-Watch a video about how Luther changed the way we sing in church.
N is for “No Other”
-One of the greatest moments of the Reformation was the Diet Of Worms, when Luther declared:
I cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the council, because it is clear that they have fallen into error and even into inconsistency with themselves. If, then, I am not convinced by proof from Holy Scripture, or by cogent reasons, if I am not satisfied by the very text I have cited, and if my judgment is not in this way brought into subjection to God's word, I neither can nor will retract anything; for it cannot be either safe or honest for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.
Let’s discuss that quote - what did Luther mean when he said “Here I stand, I can do no other?” (As some versions of the quote are rendered). What was he standing on?
-Read the “B is for Bible” page of Reformation ABC’s. How is the Bible like a treasure map? And what (or who) is the great treasure it’s meant to lead us to?
-Let’s pray and thank God for His word, for how the Reformers bravely stood on the Word of God and recovered the gospel. And let’s thank God for saving us by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone!
-Finish up with our Diet Of Worms treat (or other special Reformation-themed snack)!
You can download a printable with all this information here!
Enjoy!
Note: This post probably looks very familiar if you've been around here for a while - and that's because it is. I had two rather disjointed posts about our favorite Thanksgiving picture books on my blog, and I decided to combine them into a single post this year. I've also created a printable list for your convenience! You can find that at the bottom of this post!
The last few years, I’ve really been leaning into the Thanksgiving holiday with my kids. We’ve set up a Thanksgiving tree (inspired by some friends of ours), we’ve filled out gratitude journals, and we’ve explored Thanksgiving picture books.
After checking out a multitude of Thanksgiving picture books from our library, the following are the ones that made the cut. I am quite particular about these book choices. I have a pet peeve about Thanksgiving books making no mention of who we should be giving thanks to, or misrepresent to whom the Pilgrims themselves gave thanks at that first Thanksgiving. The pilgrims did not have a Thanksgiving feast to thank the Native Americans - they invited their Native Americans friends and I am sure there was some gratitude directed their way, but the Pilgrims were primarily giving thanks to God.
With the exceptions of just a few books on my list that are directed at more historical events (ex. Balloons Over Broadway) or celebration ideas (ex. How To Celebrate Thanksgiving) or stories about the meal itself (ex. An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving), all of these books point the theme of "thanksgiving" where it belongs - toward the Giver of all good things.
The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing - This is a play off of the classic Christmas poem, and I thought it was so cute, especially with the sweet illutrations.
How To Celebrate Thanksgiving by P. K. Hallinan - This is a picture book, in rhyme, that celebrates all the fun of Thanksgiving Day (including eating so much you feel like you might burst). Cute illustrations, fun poem.
Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin - This is the first time I've read this one, and the quirky story of Grandma's special cranberry bread recipe and how it's nearly stolen made me laugh.
Thanksgiving In The Woods by Phyllis Allsdurf - This book is based off a family who celebrates Thanksgiving each year by having dinner in the woods - this is one of those times when the illustrations really make the whole book. This pages are so pretty.
A Turkey For Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting - A fun story about Mr. Moose tracking down Turkey for Thanksgiving. My kids where laughing at this one!
Franklin's Thanksgiving by Paulette Bourgeois - My kids love watching the old TV show Franklin, and this book had the typical mild dilemma that the show often features - Franklin invites too many people to Thanksgiving. It was cute!
Over The River And Through The Wood by Matt Tavares - I'm sure you recognize the first lines to this poem - somehow I never realized it was about Thanksgiving!
Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving Blessings by Mike Berenstain - This obviously isn't serious history, but on the way over to Grandma's House For Thanksgiving Dinner, Papa Bear tells about the “Pilgrim bears” that came to a new land seeking religious freedom.
Squanto And The Miracle Of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxes - This is a Thanksgiving classic for us, telling the story of Squanto's life and how God used him to help the pilgrims survive.
This Is The Feast by Diane Z. Shore - Another one where the illustrations really shine, telling a little history about the first Thanksgiving.
Sharing The Bread: An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Story by Pat Zeitlow Miller - This book features a poem with a fun beat to it, all about working together to make Thanksgiving dinner.
A Thanksgiving Turkey by Julian Scheer - This book was slow going at first, but the ending just got me. One of those times when I feel silly tearing up a little as I read to the kids. I think I resonated from this one especially coming from a family that hunts.
Thank You For Thanksgiving by Dandi Daley Mackall - It's the classic problem - everyone is going around saying what they are thankful for, and someone else says what you were going to say! I really liked how this one pointed back to being thankful for our Savior too.
Thanksgiving Graces by Mark Kimball Moulton - As Grandma invites more and more people to dinner, the narrator wonders if there will be enough - Grandma talks briefly about the parable of the fishes and reminds her grandson that they can stretch the food to include others. A sweet story about hospitality at Thanksgiving.
Thankful by Eileen Spinelli - A sweet "gratitude list" type of book, but I especially liked this one.
Give Thanks To The Lord by Karma Wilson - Another beautiful Thanksgiving book, this one taking inspiration from Psalm 92.
Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story Of The Puppeteer Of Macy's Parade by Melissa Sweet - This is a book that is in high demand at our library, but we finally got it and truly enjoyed learning about the history of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and how a man named Tony invented the idea of ballon floats.
The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh - A longer chapter book that tells the story of how the pilgrims came to the New World and established the first Thanksgiving feast. I love how historically accurate this one was!
An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving by Louisa May Alcott (illustrated by James Bernardin) - This is a sweet story about three girls who must be left alone on Thanksgiving, and attempt to make the meal for the family themselves, with mixed results! (Note: I could not find the version linked above on a retailer website, but if you can track it down, I loved the illustrations by Bernardin in this version.)
Sarah Gives Thanks by Mike Allegra - This book is about the woman who petitioned a series of presidents to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, and finally succeeded with Abraham Lincoln. I like this book about her life, and the pages that show her family praying together and thanking the Lord for providing even in the midst of hard times were heartwarming.
And one chapter book recommendation:
Rush Revere And The Brave Pilgrims by Rush Limbaugh - This is our favorite Thanksgiving historical fiction book - all about the journey of the pilgrims from Holland to the New World, including good history about the first Thanksgiving. It's so imaginative and fun with the time-traveling horse, Liberty! We like it on audio, but the actual book has some wonderful art pieces and fun illustrations too.
I hope this list is helpful - and get those books requested now, because if your library system is anything like mine, you may or may not get them in time to read before Thanksgiving is here!
I had all kinds of ideas for December blog posts, but the last couple of weeks have been a flurry of craziness around here, mostly in a good way. I've barely had time to sit down, but everything we've been busy with has been fun memory-making!
Everything We've Been Up To
We kicked off December with a trip to a local "trial of lights" for my dad's birthday. My parents take the whole family every year and it's a highlight of December for all of us. There is one huge tree that they somehow manage to light up from the trunk to the top of it's branches, about 100 feet up, and we always stand under it and just stare. The kids aren't nearly as impressed with it as the adults - we know the amount of work that went into that!
My kids also participated in a unique field trip where they got to run a miniature town for a day, as well as manage their own bank accounts, checkbooks, and debit cards. Wyatt was the accountant for Town Hall, Gwendolyn was a mail carrier, and Clyde was an auto mechanic. They each were so happy with the positions they got, and they all took their jobs so seriously. Our cousins and various friends were able to go the same day we did, so that was fun for everyone too! I'm also proud to say that none of my kids overdrew their bank accounts. They are on their way to being financially responsible adults.
Another big event of the last couple weeks was a 10th birthday party for Gwendolyn. Her birthday is at the end of December, but we wanted to do a party for her while our good friends were in town from Kentucky. We invited close family and a few of her friends from church for an art themed party - it turned out really fun! I'm sure I'll get a post up about it at some point.
While our dear friends were in town we also took the opportunity to spend as much time with them as we could, and we had an outing to the railroad museum and a couple fun visits at our house. Of course the hardest part was having to say goodbye when they left the last night they were here. There are always tears when they leave, but it's one of those friendships that is strong enough to survive a little distance, and we are already looking forward to zoom visits and making plans for the next time we can see them.
Our family also fit in a visit to our local aquarium...we are not close to the ocean, so any aquarium here is going to be expensive and a rare treat. The kids got free tickets for completing the library reading challenge this summer, and Derek took a day off so we could go as a family. The kids loved it, and Georgie especially wanted to see the sharks! We topped off the day with a trip to the mall for some final Christmas shopping, and a Christmas movie night at home.
Speaking of the mall, we had to swing by there again on Sunday because I realized I needed to even out one of the kids' Christmas presents a bit. It is very difficult to shop for Christmas for five kids of all different ages - they want such different things, but I have to still keep the cost and number of the presents as similar as possible. It requires alot of planning and I often end up having to make adjustments once I get all the presents laid out on the floor.
So to the mall we went again, and I have to say, it warmed my heart to see how very busy the mall was. For the past couple years it's been quiet every time I've been to the mall, but perhaps the retail business is finally picking up again after 2020 (or maybe people are trying to avoid the finicky postal system). I'm happy to see it.
Amid all this we also had several other Christmas and birthday parties to attend, and we somehow fit some school in there. I'm tired just thinking about it now.
But it's finally the week before Christmas, we are on break from homeschooling, and it's time to get those presents wrapped and cookies baked! That's the agenda for today, and before I go to it, I'll just include one more thought that I've been mulling over this week.
A Thought On Christmas Busyness
As I've been going about our business this month, I've been listening to some Christmas sermons on the Canon+ app. I subscribed a while back for a webinar I wanted to watch, but it's been pretty worthwhile overall. I don't agree with everything they teach (I'm not a post millennialist), but I've found alot of the practical resources to be incredibly encouraging.
I was listening to a sermon called "A Theology Of Christmas Gifts" (or it might have been "Celebrating Christmas Like A Puritan", I can't remember), and Douglas Wilson made a point that it is actually NOT an unbiblical idea to work hard - even until you are rather exhausted - in order to bless others.
I think we are often, as wives and mothers, tempted to get a little bitter about the December rush and the Christmas stress. We think in order to do Christmas "right", we should not be so busy. I've certainly fallen victim to "Christmas stress" before, and often that stress is the result of procrastination or poor planning on my part. I don't think that's a good thing, and the solution to that is to plan better so I don't have a million things to do all at once December.
However, as I've been mulling it over, I agree that the problem is not the amount of work that Christmas entails. Work is not a bad thing. We don't have to be sitting around contemplating all the time in order to be blessed during the season of Christmas preparation. We are working hard to make Christmas special for our loved ones, to bless others and love them in a tangible way, and isn't that service toward others a kind of offering to the Lord? We ARE honoring Christmas in all the busyness of our Christmas work if we keep in mind that we are doing it for Him, that we are serving Christ by serving others well.
We don't always have to be still with perfect peace to celebrate and enjoy Christmas. We can keep Christmas well. by tackling our to-do list to bless others during all the hustle and bustle of celebrating the birth of our King! In it's own way, that is just as beautiful as sitting in silence and contemplating His birth, maybe even more beautiful if in the busyness we are giving of ourselves for the good of others, reflecting in an imperfect way how Christ gave Himself for us, and pointing others to the purpose of all this which is Christ Himself.
May you point your loved ones to Jesus through the cookie decorating, present wrapping, house cleaning, turkey baking, visiting, opening, singing, and celebrating this week!
Happy Christmas break, friends!
I'm sure I'll be back again this week.
I finally have some space for all of the above,
and a little blogging too.
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