The Twelve Days of Christmas Series day 10 Place cards and being a child of God

12 Days of Christmas Series

Day 10 Place cards and being a child of God

During Advent, our local supermarket put out their magazine with recipe ideas and of course how we can spend our money at their store in preparation for Christmas. One of their articles the 12 days of Christmas disappointed me because they had used the carol' The Twelve Days of Christmas' and used it to mean the twelve days before Christmas, not the twelve days after Christmas- Christmastide.  Obviously, there is more money to be made before Christmas than after for a supermarket.

In my twelve days of Christmas series, I quote from the article 'Fresh Food Kids' and then add a spiritual connection to help us remain in the season of Christmastide.  Christmas is not just a day as the shops would like us to believe.  Jesus is the reason for the season.

DAY 10 PLACE CARDS AND BEING A CHILD OF GOD.

ACTIVITY: TO MAKE PLACE CARDS

INGREDIENTS
3 cups of plain flour, 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, 2 teaspoons of ground Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves, 115g unsalted butter, 3/4 cups golden syrup, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 egg

." 1. Sift flour, baking powders and spices into a medium bowl. Melt butter, golden syrup and brown sugar.  Add to flour mixture with egg and stir until combined.  Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
 2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Roll out 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut rolled out dough into rectangles 8cm x 5 cm and make a hole in 1 corner using the end of a skewer.  Bake for about 8 minutes then cool and decorate.

 3. Decorate with melted milk chocolate, milk and white chocolate melts, milk and white choc bits and raspberries sweets."

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT: BEING A CHILD OF GOD.

Either before or after the children make their place cards, you may wish to think about the decoration on the place card so that it reflects the person and his/her personality. What is unique about this person? What are his/her gifts and talents? Why is this person special to you? Why is this person so special to God?

Scripture tells us " Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears. we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2).

You might like to help your children to explain to them that everyone on earth is a work in progress. We do not necessary like everyone, but we try our best to love them for God's sake, since God made them in His own likeness.  They, like us are a work in progress. Just as we want others to see the best in us, we need to look with God's eyes when we are with other people. God lives in each person since He made them and God loves each person equally.

You might like to offer the following prayer or a spontaneous one of our own.

Loving God, I am Your child since You made me in Your own likeness.
I thank you for Your creation of me and for loving me.
Give me Your eyes to see the people for whom I have made the place cards,
To value their uniqueness, talents and gifts
and to remember that You are living in them as You live in me.