Santa's Cookies

It has been fun with the kids this year! They are just so excited about everything when it comes to Christmas. This Christmas eve we made santa's cookies, played games, and watched movies. It was pretty fun!! Here we are doing Santa's Cookies.... Aunt Teeny and Aunt Sequoia helped us!!!

Mitch was the taste tester!! Lets just say we finally bribed these boys to get off the computer and help us by telling them they couldn't have any if they didn't help. So they did a few.
Austin's master piece (no worries folks, Austin is allowed 2 cookies, his own knife and his own frosting so we don't have to share Austin slobbers with everyone)The kids setting out cookies for Santa -- Alivia loved this and she was very good at doing this task. I think it is officially her responsibility now!
The kids with there treats for santa before bed!

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!!!!

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Teach the Children

This was our FHE lesson tonight -- it really humbled me and I decided it will be an ongoing tradition to read this -- It is not only the children who need to learn this but I think I need to be reminded of it. It is quite long but it is a great story to help understand the meaning of Christmas!

Teach the Children
author unknown
Last Monday night I had a strange visitor. This is how it happened....

I had just finished up the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door of the front room and to my suprise a special visitor stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He place his fingers over my lips so I would not cry out. "what are you doing?" I started to ask, but the words choked up in my throat as I saw that he had tears in his eyes. He then answered me with the simple statement of "teach the children".

I was puzzeled. What did her mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement. brought a miniture toy bad from behind the tree. As I stood there in my night shirt bewildered the visitor said again. "Teach the children"

My perplexed expression still showed in the near darkness. "Teach them the old meaning of Christmas--the meaning that Christmas nowadays has forgotten".

I started to say "how can I?" when the visitor reached into the toy bag and pulled out a brilliant shiny star.

"Teach the children the star was the Heavenly sign or promise long ago. God promised a Savior for the world and a sign of the fulfillment of his promise. The countless shinning stars at night-- one for each man --now show the burning hope of all mankind"

The visitor gently laid the star upon the fireplace mantle and drew forth the from the bag a glittering red Christmas ornament.

"Teach the children red is teh first color of Christmas. It was first used by the faithful people to remind them of the bloodwhich was shed for all people by the Savior. Christ gave his life and shed his blood that every man might have God's gift to all eternal life. Red is deep, intense. vivid. It is the greatest color of all. It is the symbol of the gift of God."

As the visitor was twisting and pulling another object out of his bag. I heard the kitchen clock begin to strike twelve. I wanted to something but he went right on.

"Teach teh children" he said, as the twisting and pulling suddenly dislodged a small Christmas tree from teh depths of the toy bag. He placed it before the mantel and gently hung the red ornament.

Here was the second color of Christmas. "The pure color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round." he said. "This depicts the everlasting hope of mankind. Green is the youthful. hopeful. abundant color of nature. All teh needles point heavenward---symbolic of man's returning thoughts toward heaven. The great green tree has been man's furniture.

The visitors eyes were beginning to twinkle now as he stood there. Suddenly I heard a soft tinkling sound. As it grew louder it seemed like the sound of long ago.

"Teach the children that as teh lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell. So should it ring for man to return to the lord--it means guidance and return. It furthur signifies that all are precious in the eyes of the Lord. Who is there among you if his son asks for bread would give him a stone?'

As the soft sharp sound of the bell faded into the night the visitor drew forth a candle. He placed it on the mantle and the soft glow from its tiny flame cast an eerie glow about the darkened room. Odd shapes in the room slowly danced and weaved upon the walls.

"Teach the children." whispered the visitor. That the candle shows man's thanks for the star of long ago: it's small light is teh mirror of the star light" "At first candles were placed on the Christmas tree---they were like many glowing stars shinning against the taken over in that remembrance."

The visitor now had turned the small Christmas tree lights on and picked up a gift from under the tree. He pointed to the large bow ribbon and said, " A bow is placed on a present to remind us of the spirit of the brotherhood of man. We should remember that the bow is tied as man should be tied---all of us together, with the bonds of good will toward each other. Good will forever is the message of the bow."

Now my mind began to wonder what else the visitor might have in his bag. Instead of reaching in his bag he slung it over his should and began to reach up on the Christmas tree. I thought he was hungry as he reached for a candy can purposely placed on the high on the tree. He unfastened it and reached out toward me with it.

"Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherd's crook. The crook on the staff helps bring back the strayed sheep of the fold. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brothers keepers."

The visitor then paused. He seemed to realize that he should be on his way. As he looked about the room a feeling of satisfaction shined on his face. He read wonderment in my eyes and I am sure he sensed my admiration for this night. He was his old self as he approached the front door. The twinkle in his gave the visitor away. I knew he wasn't through yet. He reached into his bag and brought forth a large holly wreath. He placed it at the door and said.

"Please teach the children the wreath symbolized the eternal nature of love; it never ceases, stops or ends. It is continous round of affection. The wreath does double duty. It is made of many things and in many colors. It should remind us of many things of Christmas." "PLEASE teach the children"

I pondered and wondered and thrilled with delight. as I sat and viewed all those symbols that night. And my thoughts were of the visitor and all he made right.
To give and help, to love and to serve, are the best things of life, all men can deserve. Jesus the Christ Child as small as an elf, is the very best symbol of Christmas itself.
He's the sign of the gift of love and of life, the ending of evil, the ceasing of strife.
The message to me on the is pre Christmas night has opened a treasure of the deepest insight.

The one thing on earth we all ought to do, is the teaching of children the right and the the true.

This really opened my eyes and I realized I was completely forgetting to teach my children the real meaning of Christmas. Not that I didn't want to but because I wasn't sure how to. This was a fun way that touched both myself and the kids. I am so greatful for all the savior has done for me and I hope that I remember these symbolisms made in this story as I go through the rest of the season!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!