Monday, November 30, 2009

Christmas...in your own way (links)

Just a note: Do or don't do Christmas. That is a personal choice. I go back and forth on this 'holiday' here, but it all comes down to perceptions and traditions. I like a tree, decorated with handmade ornaments, lots of lights...all that showy stuff. I have very special remembrances that go along with each ornament we place on our tree. I have special family memories of just getting the tree (ok, here in Mississippi I'm getting a "fresh cut" northern tree and not walking through the snow at the local tree farm...I do miss that...it's just not the same pulling in to Lowe's, kwim?)

I do not believe one is somewhat less Christian by decorating for the season in their traditional way. Just as there are a handful of Christians out there trying to tie some form of christianity to those vampire movies so popular now. Please...if you can lay any claim to a vampire's life as being somehow an inner struggle and deep choice over good and evil, I can certainly connect Christ to an evergreen, white lights, bells, angel decorations, gifts and His Birthday which by the way brought the Ultimate GIFT with it.

So, let's just agree that we disagree. I will do my thing, you will do yours and life will still roll along as it always has.

Now...EasyFunSchool has some great winter pages set up...
They have some Advent verses laid out daily
There are Christmas Pages, with units for The Names of Jesus, a unit on a Blessed Christmas, one of the legends of the Candy Cane, more fun crafts, mini unit studies, reading stories, recipes for popcorn balls, cookies, gumdrops, holiday candies, coloring pages, word searches, crosswords and other fun stuff than you could ever use in one season!

There is a geat Christmas traditions PDF file to download as well.

And one of our seasonal favorites...A Christmas Carol, by Dickens. EasyFunSchool has a whole section devoted to a great unit study, the entire text online, added resources you can use and more. Their Christmas pages (shared above) have several resources as well with word searches and more. We downloaded a huge unit study a while back from somewhere (sorry...no idea where it came from now) and will be starting it this afternoon after regular schooling is done. We will be reading the book, as well as watching a couple of the many movies of the same name. Our personal family favorites are the 1951 Alastair Sim version (we prefer the black and white one), and the 1999 Patrick Stewart version. There are several 'guides' for using the book in the classroom, too, if you are so inclined.

We even found a neat Victorian Christmas site with crafts, decorating ideas, recipes and more.

If you have a great Christmas craft or recipe site to share, please leave me a comment. We are always looking for more fun ways to decorate and craft...and eat...around here!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I absolutely agree with what you have said about Christmas - each family celebrates or doesn't celebrate Christmas in their own way.

I posted about Jesus and Frosty the Snowman, and it is very interesting to see the differing views of other people. I have included the url just in case you want to see the post.

http://homeschooling4christ.blogspot.com/2009/11/out-with-jesus-in-with-frosty-snowman.html

Blessings,
Jillian

Jer.6:16

Jeremiah 6:16
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.

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