Countdown to Christmas

Countdown to Christmas Paper Chain Links
By Julie Dossantos
Permission to photocopy granted for local church use. Download PDF or use content below. 

1. Give someone in your family a hug, just because you love them.
2. Offer to help your parents. For example, offer to set the table. Help them make their bed, as well as your own.
3. Tell your teacher "thank you" for teaching you. You can do this verbally or perhaps by writing him/her a thank you note.
4. Sing your favorite Christmas carol for your family. Invite them to sing along with you!
5. Read the Christmas story in the Bible with your family. Read Luke 2:1-20. Talk about how exciting that time must have been.
6. Before you go to bed tonight, think about three things that happened in your day that you're thankful for.
7. Go to the library and check out a Christmas movie to share with your family and/or friends.
8. Read about the Magi (or Wise Men) in Matthew 2:1-12. The Bible says they felt overjoyed when the saw Jesus. Imagine how you would have felt to have seen young Jesus.
9. Pray. Thank God for the many blessings you've received. God is your friend and loves you. You can tell God anything and everything.
10. Write a letter to a friend. Everyone loves receiving mail from a friend!
11. With your parent's permission, call a family member who lives far away just to say "hi" and to visit with them.
12. Draw a picture of what Jesus means to you. Display it in your room so that you will have it close to your heart.
13. Take a walk outdoors, with your family, to enjoy the fresh air. Take a good look around you at the many wonders that God has created.
14. Play the "humming game." Hum a favorite Christmas song and have your family take turns guessing which song it is. The person who guesses correctly gets to hum next! (This is a fun game to play in the car!)
15. Pray for peace. Ask God to give you peace in your heart. Ask God to give you wisdom when you make choices each and every day.
16. Make a gift for a friend or family member. It can be as simple as a hand-made card or drawing. Gifts that come from the heart are the best gifts of all.
17. Share your smiles today. Give your smiles away freely to your classmates, your teachers, your friends, and your family. Smiles are contagious!
18. Think of a service project your family can do together. Perhaps it's cleaning up litter in your neighborhood or school, or bringing dinner to a neighbor.
19. Write a thank-you note to someone who has made a positive difference in your life and mail it to him or her. It could be a teacher, a friend, your pastor, or relative. Let them know how much they mean to you.
20. Listen to music today and give thanks to God for the gift of music! Dance, sing, and make a joyful noise!
21. Do your chores without being asked. Think about other children around the world who maybe do not have a bed to make, or toys to put away, or clean clothes to fold. Consider how having work to do is a blessing.
22. Pray this prayer tonight before you go to bed: "Dear God, thank you for sending your Son Jesus into the world. Help me to share your love with everyone I meet. Amen."
23. Consider starting a Journal. It can be a simple notebook from a dollar store. In your Journal, you can write your ideas, your dreams, and your prayers.
24. Find a quiet, comfortable spot. Sit and rest for a few moments. Take a few deep breaths. Thank God for sending Jesus. Invite him into your heart.
25. Smile and know that God loves you!

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