Dec. 16 - Hot Cocoa and Christmas Stories

Day 9 - You can do this one with your whole family or just your spouse depending on the story you choose.  Make a big batch of Hot cocoa, curl up under blanket by the Christmas tree and read Christmas stories for as long as you want.

Here are some ideas from our favorites.

A Christmas Carol
The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
The Polar Express
Olive the Other Reindeer
What Child is This?

Dec. 12 - Make a Christmas Ornament

Day 8 - For Family Night have everyone make a Christmas Ornament to hang on the tree.  A few easy ideas and instructions are listed below but there are plenty more to choose from on the internet.  BONUS POINTS if you invite your special friend.

Cinnamon Ornaments
Felted Wreath
Salt Dough Snowman
Craft Stick Santa Claus

Dec. 11 - Christmas Caroling

Day 7 - Go Christmas Caroling, and make sure you stop by your special friend's house.  Invite them to join you.  They may or may not accept.  It doesn't matter.  They will still appreciate the thought!

Dec. 10 - Serving the Sick

There are many ways to fulfill this challenge.  Here are some ideas, choose the one that best fits your budget and schedule.

-Donate needed supplies or a meal to your local Ronald McDonald house or equivalent. 
-Drop a donation to Ronald McDonald house at McDonald's (even if it is just change)
-Make a meal for someone who is sick
-Go help someone who is sick or taking care of a sick family member with chores, laundry, Christmas, etc.
-Take some Christmas cookies to your hospital, not necessarily for the patients, but for the nurses!  You can save this one for Christmas Eve if you wish and add a little cheer to the lives of people who have to work the holiday.
-Take a sick mom's kids so she can get some rest.

Just a thought, if you want to help someone, sometimes the best thing to do is just do it, not ask permission first.  A lot of people will turn down help when you ask if it is ok, even when they could use it!

Dec. 9 - Serve Your Spouse

Day 5- Today is an easy one.  Do a job normally reserved for your spouse!  That means I will be taking out the trash and ironing!

Dec. 5 - Good Deeds for Baby Jesus

Day 4 - It's Monday Night, that means it's Family Home Evening!  For this Family Night you will be talking about doing good deeds for Baby Jesus.  Explain how when you do something good for someone else it is like doing it for Christ.  For the whole month you will keep track of your family's good deeds.  Everytime someone does a good deed they get to add a piece of "hay" to Jesus' manger.

All you need is a small baby doll to be baby Jesus, a tin or box for the manger, and "hay".  We always use tinsel, ourselves.

Keep your little manger out where everyone can see the family's progress.  If you catch someone doing a good deed be sure to announce it and ask if they would like to add some hay to the manger.

On Christmas Eve, put Baby Jesus in his warm, and comfy manger underneath your Christmas tree.

December 4 - Cookies for a Special Friend

Day 3 - Make Christmas Cookies and take a plate to someone who is lonely

Did you find someone who is lonely and could use a friend?  If not, today is the day.  You will be visiting with this person for the next three weeks so make a good decision.  A lonely person can be an elderly person, widow/widower, someone who is sick, someone homebound, a single mother, a new family in town, someone at school with no friends.  You decide.

There are so many lonely people out there.  It's time to step out of our comfort zone and love them.  Today is easy, just drop by some cookies with a little note.  They may want to chat for a few minutes...do it!!

December 3 Challenge: The "orphaned"

Day 2 - Donate needed items to children "aging out" of the foster system

Every year children "age out" of the foster care system.  They no longer have a foster family or anyone really watching out for them.  These kids need supplies to go out on their own without support.  These items can include furniture, cleaning supplies, school supplies, and clothing.  Kids in the system learn to keep all their belongings in a suitcase, so they don't have much.  I'm sure they would love to know that someone is thinking about them. 

You can call a local foster care agency to find out if there are any specific items needed at this time.  Or if you don't want to make the phone call, think of what you would get a 17 or 18 year old going out on their own.  If you don't have money look around your house.  Maybe you have an extra set of sheets, coat, or a cookbook you don't use.  If none of those ideas suit you, call and see if there is some way you can volunteer.  Perhaps you can help with homework, college applications, or give a cooking lesson.

When you have a donation either send or take it to one of the foster care agencies in your area.  They will be able to get it to someone about to age out/recently aged out. 
If you can't get this challenge done today, just try before next Saturday's challenge.

December 2 Challenge - Gratitude

Day 1  -  Write your spouse a Thank You note.**

Let's start off easy!

Fridays we are focusing on our family, specifically your spouse (if you have one).  They always seem to get the short stick when it comes to patience and kind words.  Yet they are the most important people in our lives.

 Begin Christmas with an attitude of gratitude. Write your spouse a sincere and thoughtul "Thank You" note and leave it somewere they are sure to find it.

**You can substitute a different family member if you are single

The Twelve Days of Christmas Challenge

Have you ever made it to Christmas Day and felt like you missed out on the joy of the whole season?  I know I feel a lot of times like I get into the spirit of Christmas right at the end, and then it is over!  This year I have devised a plan and I invite you to join me. 

To do it, you only have to be willing to sacrifice a little bit of time on your weekends. I will also provide you with Family Home Evening Lessons throughout the month.  I will leave the last weekend of Christmas for you to spend as you wish, although there will be a bonus challenge on Christmas day.  Altogether, it is 12 days or Christmas Spirit.

I am breaking each challenge day into a different category.

Monday - Family Home Evening

Friday - Spouse/significant other/mom, sister, etc. if you are single

Saturday - Serving the Forgotten

Sunday - Visiting the Lonely

I really wanted to focus on the people around us.  Sometimes we do a great job of giving to charities for third world countries (which are great, don't get me wrong) but we fail to see the need in our own communities and neighborhood.  Now I have purposely left out soup kitchens and homeless shelters because we always think of those places to serve.  I wanted to highlight other opportunities to do good.

To prepare, begin gathering the following items

small doll (baby Jesus)

small box or tin to hold doll

tinsel

2 pieces of fleece about 1-1.5 yds long for a blanket

Christmas Ornament Craft supplies

hot chocolate

This will not be very hard and I think it will really add to our holiday season.  Will you join me?