There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
Isaiah 11:1 (ESV)
Preschool Activities
The boys love to help decorate the tree. As a result, most of our ornaments are grouped together in bunches about little boy height. I'm also constantly straightening the tree skirt and even the star on the top that gets a little crooked when the tree is shaken by curious little hands. I loved Bethany's idea over at No Twiddle Twaddle to give the kids their own Christmas Tree decorating station. I didn't have an extra mini tree to hand over to the kids so we simplified the idea quite a bit.
I cut a Christmas tree shape out of a triangle of leftover green felt. Then I cut a bunch of shapes out of the colorful scraps left over from other felt projects. Little man had a hard time grabbing some of the small felt ornaments, so I gave him a pair of plastic tweezers. He had so much fun decorating his very own tree and scored some great fine motor practice too!
If you don't have extra felt laying around to make a Christmas tree, try a coloring page!
The Christmas Tugboat: How the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Came to New York City, by George Matteson
Family Activities
As a child, there was nothing I loved more than hiking through a vast tree farm looking for that perfect tree. Once we found it, my dad would cut down the tree, carry it back to the car, tie it to the roof of the car, bring it home, and set it up in our living room. It was difficult, dirty work that resulted in a beautiful Christmas tradition. I remember that wonderful fresh smell. I remember decorating the tree as a family. I remember the year the tree fell over. I remember the year my mom decorated the tree with a bunch of envelopes filled with our presents.
Our downtown association hosted an event this year called Christmas Tree Lane. A line of trees on Main Street was decorated by local businesses. Each one was decorated in a theme that represented that business. We walked past and admired each one while sipping hot chocolate and apple cider. The boys loved the travel agent's tree decorated with sun glasses and beach balls!
All whimsy and wonder aside, the Christmas tree is a beautiful symbol for Christ's love for each of us. Strong, constant, and pointing toward heaven. Jelly Fish labs produced a short video, The History of the Christmas Tree, that explains some of that symbolism.
Service Activities
String popcorn to decorate a tree outside. Watch from a window to see who comes to enjoy the snack.
Snacks
Decorate ice cream cone Christmas trees with green frosting and colorful candies.
Songs
5 Little Christmas Trees
The Littlest Christmas Tree
Books
Jesus, Me, and My Christmas Tree, by Crystal Bowman
The Pine Tree Parable, by Lizz Curtis Higgs
The boys love to help decorate the tree. As a result, most of our ornaments are grouped together in bunches about little boy height. I'm also constantly straightening the tree skirt and even the star on the top that gets a little crooked when the tree is shaken by curious little hands. I loved Bethany's idea over at No Twiddle Twaddle to give the kids their own Christmas Tree decorating station. I didn't have an extra mini tree to hand over to the kids so we simplified the idea quite a bit.
I cut a Christmas tree shape out of a triangle of leftover green felt. Then I cut a bunch of shapes out of the colorful scraps left over from other felt projects. Little man had a hard time grabbing some of the small felt ornaments, so I gave him a pair of plastic tweezers. He had so much fun decorating his very own tree and scored some great fine motor practice too!
If you don't have extra felt laying around to make a Christmas tree, try a coloring page!
The Christmas Tugboat: How the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Came to New York City, by George Matteson
As a child, there was nothing I loved more than hiking through a vast tree farm looking for that perfect tree. Once we found it, my dad would cut down the tree, carry it back to the car, tie it to the roof of the car, bring it home, and set it up in our living room. It was difficult, dirty work that resulted in a beautiful Christmas tradition. I remember that wonderful fresh smell. I remember decorating the tree as a family. I remember the year the tree fell over. I remember the year my mom decorated the tree with a bunch of envelopes filled with our presents.
Our downtown association hosted an event this year called Christmas Tree Lane. A line of trees on Main Street was decorated by local businesses. Each one was decorated in a theme that represented that business. We walked past and admired each one while sipping hot chocolate and apple cider. The boys loved the travel agent's tree decorated with sun glasses and beach balls!
All whimsy and wonder aside, the Christmas tree is a beautiful symbol for Christ's love for each of us. Strong, constant, and pointing toward heaven. Jelly Fish labs produced a short video, The History of the Christmas Tree, that explains some of that symbolism.
Service Activities
String popcorn to decorate a tree outside. Watch from a window to see who comes to enjoy the snack.
Snacks
Decorate ice cream cone Christmas trees with green frosting and colorful candies.
Songs
5 Little Christmas Trees
The Littlest Christmas Tree
Books
Jesus, Me, and My Christmas Tree, by Crystal Bowman
The Pine Tree Parable, by Lizz Curtis Higgs
The Tale of Three Trees, by Catherine McCafferty
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