What’s in the Sacks?

First impressions can make quite an impact.  When introducing the Jesse Tree, we wanted our children to LOVE it, and want to do more.   

Most nights we cuddle up on the couch in our jammies, turn the Christmas tree lights on, and listen to Daddy read the story.  On special nights, we might add hot chocolate to the mix.

A few years ago, I decided to do something different.  I wanted to create an element of surprise each day so I put our ornaments in a brown paper sack and let the kids open a bag a day leading up to Christmas.

You would have thought Christmas had come every. single. day.  My kids loved it.

This picture here is the most pinned item we have on Pinterest for the Jesse Tree.  

Which absolutely baffles me.  This was a last minute, look around the house–what do I have? sort of moment.  In fact, I’m pretty sure I saw something else on Pinterest that inspired me.

I think this just goes to show that most of we moms are not looking to win the “craft of the year” award but we are wanting something simple, easy, cost effective, and fun!

And I think it also goes to show that our kids do not care either.  They are happy with so little.

But as a result of posting this a few years ago, I now often get asked a most thought-provoking question–

What’s in the sacks?  

December is already a busy time, I know each of us are hoping we can just get the Jesse Tree story in each day!  So I knew I needed to make the sack fillers simple and do-able.  

I usually add items to the bag the night before so I am able to look ahead just a day and think, “What can we hope to accomplish tomorrow?”  (And we all know that our plans are at the mercy of Him, and our children anyway!)

Here is a list of ideas we have used over the years.

Ideas for filling up your “countdown” bags:

photo courtesy of craftedsparrow

1.  Write down your own daily activities.  It can be anything–make Christmas cookies, go caroling, sign Christmas cards, do a random act of kindness, watch a Christmas movie, you get the idea!   Love this list from Light ‘Em Up!

2.  Candy or other special treat.

3.  Stickers or other small Christmas trinkets

4.  Nativity pieces to build a nativity set.  Here’s a free printable set your kids can color.

5.  Coloring sheets or coloring ornaments from Ann Voskamp’s Unwrapping the Greatest Gift set.  (I so love these!)

6.  The necessary items to do an activity to go along with the Jesse Tree story (Example-pretzels, marshmallows, and m&m’s to build the altar for Elijah and the Big Fire).  You could even throw in a bag of popcorn or hot chocolate and surprise them with a snack while you are reading the story.  I’m planning on putting in some Lego’s a few days so my son can build.

 7.  Christmas cards…As you start to receive Christmas cards with pictures of people your family loves, why not throw one in every once in a while and pray for that family or friend on the card?

Children love a surprise.  They love to anticipate a fun event.  What’s worth anticipating more than the birth of our Savior?

 No matter how you reveal your ornaments…whether it’s as a gift to open, or simply hanging the ornament on the tree–children imitate what they see us doing.

So are you excited?  Are you anticipating the countdown of God’s love story for your children?  His love story for you? 

{There is still time to join us this year!  It’s not too late to purchase you ebook, print out your printable ornaments, and jump on in with us!}