Jesus' Stocking

During a rough Christmas Season last year (Mike was gone from Sept 5 - Mid March), Debbie gave me this stocking ornament. She said she thought of me when she saw it in the store. I immediately KNEW I wanted to create a new family tradition based on this idea. I wanted to find a Christmas stocking for Jesus.

I had a year to look. I found one on sale yesterday. (OK - so really Christmas Stockings aren't AROUND during the year, I didn't just procrastinate. ) I love the stocking. It didn't have a name and so Arielle and I looked all over town for ideas on how to make a name for the stocking.

Finally, at the Christian Bookstore (duh) we saw some of these rhinestone words - and here you have it.

I plan to center a family devotion or morning circle time around the theme of Christ's Character. We can go through His names, talk about Phil 2, I Cor 13, maybe use the Adorenaments....and then throughout the rest of the Advent season we'll catch each other being Christlike. When we do, we'll write the instance down on a slip of paper and put it in the stocking.

I'm not sure when Mike will want to do it - either Christmas Eve or maybe Christmas Morning, or maybe a different time (New Years?) we'll read all the gifts to Jesus that are in the stocking. I really like this idea (still haven't taken the Thankful Tree down - but I like this idea too.)

Countdown Candle

(This would be a good time to mention that I linked a few things some of us have written about Christmas in the sidebar this weekend. I'll link more. If you've heard why we celebrate Christmas before, you don't have to read it again. If you wonder - you can check. etc They are under the little "Jesus is the Reason" sign to the right).

This is one of our fun family traditions. I look for a special candle each year. The very first year we used some really intricately carved candles that my Mother in Law had given me. I loved them. Some years all we can afford is a plain 9 inch taper.

We wanted to find something SPECIAL this year. Arielle and I found this one at Hobby Lobby for 50% off.

The photo doesn't do it justice. It is sort of glittery and the young ones love it. We'll make 25 marks on this candle. We'll burn a "mark a night" during our family circle. This will be a visual aid for the little ones. IF I count right the candle will burn out on Christmas Eve. Often we have to burn it several hours on the 23rd to make this work. ::snort:: I figure it will be easy to mark this one as there are 5 squares on it with the letters P E A C E. I may let Mike mark it off. ::snort::

Fisher Price Nativity

I'm in need of two of the FP Little People Nativities. I bought one last year WITH the shepherd add on for around $30. This year they are out of stock at Walmart and Walmart online. They are out of stock at my favorite online stores. Amazon has two sets left for $89.00 - without the shepherds! If any of you happen to know of local stores in your area that have them, please leave a comment below. I'm on the hunt today for these. I'd like to find them for $30 or less. I may order direct from FP and pray they get here "soon" and aren't backordered. What do you all think? Would you take the chance that they'd arrive before 1 Jan?