The Christmas ABCs****

****If you happen to be Rebecca's in-laws, PLEASE refrain from reading this post until AFTER your gift exchange on the 27th. Okay, THANKS! I know, I shouldn't post presents, but I'm too excited!

Okay, so I don't know really if this counts as a do-it-yourself crafting post...and if the verdict by you lovely readers is that's it's NOT, well, SORRY! But I am SOOO uber stoked about this ginormous crafting project I've done up for a Christmas gift for my four beautiful, crazy, precious nieces I HAD to show it off and gloat.  I haven't even wrapped it yet 'cause I keep pulling it out to show it off when people pop by the house!

I'm pathetic, I know.
 
Anyway, the story goes like this:

I login to Facebook one day, well, not exactly minding my own business (isn't Facebook about minding everyone else's? I mean, really.) when I notice that I have un-dealt with event invitations. One of which is from a BYU roommate of mine (Hi, Elisha!) inviting me to the month-long "ABCs of Christmas." I'm like, WHAT the heck, I hate these invitation thingies.

Then I opened it.

SHEER BRILLIANCE. I LOVED it so much, I took the idea and turned it into a book for my nieces! And I absolutely will be making one this year for MY family to institute as one of our Christmas traditions!

Here, first, is the text from the event page (copied and pasted directly from, so these are totally Elisha's words, not mine!):


My sister sent me this idea to help our little one's learn about the true reason of Christmas. I think it is a great reminder for all of and will help us to remember the true reason we are celebrating this season, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Enjoy!

December 1st “A” is for angel – Luke 1:30-31, “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing,” and be and angel – do a secret deed.

December 2nd “B” is for bells – Luke 2:13-14, “I Heard the Bells,” and ring the bells – sing songs or add bells to your tree.

December 3rd “C” is for candle – Matthew 5:14-16, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Eat by candle light.

December 4th “D” is for drum - D&C 25:12, “The Little Drummer Boy.” Decide what to give Him (pa rum-pa-pum-pum).

December 5th “E” is for evergreen – Psalm 100:4, “O Christmas Tree.” Put up your evergreen tree.

December 6th F is for friendly beasts – Luke 1:26-38, 46, 47 “Away in a Manger” -2nd Verse. Feed the friendly beasts – make a bird feeder with peanut butter and seeds and hang in a tree.

December 7th G is for gingerbread- Luke 19:29-38, “Up on the Housetop.” Make a gingerbread house.

December 8th H is for hug – 1 Nephi 11:8-23, “Because I Have Been Given Much.” Give a hug and make cookies for a friend/neighbor.

December 9th I is for inn – Luke 2:1, 3-7, “O, Come all Ye Faithful.” Help someone in need.

December 10th J is for Joy – 3 Nephi 1:13, “Joy to the World.” Make a joyful noise – go caroling.

December 11th K is for kings – Psalms 24:9-10, “We Three Kings” Set up a nativity adding kings.

December 12th L is for lamb – Isaiah 40:11. “While Shepherds Watched.” Add lambs to the nativity.

December 13th M is for manger. Luke 2:12 and read the definition of “manger” in the dictionary.“Away in a Manger.” Add the manger and
Mary and Joseph to the nativity.

December 14th N is for names. Isaiah 7:14. “Tell me the stories of Jesus.” Names, names, names – address cards while listening to or watching the nutcracker.

December 15th O is for ornaments. Matthew 6:19-21. “Deck the Halls.” Decorate or make ornaments.

December 16th P is for presents. Matthew 7:11. “12 Days of Christmas.” Wrap or give presents.

December 17th Q is for quiet. Luke 2:19. “Silent Night.” Be quiet! Enjoy a puzzle, book or game at home.

December 18th R is for rod. Luke 2:8-18, 20. “Far, Far Away.” Make hot chocolate and stir it with a candy cane rod.

December 19th S is for Santa. Helaman 14:3. “Here Comes Santa Claus.” Visit Santa.

December 20th T is for twinkling stars. Helaman 14:5-6. “The First Noel.” See the lights or go to the planetarium.

December 21st U and W is for unto us. Isaiah 9:6. “Angels We Have Heard On High.” Unto us a child is born. Go to the visitor center on temple square or watch a live nativity.

December 22nd V is for visit. Matthew 2:1 -14. “With Wondering Awe.” Visit neighbors bearing gifts.

December 23rd X is for extra visitors. 1 Nephi 11:20-24. “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” Have extra people over to visit (play games,
dinner, or for FHE).

December 24th Y and Z - 3 Nephi 1:19 and John 3:17. Sing or read “The Night before Christmas.” Yawn and get some ZZZ's

Isn't that just FANTASTIC? I LOVE it!! 

So, I collected my enormous stash of Christmas scrapbooking paper (as usual, with me, everything I used was Close To My Heart paper and products soooo... there's their credit for that awesomeness!) fired up my Cricut (HIGHLY recommend using some sort of paper cutter for this - there are a LOT of letters, PHEW!), gave myself some rules as to what type of techniques I'm NOT allowed to use (I had 26 letters to double-page scrapbook, 'cause I'm insane, so my favourite distressing techniques - i.e. sanding - were OUTLAWED! hahaha) 

And here's what I got! 

E is for evergreen!  The list suggested putting up your evergreen tree, but I think on Dec 2 (B for bells) you're supposed to put bells on the tree....sooo I changed it and said to sit around the tree and say what you're thankful for this season. It goes with the scripture in Psalms. :-)

A is for angel - be an angel today and do a secret good deed!

G is for gingerbread, and one of my favourite pages!

Dec 24th it says to read "The Night Before Christmas" so I figured I'd better include that at the end of the book for easy access come story time! We HAVE to be all ready for Santa to come, and what better way to get ready than to read this classic?

We're a little strapped for cash this Christmas, so instead of using an actual scrapbook cover I made a cover, and then inside the page protector reinforced it with a couple extra pieces of cardstock, so it's not flimsy. Not that cardstock is overly flimsy, but you know, you want your front and back cover to have some, uh, "meat" to them.

And I used 1" binder rings to "bind" the book, and then decorated them by tying on oodles of red & green ribbons!

So there you have it! Unless you're the fastest worker ever there's probably NOT time to get this done for Christmas this year, but what a fabulous idea to help us focus our kids on what the heck this whole season is about - for Christian folk like my family, of course!  My wonderful 4-year-old daughter the other day, stood looking at my nativity scene set up near the Christmas tree and I'm told announced to my hubs "I don't like Jesus. I like Santa." hahahaha which is awesome and adorable - I'm so happy she can speak her mind so freely! - but hopefully next year we can start a new tradition in our home so she can see that while Santa's the super-FUN part of Christmas, he's not really what it's all about. Like when the Grinch realizes that maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store, but perhaps means a little bit more. :-)

Merry Christmas, everyone! Happy last-minute crafting! I have to quit blogging now so I can get back to finishing up my OTHER giant project that is NOT finished yet - oy WHY do I do this to myself every year? hahaha 

The Betties will be taking a blogging break over the Holidays - we'll be back in Januray. :-)

Cheers, all!