Day 15 Advent Candle: This is the week of the Shepherds' Candle or Joy Candle for Advent! The shepherds represent the message of great joy that is brought to the world about Jesus' birth! Light the first two candles and then the Shepherds' Candle. (This is usually rose colored rather than purple or blue like the first two and last candles.) Bible Verses Matthew 2:9-12 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. (NASB) There is something that I just love about these mysterious magi of the Christmas story! We know so little about them, but they were devoted to the prophecies about Christ's coming and traveled from afar just to worship Him. I can't help but wonder if they really believed that Jesus was the Messiah before the moment that they saw Him. Jesus was just a small child born in humble, earthly surroundings and yet these wise men recognized something great about Him! I believe that God's Spirit opened their eyes to the truth so that with one look, the magi knew they were in the presence of a King. While all of the bustling Bethlehem around them continued on its way... My favorite line from this passage is the description of how the magi react to this revelation about who they are witnessing! "They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" tells us that when we are completely open to God's truth in our lives, our response can be nothing but complete and utter JOY!! I wonder how much more joy we would experience if we looked as long and as hard for what God wants to show us as the wise men did to find the newborn King! Article/Devotion Begging For Myrrh by Trina Conner Schaetz from Christianity Today. We Have Come to Worship Him by John Piper. Dinnertime (or anytime!) Discussion The magi came with interesting gifts for the baby Jesus! If you were one of those who had the privilege of seeing Jesus at His birth and could bring ONE gift, what would it be and why? (Think about the symbolism of the three gifts mentioned in this passage. Gold is the gift of a King...frankincense is the gift of a Priest (who used it for incense) and myrrh (a substance used in medicine and in preparing the dead for burial) was the gift of a Man who would sacrifice His life.) Word to Know Worship: I checked many sources before I found an explanation of worship that seemed accurate and meaningful to those of us who try to live a worshipful life! It's much more than singing praise songs or kneeling and bowing our heads in prayer at church! Worship (from Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology) 10 Ways to Worship Without Music Great little article about what our worship should be like on a daily basis! Book Suggestion Joy to the World: A Family Christmas Treasury by Ann Keay Beneduce. This book is organized around all of the traditional symbols of Christmas such as the star, manger, tree, etc. and includes stories, Bible passages and poems from many different authors. The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry. Read this online version with vocabulary words linked to definitions. Advent Extras Art This brown ink and yellow ochre illustration of the adoration of the magi--also the title of this piece--is by one of the world's most renowned artists: Leonardo da Vinci. There are too many fascinating details about this great artist to share here, so please use the links below and do some of your own research to learn about the many, many accomplishments of Leonardo da Vinci! "The Adoration of the Magi" is one of many unfinished works by da Vinci. He was notorious for not carrying through on some of his commissioned work. Some say that he was so obssessed with the composition and content of the paintings that when he figured out that part, he grew bored with the actual painting part! This drawing was to be the altarpiece at a monastery near Florence but was obviously never completed. Leonardo never repaid the monks who gave him an advance for the commission; when he left Florence for Milan, Leonardo left the piece and his complicated contract (and debt) behind. This illustration is 9 feet by 8 feet in actuality. It is a busy scene filled with moving figures around the serene Mother and Child. Da Vinci was famous for his use of symbolism and hidden meanings and this ink drawing is no different. In the far right foreground is a shepherd boy which is a self-portrait of Leonardo as a young man. In the background are classical ruins--a common aspect of Renaissance work--which could signify the ruin of paganism after Christ came. And in the very center is what could be the Tree of Life, growing from a rock--the cornerstone, Christ! Leonardo da Vinci Visit this excellent biographical site. Leonardo da Vinci: Scientist, Inventor, Artist An online exhibit from the Museum of Science. Leonardo: The Man, His Machines Articles, commentaries and a large collection of da Vinci's creations. Very neat site. (I vouch ONLY for the Leonardo da Vinci portion of this site. I have not previewed the other sections.) *Note: The beautiful painting at the top of this page is entitled "The Three Wise Men" and was painted by John La Farge, an American, in 1878. Isn't it gorgeous?! Christmas Carol or Hymn We Three Kings In 1857, John Henry Hopkins Jr. was faced with a difficult task--what to get for his nieces and nephews for the celebration of Epiphany! Hopkins was ordained as an Episcopalian priest, but chose to use his writing talent as a reporter instead of a clergyman. He was a brilliant scholar with a law degree who used his inspirational writing as a scribe for a New-York publication called Church Journal. So, when Hopkins had to decide upon his gift for his brothers' children (he was a bachelor, by the way), he decided to write a tribute to the magi of the Christmas story. His gift would be personal, entertaining, AND meaningful! Using his imagination and knowledge of the Scriptures, Hopkins wove a simple but poignant story of the quest to find the Savior and the symbolism of the gifts they brought. John Hopkins Jr. published "We Three Kings" in his own songbook called Carols, Hymns, and Songs". In the next century, many churches chose the carols and hymns which would be accepted into their hymnals and "We Three Kings" was, of course, readily included. Holiday Tradition & History Gingerbread Gingerbread has been baked in Europe since the eleventh century. In some places, it was a soft, delicately spiced cake; in others, a crisp, flat cookie, and in others, warm, thick, dark squares of "bread," sometimes served with a pitcher of lemon sauce or whipped cream. It was sometimes light, sometimes dark, sometimes sweet, sometimes spicy, but it was almost always cut into shapes such as men, women, stars or animals, and colorfully decorated or stamped with a mold and dusted with white sugar. In Medieval England gingerbread meant simply "preserved ginger" and was an adaptation of the Old French gingebras, derived from the Latin name of the spice, Zingebar. It was only in the fifteenth century that the term came to be applied to a kind of cake made with treacle, an uncrystalized syrup drained from raw sugar during the refining process, and flavored with ginger. Ginger was also discovered to have a preservative effect when added to pastries and bread, and this probably led to the development of recipes for ginger cakes, cookies, and flavored breads. From its very beginning gingerbread has been a fairground delicacy. Many fairs became known as "gingerbread fairs" and gingerbread items took on the alternative name in England of "fairings" which had the generic meaning of a gift given at, or brought from, a fair. Certain shapes were associated with different seasons: buttons and flowers were found at Easter fairs, and animals and birds were a feature in autumn. There is also more than one village tradition in England requiring unmarried women to eat gingerbread "husbands" at the fair if they are to stand a good chance of meeting a real husband. Of all the countries in Europe, Germany is the one with the longest tradition of flat, shaped gingerbreads. At every autumn fair in Germany, and in the surrounding lands where the Germanic influence is strong, there are rows of stalls filled with hundreds of gingerbread hearts, decorated with white and colored icing and tied with ribbons. During the nineteenth century, gingerbread was modernized. When the Grimm brothers collected volumes of German fairy tales they found one about Hansel and Gretel, two children who, abandoned in the woods by penniless parents, discovered a house made of bread, cake and candies. At Christmas, gingerbread makes its most impressive appearance. The German practice of making lebkuchen houses never caught on in Britain in the same way as it did in North America, and it is here still that the most extraordinary creations are found. Gingerbread making in North America has its origins in the traditions of the many settlers from all parts of Northern Europe who brought with them family recipes and customs. By the nineteenth century, America had been baking gingerbread for decades. American recipes usually called for fewer spices than their European counterparts, but often make use of ingredients that were only available regionally. Maple syrup gingerbreads were made in New England, and in the South sorghum molasses was used. Regional variations began occurring as more people arrived from Europe. In Pennsylvania, the influence of German cooking was great and many traditional Germany gingerbreads reappeared in this area, especially at Christmas time. Nowhere in the world is there a greater collection of gingerbread recipes than in America —there are so many variations in taste, form and presentation. With the vast choice of ingredients, baking aids and decorative items the imaginative cook can create the most spectacular gingerbread houses and centerpieces ever. *Courtesy of the Brachs/Wilton site. Annie's Gingerbread Page and Annie's Gingerbread Links Gingerbread Baby Recipe Gingerbread recipe from JanBrett.com! 'Round the World at Christmas Ethiopia has been the source of spices, incense and myrrh for centuries. Ancient Egyptians called Ethiopia Punt, or the land of God, and their ships sailed there to bring back the precious spices. Since the 4th century A.D., Ethiopia has accepted Orthodox Christianity as a religion alongside Islam. Its roots are believed to be in Judaism as well because many traditionally Judaic practices are still in place. A replica of the Ark of the Covenant is inside a Holy of holies at each church and only the priest may touch it. They follow certain eating restrictions as well and name/baptize children only a particular number of days after the child's birth. (80 days for girls and 40 days for boys!) The Orthodox Church in Ethiopia celebrates approximately 150 religious festivities each year! Christmas is celebrated on January 7th in Ethiopia. It is called "Ganna" (or "Genna" or "Gena"...I found these slightly different names in all of the many sources I checked!) There are two types of churches in which people attend the Christmas mass. The first are the rectangular churches which were carved from solid volcanic rock over 800 years ago. The other more modern churches in Ethiopia are round and are made of 3 concentric circles. In the outer circle is the choir; in the middle circle, or holy place, is the congregation with men and boys separated from the women and girls; and the center circle is the sanctuary where Holy Communion is served. Everyone fasts for 40 days before Christmas, however most are used to this practice because fasting is observed by Christians on every Wednesday and Friday of the year! On those days, only one meal in the evening is allowed, no meat or dairy being served. Early on Christmas morning, everyone attends mass dressed all in white. Each person lights a candle as they enter, circles the inside of the church three times and finds their place. There are no seats in Ethiopian churches so everyone stands for the mass, which can last for up to three hours! That day, boys play a special game like hockey which is called "Ganna" (the same name for Christmas). It is only played on Christmas and can get quite rough because no one wears padding or protection from the woodens sticks and puck! Christmas evening, families feast on a spicy chicken stew called "doro wat" which is served on "injera". "Injera" is a sourdough pancake bread that serves as both plate and spoon. The stew is served on the round bread and a piece of the bread is broken off to use as a scoop to eat the stew with. Gifts are a very small part of Christmas in Ethiopia. Children may receive clothing or one small toy or no gift at all. The religious celebration is at the heart of Christmas to most families. On January 19th, "Timkat", similar to Epiphany, starts! It marks the celebration of the baptism of Jesus and St. Mark. On "Timkat", adults wear a special shawl called a "shamma" to the church procession while the children wear crowns and robes. The priests are dressed in red and white robes, turbans and carry colorful embroidered umbrellas. A pear-shaped instrument called the "sistrum" is played, the tinkling music accompanying the chants of the church officials who conduct the outdoor procession. Coloring Pages, Cooking and Crafts The wise men, or magi, brought fragrant gifts to the baby Jesus, so today we'll make a few things that smell wonderful! Wise Men Coloring Page Magi Coloring Page (w/story) The Magi Search for Jesus (Word Search) Cinnamon Ornaments These fragrant cookie cut-out ornaments are easy to make...but don't eat them! (The first recipe is the best, IMO.) Easy to Make Pomander Simply insert whole cloves into an orange or lemon and hang with ribbon. You can roll in cinnamon and nutmeg first if you like. Homemade Holiday Air Fresheners Potpourri Gel Jars Scented Hot Pads Soap Making for Holiday Gifts Candy Cane & Peaches and Cream Bath Salts Check out Recipe Goldmine's Craft Page for some more great scented projects! Three Kings' Cake This is a spicy cake made in Germany at Christmas. A small gold crown is placed in the center. (Or try the gingerbread recipes up above under the Holiday Tradition section!) Spiced Citrus Drink Spiced Citrus Drink 2 cups powdered orange drink mix 1 (3 oz.) pkg. pre-sweetened lemonade mix 1 1/3 cup sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground cloves Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well. Keep in an air tight container. Makes about 3 1/2 cups of drink mix. To make one serving, stir teaspoons of mix in 1 cup of hot water. Enjoy! Christmas Fun! Snowfight 3D This game is for older kids (8 and up?) but only because it's a challenge to get the hang of. I haven't previewed much of it because, well, I couldn't get the hang of it! LOL But it looks and plays like a real video game. Neat! The Great American Christmas Quiz! Home Holiday Preparations Today's Tips: *Make sure you have enough film for taking photos if you haven't already started this season! Be sure to leave some money in your budget for developing your film, too. *Get craft supplies for scrapbooking so that you'll be able to create those Christmas pages as soon as the holidays are over...and you won't get behind! Movie Time A Christmas Carol There are so many versions of Charles Dickens' classic that you can have your pick! Even Disney has one. If you're not sure where to start, try the 1951 version called either A Christmas Carol or Scrooge with Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge. Home | Contact teachingmom 3.0    ©2003-2007 teachingmom.com All rights reserved. *Copies for personal home use permitted, however no part of the TeachingMOM Advent Calendar may be reproduced on the web or sold in any format. Permissions were personally granted, as necessary, for the use of images, articles, and book excerpts found within this portion of our website. Thank you.