A Simple Way to Get Children to Serve More This Christmas #LIGHTtheWORLD

This elementary addition to your home during the Christmas season will become your children excited to serve each other and others. #LIGHTtheWORLD

Merry Christmas!

Information technology is officially my favorite time of the year! I absolutely beloved the magic of Christmas, especially since I get to share information technology with our four children.

Only, it too feels far likewise like shooting fish in a barrel to lose the existent magic of Christmas in all the focus on Santa and gifts. Add the usual day-to-solar day chaos and sibling fighting and the magic an disappear completely. Santa is fun, just I want my children to focus more on the truthful significant of Christmas. This little manger and baby Jesus are one of the very all-time ways I know to do that daily.

Luckily, I grew up with a tradition that is perfect for constantly reminding all of u.s.a. of the true meaning of Christmas. And, as an added bonus it gets the kids excited to serve each other and others and even helps cut downwards on the fighting.

It's practically magic all by itself and I'm excited to share it with yous!

To starting time this tradition in your home you'll need:

• A wooden manger big enough for a doll. My dad made this simple 1 for me and I love that information technology folds flat to store with our Christmas decor. You tin can make one like it using the instructions listed Here. Or, you can even buy a elementary one on Amazon correct HERE.
• Straw or natural raffia. You tin use real straw, but I've been reusing the same agglomeration of raffia for years and it still works great. You lot can buy a bunch of raffia for around $5 at a arts and crafts store or on Amazon right HERE. Just make sure you cut the straw or raffia into smaller pieces. Each slice of ours is effectually 6 inches long.
• A doll for Infant Jesus. My mom fifty-fifty made ours some swaddling clothes, just that is optional. 🙂

At the kickoff of the Christmas flavor we pull out our decorations and our manger gets a place correct by the tree. Simply, we don't add the "straw" immediately. The baby Jesus doll is wrapped in his swaddling dress and laying right on the hard bottom of the manger.

Then, every bit Christmas gets closer, we piece of work as a family unit to create a soft bed for the babe. When any i of us does a service for someone else he/she gets to add one piece of straw to the manger. Slowly, service past service, the manger fills with soft straw. Our goal is always to use every slice of raffia (i.eastward. "straw") from the bag earlier Christmas Eve.

Nosotros exercise a few bigger service projects every bit a family and we encourage the kids to expect for ways to serve in our neighborhood and at schoolhouse, simply most of the straw is earned through simple services they do for each other at home. They make each other's beds, put toothpaste on anybody'south toothbrushes earlier bedtime, or help with the dishes later on dinner. They are excitedly looking for means to serve all day and it brings the almost amazing spirit into our home.

Focusing on service for the month makes anybody happier, lessens the amount of fighting between the kids and constantly reminds us of the real reason for the flavor. Similar I said, it'south magic.

New Service Ideas

This year nosotros are adding new ways to serve equally a family past following the #LIGHTtheWORLD calendar released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Each day of December we volition be working to serve like the Savior did while he was on World.

Starting with a Worldwide Twenty-four hour period of Service on December 1st, in that location is a theme and some ideas for ways to serve everyday until Christmas. You lot tin spotter the full video and get the complete 25 day calendar correct HERE on Mormon.org.

Yous are definitley invited to join us in trying to serve more this Christmas. If y'all give the manger a attempt, I promise works as magically for your family every bit it has for ours.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas season total of lots of light!

xoxo, Tiffany

smithlimsere1993.blogspot.com

Source: http://blog.feelgreatin8.com/a-simple-way-to-get-children-to-serve-more-this-christmas-lighttheworld/

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