Nativity Season Resources for Families

The Nativity Fast – and the glorious Feast of the Nativity of our Lord – is approaching. Now is the time to make a plan to prepare your own heart, and the hearts of each member of our family, to welcome Our Lord at His Nativity. In the modern world, often there is much hustle and bustle associated with “The Christmas Season.” If you have a plan in place before Nativity Lent even begins, you will have the opportunity to decide what is your family’s priority, and which things do not have to happen.

Before this Nativity season even begins, make your plan. Consider watching each of the 6 short video clips found in the Center for Family Care’s “Potholes On the Way to Bethlehem” series. The series offers a handful of questions related to each video clip, that parents can discuss together – and with other parents, if possible. The series can help you focus on what is truly important during the Nativity season. Find the free series here: https://orthodoxmarketplace.com/potholes-on-the-way-to-bethlehem-navigating-the-stress-of-the-nativity-season-a-small-group-guide/.

Throughout the Nativity Fast, look for opportunities to be still together as a family, so that the importance of our Lord’s coming is not drowned out by the cacophony of activity. Here are some suggestions of choices that your family can make toward the end of stillness and focus. These are shared in no particular order:

1. Study the Nativity icon together. There’s a young-child focused lesson about this icon, complete with simplified explanations, at https://orthodoxpebbles.com/a-nativity-lesson/. Older children and adults will benefit from the more in-depth explanation of the icon, such as the one found here https://iconreader.wordpress.com/2010/12/24/the-nativity-icon/  or here: https://antiochianprodsa.blob.core.windows.net/websiteattachments/Nativity%20Icon%20-%20FR%20Kfouf.pdf. After your initial study, return to the icon weekly (or even daily). Be still before it and think about what is happening as Christ becomes incarnate in our midst. Each time you see it, it will mean more to you because you have spent time with it.
2. Set aside quiet moments to be still together and create beautiful things. Slowing down enough to create can be very helpful to family members who have a love for/need to create. (That said, if creating/crafting stresses your whole family, then do not do it!)

• Utilize one (or more) of the black and white printable icons for that nativity season available here, in creations of your own (How about making them into stained glass windows? Cards? Framed art? Or print miniature versions and make Christmas ornaments with them?) http://orthodoxeducation.blogspot.com/2011/12/orthodox-christmas-coloring-pages.html. On that site, you will also find interesting notes that your family can discuss as you look at or color these line art icons. 
• Work together to create some framed Nativity icon ornaments. These would make great gifts for Church school teachers, friends, godparents, etc.: http://orthodoxeducation.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-orthodox-craft-ornaments.html. 
• These paper Nativity scenes are fun for children to assemble, and play with, as well: https://madebyjoel.com/2013/12/travel-size-paper-city-nativity-scene.html

Paper City Nativity Scene (Joyfully Expanded!)

• Younger children may enjoy creating this Nativity-themed “stained glass” decoration: https://meaningfulmama.com/stained-glass-nativity-craft-for-kids.html 
• Older children and adults may prefer to create a beautiful decoration with card stock and a craft knife/scissors, using this free pattern: https://liagriffith.com/papercut-nativity-scene-freebie/ 

3. Have a daily Nativity reading/discussion time together. There are multiple options for this, including:

• Color your way through your Nativity Fast with this book: https://www.amazon.com/Color-Your-Through-Nativity-Fast/dp/1698389531 
• Read through a “Jesse Tree” project, such as this version created by two Orthodox moms. It compiles 40 scripture readings (including sketches to go with each), to help families prepare for the Nativity. https://orthodoxjessetree.wordpress.com/about/ 
• Walk through the Old Testament, and into the New, in this book, which contains a short reading for each day of the Nativity Fast. Many families find it comforting to read through this book every Nativity Lent, thus preparing their hearts for Christ’s coming: https://sebastianpress.org/elissa-bjeletich-welcoming-the-christ-child-book-only/. The book is also available with a daily ornament that can be hung on a bannister, tree, or as part of a wall display: https://sebastianpress.org/welcoming-the-christ-child-book-ornament-gift-set/ 
• If you have older children, take in this series of weekly studies, to keep your focus on Christ throughout the Nativity Fast: https://stgeorgegreenville.org/our-faith/advent 

4. If there are young children and/or visual learners in your family, consider finding a physical way to keep track of the Nativity Fast. Having a concrete way to track each day of the fasting period makes it more real for such individuals, helping them to better understand where they are in the season. There are many ways to do this. 

• One option is this beautiful pocket calendar: https://www.etsy.com/listing/720770322/40-day-advent-calendar-sew-it-yourself (This calendar comes with a star that can be moved from pocket to pocket as the days pass. However, the pockets can also hold the Welcoming the Christ Child ornaments listed above, or these countdown cards: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1311227825/40-day-advent-countdown-cards )
• Another option is a spiral candle holder such as one of these. Move a candle along the spiral, one step closer to the center, each day during a family prayer and/or study time, with this one: https://www.treasuresfromjennifer.com/products/wooden-spiral-candle-holder-for-birthdays-advent-and-lent-waldorf-birthday-ring; or move a candle as well as a wooden silhouette of Mary on a donkey along the trail towards the middle “Bethlehem” with this one: https://thekeepingcompany.com/products/cradle-to-cross-wreath-cherry  (This version of the spiral calendar also comes with a silhouette of Christ and the Cross, so that you can use it again to mark the days during Great Lent.)

5. There are so many wonderful services added to the Church calendar during the Nativity Fast. Regardless of whether or not you do any of the other above-suggested ideas for stillness and focus, be sure to attend as many services as you are able. Just before the Feast of the Nativity, try to be part of the beautiful Royal Hours service. This service calms and prepares the hearts of all who attend it, focusing them on what is about to take place. Children may enjoy marking the passage of each “hour” of this service with this page: http://manymercies.blogspot.com/2021/12/royal-hours-of-nativity-coloring-page.html 

When the Feast of the Nativity arrives, celebrate it together with much joy! Since our Orthodox celebration of the Nativity extends for 12 days, do not stop celebrating when Christmas day passes. Rather, find ways to continue the celebration, in order to properly observe the Feast. If your family does not yet have any “12 days of Christmas” traditions, you may wish to consider the variety of ideas found in Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Family Devotional in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition, by AmandaEve Wigglesworth. This book offers celebratory suggestions each day, paired with a short devotional for your family to read and discuss together. Each meditation contains information about the feast or saint being commemorated that day; a related kontakion or troparion; and a short explanation of the Christian meanings behind both the number of that day of Christmas and the gift offered (in the “12 Days of Christmas” song) on that day. Each day there is also a suggested related activity to do together as a family. Activities vary from Christmas caroling to making thank-you cards to crafts (ie: making a St. Genevieve’s luminaria and coloring a “stained glass” icon) to baking vasilopita (recipe included) to cleaning your house together in preparation for your house blessing. This book can be an excellent resource for one year’s celebration of the “12 Days”, or it could become the guide for your family’s annual “12 day” traditions. Find more information about the book, including sample pages, here: https://store.ancientfaith.com/celebrating-the-twelve-days-of-christmas/ 

Taking a little time now, before the Nativity Fast even begins, to organize your thoughts, plans, and schedule can really help the whole season to be filled with peace. You know your family best and what they need. So, your plan may include some of the above suggestions, or it may not! Regardless, having and implementing a plan that works for your family can help all of you to focus on the reason for this beautiful season. What joy will fill your hearts as you take twelve days to celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord, when those hearts have been stilled and focused on His coming throughout the weeks leading up to His birth. 

May you and your family have a blessed Nativity Fast, as you prepare for the incarnation of Our Lord!

On the Feast of the Nativity (Dec. 25/Jan. 7)

On December 25/January 7 every year, we celebrate the Nativity of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ. This day is an important one for humankind. For on this day the eternal God, who had deigned to take on human flesh in order to save us from the power of Death, is born into time and space. On this day we celebrate His birth to the Theotokos in a cave. We recognize Joseph’s obedience to God’s messengers in the midst of doubt. We remember the shepherds who were the first to know the Good News of His birth when the Angels of God announced it to them. Thus, “the least of these” were granted great mercy. We remember the Magi whose love for and intense study of creation revealed the Good News to them in a manner so convincing that they acted on it and traveled to a foreign land to pay homage to a King they’d never even heard of before. In them, “the wealthy” and “the foreigners” were granted great mercy as well. We recall how nature (for example, the star and the animals in the cave) proclaimed and honored His birth. We observe that Life can come from the depths of the earth, for in a cave our Lord was born, and again later, in a cave, humanity is born into life eternal when He conquers Death and rises from the dead.

It is likely that our children are already familiar with the story of this feast. Let us teach them where to find it in the Scriptures, in Luke chapter 2. As we read this passage aloud together, we find opportunities to discuss the things mentioned above. We can also take a look at the icon of the feast as we read. We can challenge our children to identify different parts of the scripture passage as they are found in the icon. We can talk with our children about the feast and its importance. Once we have established the importance of the day, we should take some time to discuss what we will do on the day of the feast, and together agree on how we can have our actions focus on celebrating the feast itself, not just bending to societal trends and expectations. This can be difficult, especially if we have established so many other Christmas lower-case-t-traditions in our family. Even a little step towards celebrating the feast is a step in the right direction, and will be worth the effort!

The feast will be upon us soon. Let us prepare and celebrate as we should. Blessed Nativity to you and your family!

Here are some ideas of ways to learn together about the Nativity Feast:

 

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Find descriptions of the icon of the Nativity at these links:
Click on parts of the icon  to read about them here: http://www.antiochian.org/icons-explained-nativity

See the icon and descriptions about each part of it here: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/70/62/e2/7062e21a4c0a4cc5358ffe18586bf7fb.jpg

You may wish to create some Nativity icon ornaments to use at home or give as gifts. Here is one idea of a way to do so: http://orthodoxeducation.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-orthodox-craft-ornaments.html

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Does your family have a Christmas tree? Have you talked together about how some of its symbolisms can point us to the true meaning of the Nativity Feast? In the feast’s pages in the book “Heaven Meets Earth,” there is a section dedicated to the many symbols of the Christmas tree. For example, “God’s light, symbolized by the lights sparkling all around the tree, reaches into the deepest, darkest crevices of our being.” (p. 20) If your family enjoys simple crafts, consider making paper Christmas trees. To make one, first accordian-fold a large green paper circle to make a “tree” shape. Then decorate it with markers, tiny paper icon “ornaments,” etc. Add two star stickers (back to back) at the top of the “tree.” Use a hole punch to punch holes from the fold side of each of the accordian folds of the tree. Set the tree over an led votive (many dollar stores sell them two to a pack) so that the tree can “light up.” When your tree(s) are finished, review again the symbolisms mentioned in the book, looking for each on your paper tree and your Christmas tree (if you have one).

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Keeping our focus (and our children’s focus) on Christ during the Nativity “season” is not always easy in today’s world. Find resources to help in this blog post: https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2015/12/16/ideas-for-keeping-our-focus-on-the-nativity-of-christ/

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“Each Christmas we need to ask ourselves and our families what we should get Christ. It is His birthday after all.” ~ Melissa Tsongranis, in her article “What Shall We Offer?”, which pushes us to continue to think about how to keep Christ as the focus of our Nativity celebration. http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/family/articles/offering

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Find pins to many Nativity ideas here: https://www.pinterest.com/aodce/nativity/

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This zine can help us teach our children ages 12 and up about the Nativity of our Lord. http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/zines/nativityzine. There is a free parent guide featuring suggested ways to use it with children of different age levels; ideas for celebrating the twelve days of Christmas; and information about Christmas celebrations around the world, as well! http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/christmas_guide (You can also get a teachers’ guide to use with the zine, with these objectives: http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/resources/midhightextobjectives#For to Us)

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With older children, we can take time before the Nativity Feast’s vesperal service/Royal Hours to discuss the verses we will hear and/or chant. For example this one:

“O Christ what shall we offer You;
for our sake You appeared on earth as man?
Every creature made by You offers thanks to You.
The angels offer You a hymn; the heavens, a star;
the Magi, gifts; the shepherds, their wonder;
the earth, its cave; the wilderness, the manger:
and we offer You a Virgin Mother.
O pre-eternal God, have mercy on us.”

Find the rest of the vesperal service here: http://lit.royaldoors.net/. Watch your children during the service, to see their faces light up in  recognition when this verse that you have discussed is chanted in the service!

Ideas for Keeping Our Focus on the Nativity of Christ

We are now well into/nearing the end of the Nativity Fast. Very soon we will be celebrating the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord. In the cultural “hustle and bustle” of Christmas, it is easy for us to be overcome by busyness and we can lose sight of what we are celebrating: the coming of Christ to earth, God incarnate! Let us find ways to focus on that, and prepare to celebrate it with great joy! Here are a few ideas that will help us to keep the Nativity of Christ at the forefront of our celebration.

 

Educational ideas:
This printable pdf (free for personal use) is full of Nativity-themed coloring pages and practice words for young children to read and write: http://www.mamaslearningcorner.com/nativity-coloring-pages/

For those who love to color, print these 24 coloring pictures with quotes from the gospels, that work together to tell the story of the Nativity: http://www.dltk-bible.com/advent/index.htm

Find other Nativity-themed coloring pages here: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/nativity-colouring-pages

Find action rhymes and finger plays related to the Nativity (among others) here: http://www.theholidayzone.com/christmas/action.html

Find a Nativity-themed word search geared at upper elementary students here: http://www.theholidayzone.com/christmas/puzzles/The_First_Christmas.html

Older children and adults will enjoy reading and pondering the poems in this collection which are Nativity themed: http://www.theholidayzone.com/christmas/christmas-poetry.html

Print this Nativity-themed word scramble: http://www.theholidayzone.com/christmas/puzzles/One_Night_In_Bethlehem.pdf

 

Play ideas:

Make these simple popsicle stick puppets for young children to use in their play: http://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com/2011/03/play-friendly-nativity.html

Print this charming Nativity set on cardstock for your children to color, cut, and play with: http://madebyjoel.com/2012/12/paper-city-nativity-scene.html. Or, if you prefer, this one: http://media.focusonthefamily.com/clubhouse/pdf/MyNativity.pdf

Going out to eat? Print and cut this tiny Nativity set, tuck it into an empty mints tin, grab a few crayons or colored pencils, and surprise your children with something to do that reminds them of Christ, while they wait for the meal to come: http://madebyjoel.com/2013/12/travel-size-paper-city-nativity-scene.html

Challenge your lego builders to make this basic Nativity set: a stable with star, Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, manger, shepherd, and sheep:  http://frugalfun4boys.com/2015/11/16/lego-nativity-set-instructions/

They could also make this tiny Nativity (“Project #4”) found here: http://frugalfun4boys.com/2014/12/05/lego-christmas-projects-instructions/

Create a basic wooden Nativity that will be played with and cherished for years to come: http://little-inspirations.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/wooden-doll-nativity.html

 

12 Days of Christmas Celebration Ideas:

Consider reading together the devotional book “Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas: a Family Devotional in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition”  by Wigglesworth. Read about it here: ”https://orthodoxchristianparenting.wordpress.com/2014/12/24/gleanings-from-a-book-celebrating-the-twelve-days-of-christmas-a-family-devotional-in-the-eastern-orthodox-tradition-by-amandaeve-wigglesworth/

Older children and adults can study these sermons/quotes/writings, discuss, and learn from them together: http://www.antiochian.org/nativity/great-feast

Listen to Fr. Andrew George (Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Cranston, RI) as he talks about how Orthodox Christians should be preparing for Christmas and then celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas: http://myocn.net/12-days-christmas/ (about 25 minutes)

Find several brief articles offering great ideas and encouragement for Orthodox families and teachers on ways to prepare for the Nativity with children: http://www.goarch.org/special/advent/pfn_nativity_articles.pdf

Gather more ideas from this blog post: http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/family/articles/offering

 

To Celebrate Picture Book Month With Books About Thankfulness

Did you know that November is International Picture Book Month? It’s the month of the year when people of all ages are encouraged to enjoy carefully worded writing paired with beautiful illustrations. For those of us living in the United States, November is also the time when we focus on Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving season is a welcome change from the norm, offering a break from school and perhaps also from work. Let us consider spending some of this extra family time in reading together. Many happy memories can be built during family read-aloud times, so why not add to the fun of Thanksgiving memories by reading and discussing some related picture books?

There are a plethora of books available today that are appropriate reads for the Thanksgiving season. We will offer a few here, in no particular order, for your perusal. Children of all ages (even adults!) will enjoy these books. While they don’t take long to read, they are thought provoking and can offer many opportunities for discussion!

For more on Picture Book Month, see http://picturebookmonth.com/.

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Thankful by Eileen Spinelli is a rollicking rhyme about all kinds of people, each thankful for something that makes their work or their life more enjoyable. Illustrator Archie Preston adds a heartwarming and playful twist in his illustrations. The pictures show a family whose children dress up as those “all kinds of people,” playing their roles, and interacting with each other in ways that will make readers of all ages smile. Watch the trailer for the book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXLhjE9J-EU. You can buy the book here: http://www.zondervan.com/thankful. Discussion: Ask each person to share one thing that they are thankful for. Challenge: Together think of how Archie Preston would illustrate what you have just said. How would he show what each person is thankful for? How would he tie them together in the illustrations?

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The Secret of Saying Thanks by Douglas Wood follows a young girl through her day, as she savors the beauty of nature around her. Greg Shed’s gentle gouache illustrations reflect that beauty so that the reader can see it for themselves. Throughout the book, the young girl is looking for something secret. Along the way, she offers words of gratitude for the loveliness around her. In the end, she realizes the secret she had been seeking is this: “The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.” You can buy the book here:http://books.simonandschuster.com/Secret-of-Saying-Thanks/Douglas-Wood/9780689854101. Discussion: Ask each person to think back through this day and share one thing of beauty which they saw, for which they are thankful. Then take time to actually thank God for all of that beauty! Challenge: Take a look at the Akathist of Thanksgiving (http://www.stnicholasdc.org/files/Prayers/Akathist-of-Thanksgiving.pdf), and talk about how it compares to this book! If time allows, pray the Akathist of Thanksgiving together, giving Glory to God for all things!

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Thank you, God, by J. Bradley Wigger, is a prayer that thanks God for everything. Jago’s illustrations, created in digital paint with photographic textures, add a deep richness to the book. Watch the trailer and/or buy this book here: http://www.eerdmans.com/Products/5424/thank-you-god.aspx Discussion: After reading the book, ask, “If you were the author, what would you add to this book?” Then page through the book again and take turns adding more things that could have been mentioned on each page. Challenge: Work together to write and illustrate your own “Thank You, God” prayer. (You could even make it into a book!)

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Bear Says Thanks, by Karma Wilson, is a charming poem-story about a bear who wants to throw a dinner for his friends to show his gratitude for their friendship. Unfortunately, as he prepares to do so, the bear discovers that he has no food left in his house! The friends come over anyway, each bringing food to share, and they assure the bear that his stories are his contribution to the gathering. Jane Chapman’s charming acrylic illustrations make the story infinitely more adorable and sweet! Purchase the book here: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Bear-Says-Thanks/Karma-Wilson/The-Bear-Books/9781416958567. Find a free reproducible pdf (geared to 1st or 2nd graders) with activities related to the book here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bear-Says-Thanks-A-FREE-Mini-Unit-1546522. Discuss: Talk together about the book. Bear felt like he didn’t deserve to be part of the party, since he didn’t have any food to contribute. Talk about times when anyone in your family has felt inadequate or like their contribution was lacking. How did it end up? Talk about how bear’s friends saw the value in his stories, and considered the stories to be his contribution to the gathering. Challenge: Encourage each other to be sensitive to others’ feelings of inadequacy, and find ways to affirm their strengths! You could begin by creating a “Thank you beary much” card to give to someone you appreciate, as suggested here: http://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/tagged_assets/13330_40818%20cheer%20on%20reading%20activities_bearsaysthanks.pdf.

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Giving Thanks, by Jonathan London, follows a boy and his dad through their day’s walk in the woods. Throughout the book, the father notices and thanks the beautiful items in nature (because he believes that all things in nature are a gift) for being and for sharing their beauty with him. The boy confesses that he feels a little embarrassed by the fact that his father is thanking everything, but his father tells him how much better he feels when he is thankful, and in the end, the boy thanks the stars as they appear in the night sky. Gregory Manchess’ oil paintings are right for this book, a charming combination of generalities in the illustrations with just the right touch of details. Purchase the book here: http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=Title&mode=book&isbn=0763655945&pix=n. Discuss: Talk about the idea of thanking things in nature. What do you think about that? Is there Anyone else Who we should thank for creating those natural things? Challenge: Go for a hike together, and, like the boy and his dad, practice noticing the detailed beauty of the world around you. Stop at points along the way to listen and look, talk about what you hear/see, and then take a moment to give thanks for it!

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My Book of Thanks by Hennessy offers thanks to God for something different on every page; and asks God for help with regard to that thing/person. For example, “Thank you for the earth. Help me to take care of it for you.” Hiroe Nakata’s playful watercolor-and-ink illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to the powerfully concise words of the prayer. (Note: the book is no longer available from publisher Candlewick Press, but can still be found from various online distributors.) Discuss: Talk about the prayer as it is written in the book. Why do you think the author included a prayer for help after each thanksgiving? Is that important? Why or why not? Challenge: Make a personalized extender to the book! Take time to each write down one “thank you” that you would add to this prayer. Remember to also include a related prayer for help! If you own the book, keep the extender page(s) in the book for future readings.

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Giving Thanks: Poems, Prayers, and Praise Songs of Thanksgiving edited by Katherine Paterson is a book full of just that! The poems, prayers, and songs from many different cultures and beliefs offer food for thought for an older audience. The book is divided into themed collections, and each collection begins with a personal reflection written as only Katherine Paterson can write, straight from the heart. Pamela Dalton’s detailed scherenschnitte (detailed cut-paper) and watercolor illustrations are mesmerizing, and provide an appropriate backdrop for each page of the book. Buy the book here: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/giving-thanks.html. Discuss: Paterson’s reflections in and of themselves offer good discussion starters! As you read each section, discuss her thoughts before you dive into the selections in the section. Since each prayer/poem/song is from a different part of the world, discuss the thought behind it. Make connections to our Orthodox beliefs: how is this thought similar/different? How do you suppose the people who first prayed/sang this arrived at these words? Challenge: Have each member of the family find and share their favorite selection from the book, and explain why they like it so much. For an added challenge: Learn more about scherenschnitte (see Dalton’s explanation of her work on another book at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wfyIQFYaao) and/or check out Dalton’s website at http://www.pameladaltonpapercutting.com/. Create your own piece of scherenschnitte art, then copy your favorite selection from Giving Thanks onto your work!

On Preparing Our Hearts, Anticipating the Birth of Christ Each Day of the Nativity Fast

Despite the fact that it is early November, some stores and public places have already begun decorating for Christmas and are playing Christmas music. To some, it may seem too early for that to be happening. But think about it: as Orthodox Christians, we will soon begin our own preparations for the birth of Christ. It is nearly time for the Nativity Fast. Like our secular world, we are anticipating the birth of Christ, although in a different way.

Every day of the Nativity Fast offers us the opportunity to be still and prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ into our midst. One way that we can do so is by feasting our minds on the scriptures. This is an especially good time for us to study the scriptures that foretell Christ’s coming and/or describe the events and people surrounding His birth. This studying can easily be done together as a family, throughout the Nativity Fast, and all the way to Christ’s birth!

There are several ways to submerge ourselves in the scriptures during the Nativity Fast. Two of these include the use of a “Jesse Tree” and an (Orthodox) Advent calendar. Of course, there are many other ways to do so as well, but we will look at these two because they are great to do with children.

1. The Jesse Tree: Set up a tree (or a large wreath, or a swag down the bannister, or a ribbon strung across a wall) just before the fast begins, and then hang one ornament on it each day throughout the season. Each ornament will depict a person or an event that is the focus for that day’s meditation. While creating and/or hanging the ornament, read and discuss the scripture associated with it.

2. The Advent Calendar: Before the Nativity Fast begins, set up a collection of numbered containers (envelopes, painted jars. lidded boxes, etc.), one for each day. Inside each container, place an item (or a picture, or even just a reading for the day) that will guide a brief discussion on a topic related to the Nativity. During the Fast, together open the container of the day, read about its contents, and talk about how it relates to the coming of Christ.

For future years, consider gathering with a group of friends to do an exchange! Divide up the 40 days’ (52, if you include the 12 days of Christmas) worth of ornaments or items evenly between all of you in the group. Before the exchange, each group member will make an ornament for each of their allotted days for each member of the group (so, if you have 8 members in a Jesse Tree exchange group, each member of the group would make 8 copies of an ornament for each of the 5 days’ ornaments they’ve been assigned). At some point before the Nativity Fast begins, get together and have a festive exchange. If you can’t physically meet, you could mail the ornaments to each other for the exchange. If you cannot find enough others who are interested in participating in an exchange like this, keep your eye out online for groups you could join. (For example, in the summer/fall of 2015, there was a Facebook group called “Festal Celebrations” which collaborated on a Jesse Tree ornament exchange.)

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Need a place to start? Here are several options to help you get going:

Find a set of reproducible pictures for your Jesse Tree here. These can be copied, and then children can color them and paste them onto a cardstock ornament shape while someone reads the related text (if you don’t have time to make the ornaments in advance). They could also be reproduced onto shrinking plastic to make longer-lasting ornaments. Download the pictures here: https://festalcelebrations.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/another-twist-to-our-jesse-tree-project/. The extensive readings to go with these ornaments can be found here: https://festalcelebrations.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/festaljessetreeadditonaldays1-52pdf.pdf.

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This version of the Jesse Tree text/ornament ideas extends the celebration to the 12 days of Christmas!

http://www.antiochian.org/content/advent-reading-jesse-tree

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This Jesse Tree version (from http://www.charmingthebirdsfromthetrees.com/2010/11/tree-of-jesse-for-little-ones.html) offers the scripture passages, reproducible pictures, and the “Children’s Bible Reader” pages related to each day’s theme. http://www.scribd.com/doc/42707446/The-Tree-of-Jesse

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Want to make an Orthodox Advent Calendar? Find a daily theme for each of the 40 days of the Nativity Fast, complete with a simple text, here: http://www.theologic.com/oflweb/xmas/advcal.htm.

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Here is another Orthodox “Advent calendar” link: “The idea behind this calendar is to give us a different topic each day to discuss to keep us focused on Christ throughout the craze of the holiday season.” Besides a description of how to make the calendar, there is also a printable coloring book to go with each day’s discussion!
http://pdxorthodoxmom.blogspot.com/2014/11/orthodox-40-day-advent-calendar.html?m=1

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Should you wish to have the children “open” each Jesse Tree ornament before hanging it, or if you are making an Advent calendar, find inspiration from these ideas. They are not Orthodox, but can easily be adapted for an Orthodox Jesse Tree or Advent Calendar. http://www.doublethebatch.com/diy-christmas-advent-calendar-ideas/

Ideas for Honoring Fathers on Father’s Day

Since Father’s Day is just around the bend, this week’s blog will focus on ideas for ways to celebrate dads. Suggestions include activities, foods, and gifts. A little planning ahead can help to make Father’s Day a great celebration of the fathers in our midst. Enjoy planning and celebrating!

Celebrating Father’s Day

As a family, remember Dad with these ideas:

	Write a thank you note to God for all of Dad’s attributes. Then give him the note.
	Make a large Father’s Day card by clipping articles and photos, then make a pictorial collage.
	Prepare dinner with Dad’s favorite food. Decorate his chair like a throne. Have children make menus and “play restaurant” by serving the meal at a candlelit table.
	Draw a comic strip featuring what you love about Dad. Post it where he can see it.
	Wash, wax, and clean the interior of the car.
	Bake a batch of Dad’s favorite cookies.
	Rent a favorite video, pop a batch of popcorn, and watch the video together.
	Have an art show of drawings or paintings of Dad.

Adapted from For Parents Only, May/June 1995 (Children’s Ministry).

© 1996 by Orthodox Family Life and the original author(s).

From http://www.theologic.com/oflweb/secular/fordad.htm, used by permission.

Here are more ideas of ways to bless a father on Father’s Day:

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Find one Orthodox Christian mom’s gathering of ideas for Father’s Day gifts here: http://www.orthodoxmom.com/2013/06/12/diy-fathers-day-gift-ideas/

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At http://eighteen25.com/2012/05/free-download-book-for-dad/ and at  http://www.hellowonderful.co/post/KID-MADE-FREE-PRINTABLE-FATHER—-S-DAY-BOOK#_a5y_p=3862808 find printable books that kids can draw on and write to finish for Dad, for Father’s Day.

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Instead of a card, invite children to decorate this fun poster for dad: http://www.confettisunshine.com/2014/05/free-printable-fathers-day-poster.html

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Children can draw a (reversible) picture with fabric crayons. Have an adult use an iron to transfer the crayon drawings onto a tie for dad. http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/13123/fathers-day-ties#

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Fill a “six pack” (of treats) for dad, and a bunch of other ideas here: http://99crafting.co/fathers-day-crafts/

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Find clever, cute, and free printables for dads at http://www.the36thavenue.com/fathers-day-gifts-ideas/
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Make dad “dessert in a jar” http://www.livinglocurto.com/2013/06/fathers-day-gift-dessert-printables/. (The materials for this project can easily make more than one gift. It would work well if you have several men you wish to honor, or if you are working with a group of children.)
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Give dad a gift that offers hours of ideas for fun interaction with his kids. Purchase a book with science project directions, the ingredients for a few of the projects, and a box to store everything. This gift will be used over and over, and offer opportunities for dad/kid fun! (If dad isn’t a science fan, consider basing the project on an art book, a craft book, a game ideas book, etc.) http://curlybirds.typepad.com/curly-birds/2011/06/fathers-day-gift-activity-tub.html

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Find a variety of sweet homemade Father’s Day gift ideas here: http://www.powerfulmothering.com/20-fathers-day-gift-ideas-with-kids/

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Even a small child can help to make this yummy dessert for dad on Father’s Day: http://www.thediaryofdaveswife.com/2012/06/13/fathers-day-fruit-pizza/

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Here’s a simple but beautiful Father’s Day project that can be made by a child who likes to sew: http://teachbesideme.com/dad-string-art/?utm_content=buffer0e116&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

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Instead of giving dad a “thing” for Father’s Day this year, consider making a contribution in his honor to the IOCC (https://www.iocc.org/giving/giving_honorgifts1.aspx) or the OCMC (http://www.ocmc.org/donate/index.aspx)!

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Celebrating the Feast of Feasts: Great and Holy Pascha!

Very soon we will be celebrating the Feast of Feasts, Great and Holy Pascha! We have readied our hearts by fasting and praying. We have set aside time to attend and participate in preparatory church services. We have planned to cook special foods and to wear nice clothing for the feast. Pascha is a very special day, and because it is, we prepare accordingly.
But the Paschal season is longer than just one day. Yes, it begins on Great and Holy Pascha, but it continues on until Pentecost, and the whole season is a time of great celebration! We truly teach our children that this is the Feast of Feasts when we celebrate throughout the Paschal season, not just on Pascha itself.

So, how can we celebrate properly? What can we do to demonstrate to ourselves and our children just how important this feast is? Studying and applying the guidelines (about things like fasting, kneeling, The Hours, and a change in our prayers) for the Paschal season found here, http://www.antiochian.org/node/22733, can be a place to start. When we are familiar with the guidelines and some of the reasoning behind them, we can plan our continued celebration accordingly!

There are many ways to remind ourselves and our children about Christ’s triumph over death, and His glorious resurrection. Let us find ways to do so every day of the Paschal season! Even just small ways to celebrate this triumph will set this season apart from the rest of the year, allowing the Paschal season to be truly the most wonderful time of the year.

Here are some ideas of ways to set this season apart:

• Greet each other with, “Christ is risen!” every morning. What a glorious way to begin each day, waking our children (or greeting them when we first see them, if they use alarm clocks to wake) with that reminder!
• Learn many ways to say “Christ is risen!” in different languages, here: https://oca.org/orthodoxy/paschal-greetings.
• Sing the Paschal troparion every day as part of your mealtime prayers or family prayer time.
• Listen to the Paschal troparion in many different languages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vofvMRYCg_c  and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SynvdFT-rqU.
• Look at photos of Paschal celebrations around the world, here: http://shepherdsguild.org/id66.html. Talk about how the Orthodox Church is unified despite our differences in language and culture. Look for things that are the same as your home parish’s celebration of Pascha, regardless of where the photos come from.
• With older children, watch and discuss this video that discusses Pascha and some of what happens on that day: http://www.ancientfaith.com/video/sistervassa/pascha.
• Read the story of the resurrection, written in easy-to-understand language: http://dce.oca.org/assets/files/resources/47.pdf.
• Print this resurrection icon to color: http://dce.oca.org/assets/files/resources/142.pdf.
• Listen to this podcast about Pascha which looks at the Paschal icon and gives us a focus on what is important as we celebrate the Paschal season: http://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/raisingsaints/let_paschas_drama_unfold.
• Find printable coloring pages about the resurrection here: http://meaburrelareligion.blogspot.com/2012/03/historia-ilustrada-para-colorear-muerte.html
• Christ appears to Mary in this hidden pictures activity sheet: http://www.sundayschoolzone.com/activities/Jesus_is_Alive_Hidden_Pictures.pdf and in this spot-the-difference page: http://www.sundayschoolzone.com/activities/Jesus_is_Alive_Spot_the_Differences.pdf
• Solve this Jesus is risen find-the-words maze: http://www.sundayschoolzone.com/activities/jesus_has_risen_word_maze.pdf and another, here: http://www.sundayschoolzone.com/activities/Jesus_is_Alive_Word_Search.pdf
• Find printable coloring posters about the resurrection here: http://www.religiousdoodles.com/easter.html
• Lesson 5 (of this first grade level printable book) is on Pascha: http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/folder.2012-03-22.9458973042/unit-7.pdf
• Lesson 7 (of this printable page for teens) is about the resurrection: http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/religioused/folder.2012-03-22.9458973042/cana_student_sheet_7.pdf
• Listen to a reading of “The Three Day Pascha” series, by Mother Melania, read by Dr. Chrissi Hart, here: http://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/grapevine/the_three_day_pascha_series.
• Listen to this podcast that focuses on how Christ’s light, given to us at Pascha, is for us to share with others: http://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/raisingsaints/the_light_of_pascha. Together, talk about ways to light your part of the world in all the days of the Paschal season, and beyond!
• Read The Miracle of the Red Egg by Elizabeth Johnson.
• Read about why we color eggs at Pascha here: http://www.monasteryicons.com/info/easter_egg.hzml
• Even nature can remind us of Christ’s conquering of death! Take a hike as a family, find a flowering dogwood tree, and talk about these symbols of Christ’s death that are demonstrated on the flower of the dogwood in this “legend:” http://www.catholicicing.com/the-legend-of-the-dogwood-a-religious-tradition-for-the-easter-season/. As Orthodox Christians, we believe that Christ’s death was important, but His breaking the power of death once and for all is even more important. What evidences of Christ’s resurrection can you find on the tree, as well? With your children, look for some of these and talk about them, too! (New growth from a tree that looked dead all winter; white blossoms to remind us of the light of Christ illuminating all; etc.)
• Plant a mini garden to remind you of the empty cross and empty tomb: http://www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com/blog/2013/03/mini-resurrection-garden-easter-craft.html.
• Bake rolls that represent the tomb of Christ. Stuffed with a marshmallow, each roll will come out of the oven EMPTY, as Christ’s tomb is since He has risen from the dead! http://www.leeanngtaylor.com/teach-kids-about-easter/#rrolls.
• Bake resurrection cookies (overnight), with scriptural references throughout the preparation process: http://www.kintera.org/atf/cf/%7B8E975F2E-4C1C-4315-AAFF-34A97EB367B5%7D/Resurrection_Cookies.pdf.
• Make a set of storytelling eggs that tell the story of the last week of Christ’s life on earth, through his glorious resurrection: http://www.homeeducatormom.com/2013/02/16/make-your-own-resurrection-eggs/. Allow your children to play with the eggs and retell the story themselves.

Gleanings From a Book: “Celebrating The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Family Devotional in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition” by AmandaEve Wigglesworth

For those of us Orthodox Christians who follow the new calendar, the feast of the Nativity is upon us! For those of us following the old calendar, it is rapidly approaching. For all of us, this is a season of celebrating Christ’s humble condescension to earth for us and for our salvation. It is truly a time for celebration! And what a joy to be able to celebrate Christmas not just for one day, but for all of the twelve days of Christmas! Are you looking for ideas for your family’s celebration? Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Family Devotional in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition, by AmandaEve Wigglesworth, offers a variety of ideas for families to do together in the context of a family devotional time.

“After forty days of fasting and preparing for Christmas, we now begin the season of feasting! …There is a popular Christmas song called ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ in which a suitor gives presents each day to his true love. This song was written during a time when people would exchange one small gift a day throughout all twelve days… While the song is usually seen as a nonsense song, we can also use it to remind ourselves of the gifts God gives us… It is always good to be reminded of God in everything around us, so in each devotional, we will look at the Christian meanings given to the gifts in this popular song.” (p.9) The next few pages of the book go on to offer ideas of activities to do together throughout the season.

The bulk of the rest of the book walks the reader through each of the twelve days of Christmas, offering a short meditation on what is happening in our Orthodox Christian Faith on that particular day. Each meditation contains information about the feast or saint being commemorated that day; a related kontakion or troparion; and a short explanation of the Christian meanings behind both the number of the day as well as the gift offered in the song on that day of Christmas. Each day there is also a suggested related activity to do together as a family. Activities vary from Christmas caroling to making thank-you cards to crafts (ie: making a St. Genevieve’s luminaria and coloring a “stained glass” icon) to baking vasilopita (recipe included) to cleaning your house to prepare for your house blessing. The book concludes with appendices such as recipes, craft directions, and a craft pattern.

Families who are interested in learning more about their faith will do well to consider adding this book to their family library. The ideas and meditations in the book are a wonderful resource. Readers may only want to read through the book together as a family one time. Or, it could happen that the ideas in this book become the basis on which to begin a variety of family traditions related to the twelve days of Christmas.

Regardless, the reader is sure to agree with the back cover of the book: “With hymns, stories, meditations, and activities for each day as well as suggestions for the whole season, Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas provides an invaluable resource for families looking to restore this season to its rightful place in their lives.”

Christ is born! Glorify Him! May we indeed celebrate the twelve days of Christmas in reverence and joy!

Find more information about the book, including sample pages, here: http://store.ancientfaith.com/celebrating-the-twelve-days-of-christmas/

Following are blogs and articles related to the Orthodox Christian celebration of the twelve days of Christmas.

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“The 12 Days of Christmas begins on December 25 as day 1, then extends for 11 more days to end on January 5. Some traditions begin counting day 1 of the 12 days on December 26 which would end the period on January 6.  Recently, we find some civil traditions celebrating the 12 days of Christmas 12 days BEFORE Christmas, but that is a new invention which some attribute to the merchants who want to increase sales for the season.” ~ from http://orthodoxtoday.wordpress.com/2014/12/15/the-date-of-christmas-the-12-days-of-christmas-and-the-orthodox-christian-traditions/

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“At Pascha, we all know that we greet one another by saying ‘Christ is risen!’ and responding ‘Truly He is risen!’ for 40 days. Did you know that there is a similar greeting for Christmas? We should greet everyone after the Divine Liturgy on the Nativity by proclaiming ‘Christ is born!’ The response is ‘Glorify Him!’ Continue using this greeting the entire 12 days of Christmas. Add the beautiful Katavasia of the Nativity, which this greeting comes from, to your family prayer during this period:

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

Christ comes from heaven; meet Him.

Christ is on earth exalt Him.

O you earth, sing to the Lord.

O your nations, praise Him in joy for He has been glorified.” ~ from http://www.antiochian.org/content/let%E2%80%99s-celebrate-12-days-christmas

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“I like the idea of Christmas starting instead of ending on December 25th. We usually don’t celebrate our own birthdays until the day they occur or later. So why do we, in effect, celebrate Jesus Christ’s birthday (Nativity) so long in advance?” ~ from http://www.stlukeorthodox.com/html/evangelist/2001/twelvedays.cfm

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“The birth of Christ and His baptism ought never to be divorced. Both events define the Christmas season. It imparts to the Christian the knowledge that Christ’s coming into the world and Christ’s sanctification of the waters makes our new life possible — a sonship by adoption accomplished through baptism.” ~ from http://www.antiochian.org/node/18656

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“We must share this light with the darkness of the world, working together with the Spirit of God in the redemption of creation through Christ our Lord. This Lord entered our world in the humility of a child born to die—being wrapped as an infant in burial cloths, as depicted in the Nativity icon—by his own death triumphed over death itself.

Ultimately, then, the meaning of both the Nativity of Christ and the entirety of the 12 Days of Christmas is the receiving and giving of Christ, who is truly the gift and the giver, the one who is received and distributed.” ~ from http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/67338.htm

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This week’s note is an article written by Judy Pappoff, and was originally published in “Faith and Family,” Dec. 2001, p. 18. Its suggestions are still very current and applicable. May God help us to lead our children in godliness in all seasons, especially during the holidays!

 

What Does Your Family Call December 25th?

The day has been called: “Christmas,” “The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” “The Day Santa Comes,” “Baby Jesus’ Birthday,” “The Day We Give/Get Presents.” As parents, we have the responsibility of “naming” the day for our families.  Orthodox Christians celebrate the nativity, or birth, of Jesus Christ.

Most of us also participate in traditions of our society: food, decorations, socializing, presents.  What understanding do we want our children to have?  Holiday or Holy Day?  How do we tame the monster of materialism so that our children focus on the spiritual truth of the feast?

First, let’s examine our purchasing practices.  If the family has a video game system that works, does it need to be replaced?  We must set the example, and explain our actions.  Children will not see what is wasteful unless we bring it to their attention.  Then challenge them with “How might the money be better spent?”

Second, keep the focus on giving.  Let’s look at why gifts are part of this holy day.  It is because God gave us His Son – the greatest gift of all.  Then teach your children how to give, and think outside the “box” – even the Grinch realized that Christmas doesn’t come in a box!  Spend time as a family, giving homemade gifts to one another, and gifts of love to those in need.  Lavishly praise your children for these valuable gifts they give you and others.

Finally, let’s make sure our children know how to receive, with the gift of God’s Son as our example.  We accept and are thankful for Jesus Christ.  When your children light a candle at the Nativity service, remind them to say “thank you” to God for His Son.  Thankfulness is the response to all gifts, large or small.  Seasonal movies such as “The Little Drummer Boy” teach this.  Know when these will be on.  Stop your busy-ness, watch these together, discuss what is good; and in that quiet moment, remember also to say “thank you” to God for the children He has placed in your care.

by Judy Pappoff,  Faith and Family (Dec 2001 pg 18), found online at http://www.antiochian.org/christianeducation/whatdoesyourfamilycalldecember25th

Here’s another article in the same vein: http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/family/articles/giving-receiving

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Below are links to articles and ideas of ways to help our children combat materialism and consumerism during the holidays.

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“Lavishing our children with gifts deprives them of something far more valuable: shared time and experiences. In our overscheduled lives, we are often too busy or tired to do a family art project, play a board game or bake cookies. I can’t remember ever roasting chestnuts on an open fire, but it’s always sounded like a lovely idea. Most families say that what they need more of is time – not stuff. And getting in and out of shopping centers steals your time.

Overabundance of holiday gifts offers a short-term payoff, but the long-term consequences are high. Mary Bellis Waller, author of “Crack-Affected Children,” likens materialism to cocaine addiction. Buying stuff stimulates the pleasure centers of the brain, which creates a temporary high, but ultimately leaves one unsatisfied. The bottom line is that substance abuse is substance abuse.

Not surprisingly kids who are overindulged materially tend to have the worst relationships with their parents. Money can’t buy love, but it sure seems to finance some serious familial discord.” ~ from http://www.progressive.org/do_not_ruin_holiday_season_with_materialism.html

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“The primary message of commercial culture is that the things we buy will make us happy. In fact, that’s not true. Research tells us that our sense of wellbeing depends on relationships, a sense of community, spiritual nourishment, and/or job satisfaction, not on acquiring “things.” Children who are more materialistic are less happy, more depressed, more anxious and have lower self-esteem.” Read about researchers’ findings here: http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/sites/default/files/materialism.pdf

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“‘The gimmes’ are all around us during the holiday season. It can be hard for kids — and parents — to look beyond all of the product-driven hoopla and remember what the holidays are really about.” So begins an article titled “Making the Holidays Less Materialistic for Kids”, found at http://dcmcegrowingtogether.com/issues/2012/december-2012/making-holidays-less-materialistic/.

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In the brief article “Minimalizing the Materialism of the Holidays,” found at http://drconklindanao.com/minimizing-materialism-holidays/, Dr. Deanna Conklin-Danao offers suggestions of how to scale back on giving our children stuff; including suggestions for different age levels, as well as a reminder that grandparents/relatives need to also be informed of a family’s decision to minimalize on material gifts.

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Find 10 suggestions of ways to help your teen let go of holiday consumerism at http://www.postconsumers.com/education/teen-holiday-consumer-tips/.

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Find reader-suggested ideas for hands-on ways to help children combat materialism at the holidays at https://www.parentmap.com/article/9-holiday-traditions-that-replace-materialism-with-meaning.

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“Very few childhood memories actually include the gifts I received. I distinctly remember the year that I got a blue dirt bike, the evening my brother and I received a Nintendo, and opening socks every year from my grandparents. But other than that, my gift-receiving memories are pretty sparse. Which got me thinking… what type of gifts can we give to our children that they will never forget? What gifts will truly impact their lives and change them forever?” Read more, including a list of 35 non-material gifts that your children will never forget, at http://www.becomingminimalist.com/35-gifts-your-children-will-never-forget/

Incorporating “The Akathist of Thanksgiving” into a Thanksgiving Celebration

As we approach the end of November, Americans are preparing to celebrate “Thanksgiving,” a holiday in which we are encouraged to gather together with loved ones, enjoy food and time together, and be grateful for all that we have been given. Although Thanksgiving is a cultural (secular) holiday, it was begun with a holy intent: to thank God. It is an opportunity for us as Orthodox Christians to do what we should be doing daily, anyway: giving glory and thanks to God for His rich blessings on our lives!

The Akathist of Thanksgiving (http://www.orthodox.net/akathists/akathist-thanksgiving.pdf) is a beautiful prayer, a delight to the soul, and a fitting beginning to praising God at any time of the year. It is especially appropriate to pray this akathist in this season of giving thanks. Readers unfamiliar with the Akathist of Thanksgiving may want to read this note about it:  https://www.facebook.com/notes/orthodox-christian-parenting/giving-thanks/10151817127259702.

How can we incorporate this akathist into our family’s celebration of Thanksgiving this year? Here are a few ideas:

• At evening prayers, read the akathist together as a family. If you have young children, read only one or two stanzas each evening, until you’ve read the whole thing. After the reading, talk about what you have just read. How did you see God’s hand in the ways described, in this day? (ie: kontakion 2 says “…the golden rays of sun and the light clouds are reflected in the water…;” a family member may remind the rest, “Remember as we drove to school this morning, when the sun rays shone down through a cloud, and we saw it reflected in that puddle?!?”)

• Play the akathist on your CD or mp3 player as you prepare for Thanksgiving Day; whether cooking (if dinner is at your house) or even just getting ready to go (if dinner’s at someone else’s house), this akathist can help your spirit be ready to be truly thankful.

• On Thanksgiving Day itself, chant or read the akathist together as part of your thanksgiving celebration.

After having read/chanted/heard the akathist:

• Select one stanza (or even just one kontakion or ikos) that seems particularly appropriate to your family this year. Print out the individual phrases, and work together to make an illustrated booklet. You can work together to draw the pictures; or make a collage of magazine pictures that illustrate the phrases; or even take photos to illustrate them. Illustrate a different stanza every year, and eventually you’ll have the whole akathist and can pray it directly from your own illustrated version; savoring the growth and memories collected while illustrating it!

• Carefully write or print out beautifully-lettered bookmarks of kontakion 13 (for example: http://www.antiochian.org/sites/default/files/the_akathist_of_thanksgiving_kontakion_13.pdf). Use them as Thanksgiving place markers or host gifts, depending if you are hosting or being hosted. Print the kontakion and adhere it to colorful cardstock cut slightly larger than the paper on which the kontakion is printed. Together decorate the edges of each bookmark with crayon/marker, pressed leaves, or seasonally appropriate stamps. On the back of the bookmark, write the name of the person to whom you are giving the bookmark. Laminate the whole thing (contact paper makes a nice laminate), punch a hole in the top, and tie on a bit of ribbon or yarn for the bookmark topper.

• Use a permanent marker (over scrap paper, in case the marker bleeds through) to write kontakion 13 on a length of wired ribbon. Gently curve and twist the ribbon, careful to keep the words showing, and spread it down the middle of your table or across a mantle as part of your Thanksgiving decor.

• Select a phrase such as this one from kontakion 1: “I thank Thee for all Thy visible and secret goods, for earthly life and for the heavenly joy of Thy future Kingdom…” Print the phrase at the top of a large sheet of butcher paper. Attach the paper to a door or wall of your home, as a collaborative art piece where family members and guests can add words, cut pictures, or sketches of the “goods,” “earthly life,” or “heavenly joy of [the] future Kingdom” for which they specifically want to thank God.

However we implement this hymn into our Thanksgiving celebration, let us do so with thoughtful awareness of the words and the worshipful intent behind them. We have much for which to be thankful, not the least of which is our Faith. Hymns such as the Akathist of Thanksgiving allow us to join with the voices of saints from years gone by, in worshipping God.

Indeed, “Glory to God for all things!” ~ St. John Chrysostom

 

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Here are additional ways to incorporate the Akathist of Thanksgiving into your celebration:
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Kontakion 1 of the Akathist of Thanksgiving says, “I was born on earth as a feeble and helpless child, but Thy angel, spreading his shiny wings, has sheltered my cradle. From that moment Thy love shines in all my ways and miraculously guides me into the light of eternity.” Look together at each family member’s baby pictures, and talk about how God’s angels have protected each of you from when you were born until today.

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Kontakion 2 of the Akathist of Thanksgiving says, “All nature mysteriously speaks about Thee, all is filled with Thy mercy and all carries the seal of Thy love.” Go for a hike in a natural space, with this phrase in mind, looking for (and pointing out to each other) the ways in which you see nature speaking about God and showing us His love.

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Ikos 3 of the Akathist of Thanksgiving says, “Glory to Thee Who from the dark depths of the earth bringeth forth so many colors and scents.” Plant flower seeds, or amaryllis bulbs in some “deep dark” earth, and together watch God bring forth colors (and perhaps scents) from that earth, as they bloom!

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Ikos 4 of the Akathist of Thanksgiving says, “When night falls upon the earth, the stillness of sleep reigns and sounds of the past day become silent; I see the splendor of Thy heavenly mansions. Flame and purple, gold and azure presag the indescribable beauty of Thy home…” Keep an eye on the sky at sunset during this season, and purpose to stop everything as a family each time there’s a beautiful sunset, so that you can take in the splendor and give glory to God who is creating that beauty right before your very eyes.

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Kontakion 5 of the Akathist of Thanksgiving says, “The tempest of life does not frighten one in whose heart shines the light of Thy divine fire. Around me are whirling storms and roaring winds; terror and darkness surround me; but in my soul is peace and light.” Discuss what this means, to be at peace in the midst of the tempest of life; and why we don’t need to be afraid in terror or darkness. Make night lights for each child’s room featuring an image that reminds the child of God’s presence: perhaps their favorite icon, a beautiful scene, or even just a block of their favorite color. (http://craziestgadgets.com/2008/12/27/create-your-own-night-light-kit/ is one idea of a place to get a kit made specifically for this activity. Or, you can line a mason jar with the printed image, and add a strand of lights as illustrated here: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/home-organizing-new-uses-for-old-things/new-uses-mason-jars/night-light)