Newsletter Resources

December, 2004
Activity for December
Karla Carmichael, Ph. D.
carmichaelcounseling.com

The Advent Calendar has been used for centuries to mark the days until Christmas.  
Many times this calendar has small gifts or pieces of candy attached to be removed
each of the 25 days of Christmas.   Not all cultures celebrate Christmas, but many
may celebrate the holiday season in other ways.

Christmas, Chanukah, or Kwanzaa or other seasonal celebration may be the theme of
this idea built on the Advent theme.  Other suggestions may include the counting of
days of Lent, Ramadan, or days until Rohatsu.  Rather than provide toys or pieces of
candy, a moral, scripture, adage, or other appropriate writing may be provided to
help mark the days for children.  Some children may find that waiting until their
birthdays are a time to look inside the little pockets for word of encouragement or
empowerment.

One takes an appropriate picture and then cuts small three sided flaps in the picture.  
Then placing another piece of paper behind each flap so that a pocket is formed.  
Inside each pocket a verse, scripture, moral, or empowering statement is written on a
piece of paper for the child to read each day.  Each of the flaps is numbered with the
date that the flap can be opened.