The Christmas Star From Afar – Create a New Family Tradition

November 9, 2016 by Guest Post Leave a Comment

Today we welcome Natalie Ard, creator of The Christmas Star From Afar. Natalie’s unique activity helps kids focus on Jesus and stay in the Word as they anticipate Christmas. Be sure to check out the review Do Not Depart team member Ali Shaw wrote on her blog as well!

Learn more about The Christmas Star From Afar, a Christmas tradition that helps kids focus on the true meaning of Christmas

As a mother, I strive to find traditions that are both meaningful and playful for my children. I want traditions that we can experience together as a family, and when it comes to Christmas I want my children to understand the reason why we celebrate this special holiday. It’s not about the lights, the decorated trees, or the gifts we receive. Christmas is about the birth of a Savior.

Years ago I began searching for a Christmas tradition with these qualities, but there was nothing to be found. So I began to wonder… how could I bring a little more of Jesus to our Christmastime fun?

Through my desire to embrace my children’s excitement and my quest to find a fun daily reminder of Jesus during Christmastime, I began to dream and brainstorm about creating a new tradition for our family. I longed for a tradition that not only thrilled my children with a countdown to Christmas but also told pieces of the story of our Lord’s birth. God blessed me with the idea of the Christmas Star From Afar.

Our Star From Afar tradition began as a very simple activity. I used a nativity set we already had at home and I cut out a Star made of cardboard. We began by reading the scripture of the Three Wise Men and then our daily hide-n-seek fun began.

Every night my husband or I would hide the Star in our home. The next morning my children would hunt around the house until they found the hidden Star. Once they found it, they would bring all Three Wise Men to the Star’s location.

We would repeat this over and over until Christmas Eve. On that special night I would leave the Star on top of the stable, and on Christmas morning my children, and their Three Wise Men, would find baby Jesus. We have had so much fun with our family tradition and it brings me so much happiness that our fun is rooted in the true meaning of Christmas.

A couple of years after implementing our playful game, friends and family began to encourage me to do something with the idea. Finally, after many Godly nudges…. I said, “Yes!”

I began to draw and write again, which I had not done in years, and before you know it, The Christmas Star From Afar was born. The Lord would continue to open door after door on this project and within just ten months The Star From Afar was ready for the public.

Writing and drawing have been a passion of mine since I was a child but I am not a trained professional nor have I had a long-standing career in product development. So, I have often asked God, “Are you sure you have the right girl for this?” He gently reminds me that He doesn’t always call the equipped, but He will ALWAYS equips the called.

The Star From Afar creates the journey of the Three Wise Men through your home. Children learn through experience and play. We also offer scripture cards to go along with the story. This game has not only created special memories for my family, but it has given me a chance to show my children that Christmas is not about the presents they receive, or Santa, or snowmen. Christmas is about the greatest gift of all—the birth of our living God, Jesus.

The Star symbolizes not only the guidance and hope of the Three Wise Men, but it also represents the Light of the World. I love watching my children look high and low for their Star every morning, hearing their squeals of excitement when the first child has spotted it, and knowing they are being reminded daily of Christ’s birth.

I pray that your family will enjoy the Star From Afar as much as mine has, and that it may bring a little more Light into your Christmas.

Many Blessings,
Natalie Ard

View More: http://sharnimedinaphotography.pass.us/natalie-ard

Natalie Ard is the creator, author, and illustrator of The Christmas Star From Afar®, She is a wife and a mother to three children and has built her company on the foundation of creating lasting memories for children and their families. You can connect with her on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Advent Activities and Christmas Crafts {Let the Children Come}

December 18, 2013 by Caroline 3 Comments

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Kids and adults alike get excited about Christmastime. As families of faith, we want our children to know and focus on the reason for Christmas.

God’s Word is the best source to teach His truths. When we include other activities, we can also encourage community, invite exploration, reiterate knowledge, engage additional senses, and more.

Read on for several great resources for advent and Christmas, including several you can still jump in on with just a week until Christmas!

Advent Readings, Studies, and Activities

We love the Jesus Storybook Bible for anytime reading with your family. Erin at Home with the Boys has an advent reading plan that accompanies Jesus Storybook Bible with one story a night each day in December until Christmas. I particularly love how this Bible circles back around to Christ in every single story, including all the Old Testament retellings. It all points to Him!
The Sparkle Box – Carisa at 1+1+1=1 shares their plan for using the Sparkle Box story and idea and blessing others this Christmas! Carisa also created some lovely Jesse Tree printables.
Last year, Kathy shared 10 meaningful family Christmas activities here on Do Not Depart.
Grapevine Studies provide family Bible studies focus on timeline and using stick figures to add a tactile component to learning and studying the Word. (I reviewed their studies here and here on my personal bog.) Be sure to check out their “Birth of Jesus” study! Because it’s a downloadable document, you could still get it this week and study a few lessons between now and Christmas! Click here to visit Grapevine Studies.
Last year, I shared several ways to share the Word through serving others, including Christmastime ideas.
Patti shared how her family throws a birthday party for Jesus at Christmas each year.
Becky at This Reading Mama created an awesome, free Nativity Pre-K/K printable packet with loads of activities incorporating early literacy and math skills.
Truth in the Tinsel is an advent program by Amanda White where kids create crafts to accompany studying a few verses within advent readings. It’s beautiful, simple, and engaging. Amanda offers many resources and blog posts at the Truth in the Tinsel website.

Christmas Crafts

While you’re reading the birth story aloud, you and your kids can also make these lovely Christmas crafts:

Here are two versions of an angel craft – one using handprints and another using coffee filters.
No Time for Flash Cards shows us a fun nativity shapes craft for a window display.
I recently shared about a resourced called “Winter Brick Activities and More!” on my personal blog. This downloadable resource from Educating Laytons gives several winter- and nativity-themed templates for brick creations, plus many other hands-on activity ideas. Many of the ideas shared can be completed with minimal preparation, which can be helpful during Christmas week when visiting family!
Maureen at Spell Outloud put together a useful list of activities to accompany Song of the Stars by Sally-Lloyd Jones (the same author as the Jesus Storybook Bible). (Maureen also posted a huge list of nativity resources here.)
While crafting and reading, listen to some Christ-focused Christmas carols and look for Jesus in them using this series we did, or read about their origins in this post from (in)courage,

How does your family prepare for advent and Christmas together? Share your activities and studies in the comments!

10 Meaningful Family Activities for Christmas

December 11, 2012 by Kathy Howard 9 Comments

The real meaning of Christmas can get lost in the shopping, cooking, cleaning, and decorating. These 10 suggestions will help you and your family focus on Christ and also help you share His message with people who need to hear. You’ll have a lot of fun in the process too!

Christmas card prayers – At the dinner table or at bedtime each night, pray for the families you received cards from that day. Use a basket or some other kind of container to hold the cards and keep it on the dinner table or nightstand.
Play the Christmas story – Use a toy nativity set to act out the story of Christmas with your children or grandchildren. I bought a cloth version for my grandson at a craft show. Fisher Price has a really cute one too. Available at Family Christian Store.

Cloth nativity is kid friendly!
Gifts for needy children – Help your children experience the joy of helping others. Connect with a faith-based charity through which you can help provide for children in need at Christmas. Efforts like Operation Christmas Child by Samaritan’s purse and Angel Tree by Prison Fellowship are two good choices!
Hang The Christmas Nail – Years ago someone gave our family “The Christmas Nail.” It’s a six-inch sturdy spike with a red ribbon through a hole in the top. Here’s the short poem that accompanies the nail:

This is the Christmas Nail. It is to be hung on a sturdy branch, a branch near the trunk, a branch that will hold such a spike without being noticed by well-wishers dropping by to admire one’s tinseled tree. The nail is known only to the home that hangs it. Understood only by the heart that knows its significance. It is hung with the thought The Christmas tree but foreshadows the Christ-tree which only He could decorate for us, ornamented with nails as this.

You can purchase your own nail here. I have also made nails – using spikes I purchased at a hardware store and red ribbon – to give to friends and neighbors for their own trees. Make hanging the nail a meaningful event. Gather the family around the tree and decide how the “hanger” will be chosen. For example, it could be the youngest or oldest. Pray and contemplate Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf.

5. Bread of Life for the neighbors – A yummy Christmas gift can double as a message of life. Gather the family in the kitchen and make an event out of baking small loaves of sweet bread. If the family doesn’t enjoy cooking, you can do the baking and then the family can help wrap the loaves and go together to make the deliveries to the neighbors. Wrap the bread in pretty cellophane and add a tag with John 6:35. “Jesus is the bread of life.” I have a recipe for Pumpkin-Cranberry bread that everyone loves. It’s festive and can be doubled or even tripled!

6. Musically spread the Good News – We have at least one caroling group stop by our house every year. However, I’ve noticed the groups sing mostly secular Christmas songs. You and your family can share the real reason for the season with your neighbors. Make caroling a festive party by asking a few Christian friends to join you. Gather at your house first for a quick practice session. Make sure your carols spread the Good News by including songs like “Joy to the World” and “Silent Night.” After caroling in your neighborhood, serve hot cocoa and goodies back at your house for the carolers.

7. Birthday party for Jesus – last week, Patti shared about hosting a children’s birthday party for Jesus. Read more about this outreach event.

8. Read the Christmas story – We read the entire Christmas story on Christmas Eve. However, if your children are young, break the story up over several nights. I found two great downloadable resources at FamilyReadingBible.com you should check out. One is a Christmas story reading plan that lists readings from December 13 through Christmas Day. The other is a Bible story reading booklet to print!

9. Watch “The Nativity Story” – The biblical Christmas story comes to life right in your living room when you watch this beautiful movie with the family. Rent it at your neighborhood video store, Netflix, or iTunes, or buy it at Amazon to watch every year!

10. Celebrate the advent – Anticipate the celebration of Jesus’ arrival by adapting traditional advent activities for home. Focus on the Family has some great resources.

I’d love to know how these work for you. Also, feel free to share your suggestions for meaningful activities with us!