December 1: Give each child a blank December calendar---each day they
are to list something they like about Christmas/ An Advent Calendar with small windows to open is always nice.
Serve pancakes with applesauce and syrup/ hot chocolate
December 2: Make fun Christmas shapes from cookie dough(snowmen are
easy!)
Eat cookies with apple cider.
December 3: Use construction paper or cardstock or cardboard for Christmas
symbols/ Have children create their own or find Christmas symbols in a magazine to cut out/ Hang symbols from a clothes
hanger trimmed with Christmas ribbons.
December 4: Make star out of popsickle sticks/ decorate with gold or
silver glitter glue/ Read "This is the Star" by Joyce Dunbar
& illustrated by Gary Blythe.
Eat popsickles first!
December 5: Read the story of "The Elves
and the Shoemaker" by Paul Galdone/ Have the children leave their shoes in the hallway
or outside their bedroom door for treats and gold coins from St. Nicholas.
Serve a "Poor Man's Stew" with this story!
December 6: Feast Day of St. Nicholas---Read the true story of the
real Saint Nick/Look up St. Nicholas in an encyclopedia and write a one paragraph report on him/ illustrate your report/ Read
"The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale"
by Aaron Shepard & illustrated by Wendy Edelson.
Bake and decorate gingerbread men
December 7: Make an angel from an empty tiolet paper roll
and cottonballs/ Read "Bright Christmas: An Angel Remembers"
by Kate Kiesler.
December 8: Give your children a holiday mug filled with goodies/
drink hot cocoa or tea while listening to Christmas carols
Add a cinnamon stick to the holiday mug to stir their tea.
December 9: Make a rope of Christmas bells using a red ribbon and jingle
bells/ use for decoration
December 10: Read "Yes, Virginia, There is a
Santa Claus---The Classic Edition" by Francis P. Church/Illustrated by Joel Spector
December 11: Use a wire-mesh 3-tiered fruit basket/ let children
fill with beautiful shiny Christmas ornaments & fruit and chocolates
Serve fruit and cinnamon/sugar toast for breakfast.
December 12: Make your favorite Christmas candy
December 13: Make stuffed dates & candid figs & sugared nuts
Enjoy eating them!
Make a spiced fig cake and decorate it with sugared nuts!
December 14: Select the best-looking berries and pine needles from the woods
to use in the Christmas Creche/ Read "Night Tree" by Eve Bunting & do literature-study offered at House of Literature site.
Bake a berry pie!
December 15: Adorn house and lawn with Christmas decorations and/or take
a car drive to see the Christmas lights/ Read "The Miracle of Saint Nicholas" by Gloria Whelan & illustrated by Judith Brown.
December 16: Decorate the front door with the Christmas wreath/ Decorate
the rest of house with mistletoe and holly
December 17: Make Angel Cookies---sugar cookie dough (large triangle for
body/ circle for head/ semi-circles for wings/ Decorate with lovely candy sprinkles.
YUM!
December 18: Give each child a special white candle/ Allow them to decorate
it with pretty beads and sequins/ Read "The Light of Christmas"
by Richard Paul Evans & illustrated by Daniel Craig/ or Read "The Christmas
Candle" by Richard Paul Evans & illustrated by Jacob Collins
December 19: Make Christmas cards and a Christmas banner for the elderly
in the nursing home and local shut-ins.
December 20: Bring out the family creche and read the Christmas story while
displaying the creche/ Have the children take turns placing the nativity figures/ Read "The Donkey's
Dream" by Barbara Helen Berger.
Make vanilla crepes with jellies/jams/marmalades for filling.
December 21: Decorate the Christmas Tree/ Read "Why
Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect" by Dick Schneider & illustrated by Elizabeth J. Miles/
Read "The Tale of Three Trees" by Angela Elwell Hunt
& illustrated by Tim Jonke.
Serve buttered popcorn and Christmas chocolates!
December 22: Sing or listen to "Oh Come All Ye Faithful"/ Make snowflake
cut-outs for decoration
Serve hamburgers and milk shakes for dinner
December 23: Attend a Christmas Play or Watch "A
Christmas Carol" or "It's a Wonderful Life" on TV.
Serve po-boy sandwiches!
December 24: Attend church services/
Let each child light his/her Christmas candle
Read "Twas the Night Before Christmas"
by Clement C. Moore & illustrated by Tasha Tudor (or your favorite illustrator)
December 25: Have a Joyful & Blessed Christmas Day!
~ Bon Appetite ~
