The Week of Hope

Light the candle of Hope, the purple candle.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.   2 Thessalonians 2:16

Help your kids to write their autobiographies. Sit at a candlelit table with fresh paper and a nice pen. Sip hot chocolate. Assist them to start with their birth and move forward in time from there, highlighting the main events of their lives. Have a cookie when finished. Save these in your Christmas scrap book.      (Shopping list: paper or journal, pencil, pen or colorful markers, candle and matches, hot chocolate or cider, Christmas cookies)

Who Is That? Get two long handled wooden spoons from your baking drawer. Blindfold one person, and give them the two spoons. Place an unknown relative or friend in front of them, reminding the unknown person to keep silent. The person holding the spoons has to try to identify the other person only by touching them with the wooden spoons.

Fill a glass jar half full with colorful mints. Use as a candle holder.

Father in heaven, let us forget the cares of the world today and rejoice in your blessings. Fill our hearts with light and love and joy. Fill our cup to overflowing and draw us closer to you. Amen.

Crock pot Apple Butter. Mix the ingredients together and simmer in uncovered crock pot for 4-5 hours. Ingredients: 8 C applesauce, 3 C sugar, 1/8 C vinegar, 1 T cinnamon, ½ tsp ground cloves. Pour into a tempered glass jar, and allow it to  cool. Seal and store in refrigerator. Serve with your favorite holiday breads.

Norwegian Christmas tradition: Hide the brooms. Why? To prevent the witches from finding you, of course!

Click here for printable Advent page December 5, 2015.