Would you believe me if I told you that The Secret to Christmas Joy is Found in Cookies? Well, keep reading to find out what I mean.
One of our family Christmas traditions is our Christmas ADVENTures and each day we have scripture reading, a Christmas carol and an optional activity. Throughout our advent days there are lots cultivating compassion activities to do as a family.
Christmas lights are not only beautifully adorned around homes and Christmas trees around this time of the year but they also serve as symbolic reminder that He is the light and we can also be light. One way we can shine light into peoples darkness is with acts of kindness.
One of activities we enjoy doing together as a family during this time of the year is making Christmas treats to give to our neighbors, community helpers and teachers. One year we kept a basket in our car with homemade cookie treats and we gave them out to the street kids as we drove around running errands. You don’t even have to make them homemade. I love adding icing to store bought cookies and bars to personalize them.
I recently came across this book called The Legend of the Christmas Cookie by Dandy Daley Mackall when looking for a new Christmas book to add to our Christmas collection. The Legend of the Christmas Cookie tells the story of a young boy named Jack who learns from his generous mother the story behind the Christmas cookie. The family who began the tradition of baking the special cookies gave them to the needy and shared the story of the very first Christmas. This sweet holiday book offers inspiration for readers to become cheerful givers themselves and encourages them to share the true tale of Jesus’ birth. A delicious recipe is included on the jacket flap so readers can make their own Christmas sugar cookies.
“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” —Kahlil Gibran
10 days of Christ focused Christmas Activities Inspired by Books Blog hop starts today! We have all sorts of fun activities, recipes and family fun that are inspired by a Children’s Christmas book that share the real meaning of Christmas! Make sure to follow along on Facebook, you can take a look at the schedule over at Inspired by Familia blog. Here are our fabulous bloggers: Inspired by Family, Meaningful Mama, Teaching Mama, Beautiful Messy Motherhood, Happy Home Fairy, Simple home Blessings, The Chaos and the Clutter, Creative Family Fun, True Aim Education and Sunshine Whispers!
Make Your Own Easy Reindeer Cookies From Gingerbread Men
- Gingerbread cookie (this is our tried and true family recipe)
- white icing
- red and brown small round candy for the nose and eyes
First, you’ll turn your gingerbread man upside down and that’s how you get antlers from the feet of the gingerbread man.
Then use your icing to decorate the face. Make sure your eyes are around the mid section of the body b/c the gingerbreads actual head will be where you place the nose and mouth.
Pack them up in cute little baggies and pass them out to your neighbors, community helpers like mailman, garbage collectors. Place a basket in your car and pass them out to the homeless with a milk or juice. Once year our family hosted a Christmas Cookie Exchange with a Twist and instead of taking the cookies for ourselves that were exchanged we each took them to pass them out the homeless.
Follow along this week to see the fabulous ideas from our super star bloggers! 10 bloggers, 10 books and 10 days of Christmas Activities inspired by children books that are faith based.
December 5th
Day 1 Inspired by Family-The Legend of the Christmas Cookie book & Easy Reindeer Cookies
December 6th
Day 2 Teaching Mama The Legend of the Candy Cane book & Easy & Cute Candy Cane ornament
December 7th
Day 3 Beautiful Messy Motherhood A Carol for Christmas book & Write Your Own Christmas Carol Idea
Day 4 Meaningful Mama The Crippled Lamb book & Handprint Nativity Craft
December 8th
Day 5 Happy Home Fairy -M is for Manger book & another lovely and different (from the one above) Nativity Handprint Craft
Day 6 Simple home Blessings Who is Coming to Our House book & Christmas Garland craft
December 9th
Day 7 The Chaos and the Clutter I Spy Christmas book & I Spy Christmas Sensory Bag
Day 8 Creative Family Fun The Birds of Bethlehem Book & Felt Birds Craft for Kids
December 10th
Day 9 True Aim Education The book of Character & Neighbor Kindness Activity
Day 10 Sunshine Whispers The Sparkle Box book & Sparkle Box Gift Jar Activity
Looking for more favorite Christ-focused Children’s Christmas books?
Easy Manger Craft for Kids with free printable inspired by Mortimer’s Christmas Manger book
Easy Santa Christmas Ornament inspired by Santa’s Favorite Story book
Nativity Craft from Toilet Paper Tubes inspired by Itsy Bitsy Christmas book
