Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Giving Tuesday





Did you know some of the thrift stores give out vouchers to families in need to pick out gifts in their store for free?

If you can't afford to make a monetary donation this Giving Tuesday, we all have good quality stuff we can donate to charitable thrift stores.  These donations might become Christmas gifts for struggling families and others in need.

Don't forget to check and make sure you are donating to non profit thrift stores where all the proceeds go to charity.

If you keep stuff you aren't using and don't need, you are denying someone that item who could really use it.  Ask yourself if you've worn that outfit or used that item in the last six months, if not it's time to go.  Decluttering is also very therapeutic to your well-being and health.

For other family friendly volunteer ideas from our blog click below:
Volunteer Ideas

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Letters to Jesus

One year I was teaching a church youth group around 8 years of age. 
The girls in my group kept talking about writing Santa Claus letters, and what Santa was going to bring them.  Being a church activity, we talked about Santa but how Christmas is really about Christ.  So, the next activity I put together a lesson on the true meaning of Christmas.
Part of the lesson included writing letters to Jesus.

I gave each girl an envelope and a blank piece of card-stock.

I told them Christmas was about the birth of Christ and how special that was.  We talked about some of the important things Christ did for us, and why it was important for him to be born.  I let the kids fill in the reasons, but helped them out when they got stuck.

I told them instead of writing letters to Santa, we were going to write letters to Jesus Christ.

These letters might include:
A thank you, or appreciation for the things Christ has done for us.
A Birthday Message
What Christmas Means to the Child
A Drawing of Christmas
A Testimony of Christ

Here are a few my girls did when they were ages 3-8, with some details kept private.












I told the girls to seal the envelope and leave it on their Christmas tree.
I didn't make them show me their cards, because their individual testimony of Christ is theirs.  Some girls were excited to show off their cards and some wanted to keep what they wrote private.

Would be fun to collect a new letter every year and read them when the kids are older.





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