Christmas-schooling Plans for 2020

Merriam-Webster's word of the year for 2020 is, of course, pandemic. Shocking, I know. The thought of being stuck at home for the tenth month in a row because of that particular word, and during the Christmas season, no less, has wrapped my holiday plans in monochromatic colors. Not to mention the fact that the nation is still shrouded in a blanket of political unrest.

Everything feels a bit hollow and limp. Not unlike that very first Christmas, I suppose.

The truth is, Jesus came at a politically hostile time too. The Jewish people were all infected with a quiet rebellion and doubt. Outwardly, they were waiting expectantly for the promised Messiah, but inwardly, they were not ready to recognize Him when He arrived. Despondency was a rapidly-spreading virus. 

No one but a handful of lowly shepherds came to welcome Emmanuel--God With Us--that day. Kneeling beside the manger, their eyes fell on the very Cure for the sin-sick world.

May we too point our gaze at the manger this Christmas. May we not allow apathy to infect our hearts or the hearts of our kids in the coming weeks. May we be ever watchful for the arrival of Christ in our days despite the inconvenience of being isolated at home.

I'm hoping that the following plans will help me and mine welcome the King with shepherd-like enthusiasm, expectancy, and awe.

Morning Time Plans

In addition to our regular morning time resources, I will be incorporating the following into the first few minutes of our day:

The Book of Luke-  Since there are exactly 24 chapters in the book of Luke and 24 days until Christmas, we will read one chapter a day from an NIrV children's Bible to set our hearts and minds on Jesus--not just His birth, but also His life. We'll read Luke in lieu of our regular "loop" reading.

Vintage Christmas Carol songbooks- We own several vintage Christmas carol books that I've picked up at garage sales over the years. And as always, we'll replace our normal hymns-of-the-month with a few of these Christmas classics.

Countdown to Christmas with a Nativity Scene- At the close of Morning Time, each of the kids will unwrap one of our heirloom Nativity pieces and place them all in certain designated spots around the house.

Magnetic Nativity Set- Each day, one of my kids will put up a piece of this magnetic Nativity set. The pieces are numbered on the back, allowing us to add one character to the scene each day in reverse order of importance to the story, ending with Baby Jesus on December 25.

Read Alouds

The Last Holiday Concert- This is a sequel to Frindle which we read last year and really enjoyed. 

When the school's choir director gets fed up with all the in-class disruptions and chooses not to produce the annual Christmas concert, the sixth-grade class decides to organize it themselves. As can be expected, mayhem and chaos ensue. No matter what happens, though, the show must go on! 

In addition, we will continue our Countdown to Christmas with Books tradition that we've enjoyed for the past 15 years, incorporating picture books that tell the true story of the Nativity (not the fabricated versions peddled by so many children's book publishers) as well as living books that recount memorable Christmases of the past.

Advent Countdown with the Names of Jesus- We'll end dinner each night by unwrapping one of our Christmas names of Jesus ornaments, reading the corresponding Scripture passage, and hanging the ornament on the tree.

Advent Activities

As always, we'll do one family fun activity together each day as dictated by our family Advent calendar. My kids have never really enjoyed doing seasonal crafts. So instead, when making my list of ideas, I always try to include games, service projects, local events, and get-togethers. 

Unfortunately, state and local mandates have made many of our traditions and treasured activities impossible to do this year. No matter. Covid can't stop our Christmas! Here's a list of what we'll be doing as we countdown the days until the 25th.

1. Put on our Christmas pillowcases. (I made these for each of my kids for their first Christmas and they've been using them every December since graduating out of a crib.)
2. Start a Christmas puzzle. (This will sit out on a card table during the season so that we can all continue to work on it until the New Year.)
3. Make large paper snowflakes. (We might try this one.)
4. Play Christmas charades.
5. Serve a meal at the soup kitchen.
6. Bake Christmas cookies. (Each of my kids will bake one kind of cookie with me, giving them some one-on-one time with mom.)
7. Play Christmas Character Guess Who at dinner.
8. Visit a local drive-through light display.
9. Play Snowman bingo.
10. Pick a gift for Jesus. 
11. Play Christmas Pictionary.
12. Shop for our secret siblings.
13. Deliver Christmas cookies to the neighbors.
14. Wrap our secret sibling gifts.
15. Make cinnamon ornaments using this recipe.
16. Make homemade snow cones. 
17. Go sledding.
18. Play the Christmas cookie Right-to-Left game.
19. Have a Christmas-themed photo scavenger hunt.
20. Make Christmas trees for the animals outside. (We'll paint peanut butter onto sugar icecream cones, sprinkle them with nuts and birdseed, and place them around the yard for the wildlife.)
21. Drive around looking at Christmas lights in our neighborhood.
22. Play Dreidel. (I'm part Jewish by birth.)
23. Play I Spy Ornament.
24. Have appetizers for dinner with sparkling juice. 

While a worldwide pandemic has forced Christmas 2020 to look and feel a lot different than Christmases past, we're determined to quiet our hearts and look with wide-eyed wonder at a Baby whose birth, life, and later death will one day bring an end to all the hurt, pain, and disease of this world.  

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