Day 16 Advent Candle: Light the first two candles and then the Shepherds' Candle. Bible Verses Luke 2:8-20 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. (NASB) As we celebrate joy during this week of Advent, we come to the shepherds who were chosen to receive the wonderful news about Jesus' birth by none other than God's own angels. After such a magnificent announcement, I'd say that they had no other choice than to do just what they did: "go straight to Bethlehem"! The significance of shepherds being the ones privileged to be visited by the heavenly host cannot be lost on us. Humble shepherds given the tidings of great joy about a Savior who would become the Good Shepherd. These men stand in great contrast to the men we read about yesterday, the wise magi. But both groups of men are captivated by the joyous news about Christ and are compelled to follow their hearts to look for Him. God uses both wise and esteemed, humble and lowly for His glory! Jesus is for ALL men (and women!) and this is at the heart of the message of the Christmas story! Next week, we'll return briefly to both the magi and the shepherds to discuss what they do with the news of joy they have received! (You probably know what next week's candle means, but you'll have to wait!) Article/Devotion The 12 Voices of Christmas--Shepherds The First Christmas Carol One of few Christmas sermons by Charles Spurgeon. This one is about the first Christmas "song", the announcement by the angels to the shepherds about the Messiah's birth! Dinnertime (or anytime!) Discussion In verse 19 above, we read that "Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart." That is a beautiful picture to me! I see Mary as a young woman realizing for the first time that this baby was hers...and this baby was for the world, too. She must have wanted to keep those memories in her heart as it dawned on her that little by little, Jesus would grow and begin to do God's work. On heart-shaped pieces of paper, have everyone in your family write down a memory that they have "treasured in their heart". Put them in a bowl or hat, mix them up and then take turns sharing some wonderful moments you've had together! These can be any family memories, Christmas memories or special moments in your walk with God, if you like. Word to Know Glory: (I thought I had chosen an easy word today! Look at all the defnitions of GLORY from Webster's 1828 Dictionary!) Book Suggestion A Certain Small Shepherd by Rebecca Caudill. An older book with simple illustrations about a mute boy who learns to speak for the first time. A couple seeking refuge from a blizzard in a nearby church delivers their baby--they represent Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem--and the miracle of birth isn't the only miracle that takes place! Have the tissues handy for this one. Advent Extras Art Nicolas Poussin is considered one of the founders of European Classicism, which has at its roots the work of the Renaissance. Poussin was a French painter from the 1600's who quickly grew tired of the fierce competition between artists for the Baroque altarpieces which were a hot commodity for churches and cathedrals across Europe. Although he trained and received his status as master painter in France, Poussin lived most of his life in Italy. His painting, above, is called "The Nativity" and the painting to the left is "Adoration of the Shepherds". In the 1630's, Poussin left his Baroque beginnings for a more classical style which captured his interest in ancient Roman civilization. One of his beloved subjects was mythology and it is interesting to note that the patron who commissioned some of his finest mythological paintings was the Cardinal Richlieu. He also painted many religious subjects, particularly historically relevant Biblical events. They often portray crucial moments in the lives of his subjects: the flight to Egypt for the Holy Family, Pharoah's daughter deciding to save baby Moses, Rebecca at the well as she is about to be chosen as Isaac's bride. Even in his later paintings of landscapes, the nobility of Roman architecture is one of Poussin's trademarks. He always felt that art should stimulate the intellect with the symbolism and order inspired by the art, literature and architecture of antiquity. Poussin was influenced by Titian and Raphael and, in turn, he influenced Jacques-Louis David, Paul Cezanne and other French painters for centuries to come. Christmas Carol or Hymn Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Charles Wesley, known as the founder of Methodism and writer of thousands of hymns, wrote a new Christmas composition in 1737. It was called "Hark! How All the Welkin Rings" and premiered in his church that year. Soon, the song grew in popularity among the growing Methodist churches and Wesley wanted to have it published. He turned to an old college friend, George Whitefield. George and Charles were many times at odds in how they presented the gospel; Whitefield was more charismatic and because he was banned from the Anglican churches, was forced to preach in open-air revival-like meetings. (He is credited with influencing the revival movement that later exploded in America!) His approach to the Scriptures was more liberal than Wesley's, too. When Wesley saw the unapproved changes to his Christmas song when Whitefield published it, he was furious! George Whitefield removed the term "welkin", an archaic Middle English word that meant "the vault of heaven" or the uppermost part of the sky. And instead of the heavenly host of Luke 2 simply praising God and giving Him glory, Whitefield had the angels sing their praises! Wesley never sang the new version of his song. But the original melody for "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" changed decades later when an admirer--and performer--of Felix Mendelssohn's work, William Cummings combined the music of two men who would never meet. Cummings put the lyrics of "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" by Charles Wesley to the melody of a song composed by Felix Mendelssohn which was written as a tribute to Johann Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press and the first printed Bible! Once again, a song which has become treasured the world over was brought together through the creativity of many. Holiday Tradition & History The History of Gift Wrap From Hallmark. 'Round the World at Christmas In Brazil, it is the custom to make a nativity scene called the "presépio", which is from the Hebrew word "presepium" meaning the bed of straw that Jesus slept upon after his birth. These nativity scenes can be found in many homes, businesses and churches all through the Christmas season. Often they are so large that they take up an entire room. Christmas comes in a very hot month in Brazil, so families may decorate trees with white cotton to resemble snow. The red and green colors of Christmas are provided by eucalyptus leaves and red flowers or berries. Many homes and stores are decorated simply with bright colorful fruits and flowers. Children make and carry tissue paper flowers--read below in our crafts section to learn how to make these! The country of Brazil does not have a national religion and the vast majority of its citizens are Roman Catholic. They celebrate Christmas with a Misa de Gallo mass at midnight. Before leaving their homes for the mass, though, families leave their prepared Christmas feast on the table so that while they are gone the Holy Family can have some! The midnight mass is a more traditional service and some families now choose to go to an earlier service and then eat their meal later at midnight. A beautiful custom adapted from an old practice of charity takes place at the midnight mass. Long ago, missionaries would bring foods that are white in color, such as potatoes, rice or bread, to the church to leave them for the poor who did not have food for Christmas dinner. Today, in remembrance of this sacrificial gift-giving and to represent the gift of everlasting life that Christ brings, those who attend mass bring a small gift wrapped only in white paper and place it in a manger at the altar. One tradition that is followed by many people is the equivalent of a "secret Santa". They call it "amigo secreto", or secret friend, and everyone enjoys trying to find out who will be giving them the small special gift. Those participating will send notes with fake names to their secret friend to throw them off track! Papai Noel is the one who brings gifts to the little children in Brazil. Many families are too poor to gift gifts, but usually a child will receive at least a piece of fruit in the shoes he or she has left out for Papai Noel. Other small gifts may be hidden all over the house as well. Families also enjoy the reenactment of Mary's donkey ride through Bethlehem, parades and large Christmas "trees" made of stringed lights attached to a tall pole in their villages. A game called "Ferol Bola", which is like badminton, is played with 2 large wooden paddles and a cork decorated with feathers (like the "birdie" in badminton) is a favorite of Brazilian children and many other outdoor games are played at Christmas because of the sunny weather! Coloring Pages, Cooking and Crafts Angels and Shepherds Activities This page has a few great crafts like a diorama with printable templates, an angel paper chain, and some coloring pages. Angel Paper Chain Here is another simple angel paper chain to make with a printable angel shape you can use. Shepherds' Puzzle Game Follow the instructions carefully for a message about the shepherds! Don't peek ahead! Shepherds Coloring Page Coloring page for little ones. The Angel's Announcement Use the code to figure out the angels' message. Paper Plate Angel Very cute, simple angel craft. How to Make Ribbon Bows Helpful illustrated guides to making your own bows! Some other great crafts, too. Making Tissue Paper Flowers Create beautiful paper flowers like they do in Brazil, Mexico and other Latin American countries at Christmas! Make Your Own Wrapping Paper This is a fun and easy craft that only takes paper, paint or ink pads and some creative materials for stamping images onto your paper! Kids really enjoy wrapping a gift in their own homemade paper. You can use butcher paper, freezer paper, tissue paper, brown paper from a grocery bag, newsprint or newspaper or even scraps of fabric. Here are some ideas for making a print on your paper: -Sponge paint over the entire paper or in a pattern. -Dip string or yarn in paint and lay it on the paper in a swirling patter (or in lines, whatever you like). Let it sit for a few seconds and then carefully lift up the string, leaving the pattern on your paper. -Cut and apple, orange or other fruit/vegetable in half and use as a stamp. Gold or silver paint looks especially nice! -Stamp with store-bought rubber stamps or make your own with a potato. -Use silk holly leaves (or other leaves, flowers, etc.) as a stamp, with ink or paint. -Dip baby (or mini) mittens in paint and use as a stamp. -Carefully splatter paint by flicking it off the end of a paintbrush or dipping a drinking straw in paint and then blowing it out onto the paper (NOT for little ones and make sure you use a drop cloth!) -Use a pretty metallic marker and simply write a Christmas message over and over in a pattern on the paper -Glue torn pieces of multi-colored tissue paper in a pattern or all over the paper to make it look like stained glass -Paint your paper in a solid color. Allow it to dry and then paint over top with another color. After the second color has dried, crumple up the paper and then smooth out...the bottom color shows through in a wonderful pattern! -Use stickers! -Glue doilies of different sizes onto your paper (colored paper is especially good) or cut out paper snowflakes to glue on. -Experiment with other materials: crayons, markers, puffy paint, chalk (spray with hair spray afterwards to ), glitter glue, stencils or...? Use your imagination! -Make a popcorn and cranberry garland design on your paper by stamping with packing peanuts (in white) and alternating with a round shape (in red). You can use a cranberry cut in half for the round shape if you like. *These ideas can be used on gift bags as well! Christmas Fun! Christmas Fun at thekidzpage.com Some simple online games for kids like Memory and Concentration. Willy Wonka Candy Factory This is a fun site to explore. It has a few holiday games, too. Home Holiday Preparations Today's Tips: *As you receive Christmas cards, be sure to write down any new addresses into your address book, or make changes to old ones as necessary. *While doing all of your Christmas baking, get rid of old spices and staples that may have outlived their shelf lives and stock up on new ones. *Make ahead and freeze any extra cookie dough or other items that you might need to bring out and thaw for last minute gifts or guests! (And while you're at it, declutter your freezer!) Movie Time Little House on the Prairie Christmas 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.