Advent Season: Our Nativity Tree

Three.  Three very long months of no blogging.  It has been so nice to not have the "pressure" of doing the blog.  However, there are so many important things on my heart that I want to share, so I am jumping in full force (I hope).

December 1st.  The count down the Christmas has begun.  How do you prepare you hearts and homes to get ready for the holiday.  Do you do a fun Advent Calender with a piece of candy for every day?  Do you have a paper chain that you take off a piece each day?

For us this is a time we like to turn our families hearts to focusing on Christ's birth.  One of the ways we do this is through our Nativity Tree.  We set a small tree up in our dining room and have an ornament for each day till Christmas.  Each night at dinner a different child gets to open the gift and hang the ornament inside.  There is a scripture reading that goes with it.

 (Side Note: We actually do LESS then 25 days.  We do this because, 1. it's hard to stretch the Nativity story any further and 2. it's hard to find that many ornaments. Also, we bought a hodge podge of ornaments, you can't go find a "kit" for this.)

Here is our break down of our verses and ornaments:  

• Day 1: Star Tree Topper
• We discuss the point of the star a general overview of the Christmas Story
• Day 2: Mary
• Matthew 1:18
• Day 3: Joseph
• Matthew 1:19
• Day 4: Angel (to Mary)
• Luke 1:26-37
• Day 5: Angel (to Joseph)
• Matthew 1:20-25
• Day 6: A small bag (Visiting Elizabeth)
• Luke 2:39-45
• Day 7: A number (the Census)
• Luke 2:2-5
• Day 8: A donkey
• Luke 2:6
• Day 9: A cloth
• Luke 2:7
• Day 10: A sheep (Shepherds)
• Luke 2:8
• Day 11: Angel (to Shepherds)
• Luke 2:9-14
• Day 12: Shepherds
• Luke 2:15-18 
• Day 13: A church (taking Jesus to the Temple)
• Luke 2:21-38
• Day 14: Star
• Matthew 2:1-2
• Day 15: Magi
• Matthew 2:1-2
• Day 16: A crown (King Herod)
• Matthew 2:3-5, 7-8
• Day 17: Magi
• Matthew 2:9-10
• Day 18: Magi
• Matthew 2:11-12
• Day 19: Gift 1 (Gold)
• Show pictures of gold, discuss the value of gold
• Day 20: Gift 2 (Incense)
• Talk about the value of incense and what it is used for
• Day 21: Gift 3 (Myrrh)
• Talk about the value of myrrh and what it is used for
• Day 22: The Cross
• John 3:16
• Day 23: Manger Scene

What does your family do to prepare for Christmas?