Come, Follow Me Teaching Resources, An Analogy, and a Personal Story about Service Based on D&C 81-83 (July 27)

 This blogpost features some resources, an analogy, and a personal story to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for  July 21-27,  which includes Doctrine and Covenants 81-83.    Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.

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CHRISTLIKE SERVICE 

This is a topic that's near and dear to my heart, because I've been blessed many times over by people selflessly giving Christlike service to our family.   I've gathered some of my favorite talks, quotes, and shared a personal story that you may find helpful if you are preparing a lesson or talk on the topic of service.  These resources are  based on the two sections in the Come, Follow Me manual this week, entitled:  "The Savior has given me much and requires much of me," and "thou wilt do the greatest good unto thy fellow beings."     

THE BEATING HEART - LOVE/SERVICE ANALOGY
One function of the heart is to beat oxygen rich blood to the entire body, but another, equally important function, is to receive blood so it can be oxygenated again. The heart only works when it is giving and receiving blood effectively.

Service is much the same way.   We all would like to live in a state where we are endlessly giving selfless acts of service to others, but that's not how our lives generally go.  Sometimes we need, literally need like our bodies need oxygen, to be open to receiving service from others.    

Being on the receiving end of service can be humbling, but it should absolutely not be viewed as weakness.  Just as our hearts can't function without receiving blood to be re-oxygenated, we go through seasons of life, when we need to allow others to share their oxygen with us.    Being on the receiving end of service, has made me appreciate the small and simple efforts all the more.   I am one who often gets caught up in wanting my service to be big or "pretty", and I sometimes let that desire for perfection hold me back.   Now I realize that it’s better to reach out and do something...anything...no matter how small and imperfect my efforts might be, because a heart that's starving for oxygen (or a person who's in the middle of a heartbreaking trial) just needs something/anything to know that they are loved and not forgotten.   

 MY PERSONAL STORY ABOUT RECEIVING SERVICE: 

As any of you longtime followers knows, when our oldest son was in the hospital with an aggressive form of leukemia, we had the blessing of being on the receiving end of many hours of loving service. People brought us meals, mowed our lawn, gave our kids rides, etc. Those were all beautiful, unglamorous acts of service that very much lit up our world and made it so we could keep our heads above water in what was otherwise a very upside down and difficult time for our family. 

He was 16 when he was diagnosed and his cancer was aggressive enough that he lived full-time in the hospital for months on end. This meant no school, no seminary, no sports...just long days and nights in the hospital where he was often stir-crazy, miserable with the side effects of his treatments, and mostly just deeply deeply lonely.

But there was one bright spot in his weeks… Every Sunday his entire priest's quorum jumped into cars for the third hour of church, drove the 10-miles to the hospital, brought us the sacrament, and had the priest’s quorum lesson with him in his hospital room. They did this week after week, for months on end….adding extra time onto their busy Sundays.   They were a light not only to us, but to the doctors and nurses who were amazed at these well-dressed teens that showed up every Sunday to give Spencer a small moment of almost normalcy each week. We never would have asked for anyone to make that sacrifice for us, but that’s a huge part of what made it all the more meaningful. Those Young Men and their leaders recognized that what Spence needed more than signed cards wishing him to get well soon, was light, friendship,and, more than anything else, the feeling that he still belonged somewhere. 

I think often at what a powerful lesson those young men leaders taught those boys. Instead of just hearing about Christ’s example and about how good it is to serve, they lived it. They sacrificed their time and ministered to the one. Sometimes we get these grand notions of trying to change the world, but I’m here to say that there is no “world” as a single entity--there are only 6 billion individuals in the world having individual experiences. And those young men absolutely changed Spencer’s world and ours. Our testimonies were strengthened because of their love and service.

That’s what service is all about….it’s about LOVE and action for the one! Jesus didn’t wait around to serve only those he deemed worthy. He didn’t seek to do it in front of an audience. Or wait until it was more convenient for Him. He took what he had--sometimes just some spit and some mud--and he loved. He listened. He healed. He got messy. And in those boys' cases (one of whom is now our son-in-law), they added on time to their already long Sundays to show a peer that he wasn't forgotten!  

SCRIPTURES TO READ:  

  "And in doing these things thou wilt do the greatest good unto thy fellow beings, and wilt promote the glory of him who is your Lord.  Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees."  Doctrine and Covenants 81:4-5 

"For of him unto whom much is given much is required;" Doctrine and Covenants 82:3

 “When you are in the service of your fellow being, you are in the service of our God” Mosiah 2:17

“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40
 
  “Love thy neighbor as thyself”. Matthew 22:37-39


QUOTES: 
 “To help us better love one another, I would like to suggest four words to remember: “First observe, then serve.”  Linda Burton

“Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day of His life. He did not remove Himself from the crowd. Being amidst the people, Jesus reached out to the one. He rescued the lost. He didn’t just teach a class about reaching out in love and then delegate the actual work to others. He not only taught but also showed us how to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”  Elder Uchtdorf

 “. . . Having charity and caring for one another is not simply a good idea. It is not simply one more item in a seemingly infinite list of things we ought to consider doing. It is at the core of the gospel—an indispensable, essential, foundational element.” Elder Uchtdorf

TALKS TO STUDY
"First Observe, Then Serve" by Linda K. Burton (one of my favorite talks ever on service)
"You Are My Hands" by Elder Uchtdorf

ORIGINAL CFM PRINTABLE ACTIVITY SHEET 

THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITY SHEET LINK (in case it's not showing below)




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Be sure to bookmark this site and come back every week for more Come, Follow Me resources!  

Enjoy learning the Gospel together! 

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What Does it Mean to Be Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause? And a CFM Activity Sheet for D&C 58-59 (Jun 8)

This blogpost features some thought and resources about what it means to be "anxiously engaged in a good cause", which could be helpful if you are preparing a talk or a lesson on this topic.  In addition, at the end, there is a half-sheet activity page to complement the Come Follow Me (CFM) reading for June 2-8, which includes D&C 58-59.   These activity sheets are perfect for introducing or reviewing the material for this week.  Click here for an index and links to my CFM blogposts for other weeks.
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ANXIOUSLY ENGAGED IN A GOOD CAUSE

In D&C 58:27, it reads, "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;"

This is a scripture we hear a lot in the church and, I’ll be honest, sometimes I’m hit with feelings of guilt when I hear it, because I think of all the good things I’m not doing. But, I’m not so sure that that’s how it’s meant to make us feel, so let’s dive in a little….

I actually really liked the A.I. summary that google gave me on what it means to be "anxiously engaged."

"Being anxiously engaged in a good cause means actively and zealously working towards a positive and worthwhile purpose, often driven by a strong sense of conviction and a desire to make a difference. It suggests a proactive approach, where individuals are not waiting to be told what to do but are seeking out opportunities to contribute and improve the world around them."

It is a pretty good summary, but I’m still left wondering what anxiously engaging in a good cause looks like in our everyday lives? What is a good cause? How can we be anxiously engaged when our life is full of so many distractions?

Of course the answers to these questions are nuanced and partially depend on the current circumstances of our lives, but there are a few universal truths here that can be applied no matter where we are in our journey.

TRUTH #1: FEAR IS NOT FROM GOD.
The word anxious has multiple meanings and I believe that God does not want us to have a sense of fear or foreboding when we are thinking about how we can get engaged in good causes. The definition of anxious we are meant to embrace is “ardently or earnestly wishing; with eagerness.” It changes things to look at that phrase through that lens. We should absolutely eagerly look for ways we can serve and help others, but out of love, not fear or guilt.

TRUTH #2: OUR LIVES ARE FILLED WITH GOOD CAUSES.
At the time I am writing and researching this topic, April 2025 General Conference was just a few days ago, so it was hard not to think of our church leaders who literally live their entire lives dedicated to building up the kingdom of God. It is their calling to be anxiously engaged on a full-time basis. And a few months ago, I sent off a missionary, who is diligently serving the people of Ventura, California. She is also anxiously engaged in serving God on a full-time basis.

Of course, most of us will never have the opportunity to serve in such a full-time capacity as the General Authorities that speak in General Conference. We are everyday people with everyday struggles, like raising kids, holding down jobs, helping out with aging parents, and a million things that can easily take up our time.

And that’s the point.

Raising our kids, supporting our families, dealing with problems that arise, and helping our parents, absolutely are good causes and there will be times in our lives when that is all we can do. And that’s okay. Focus on what matters most, keep your hearts and eyes open for good causes you may be called to be a part of, but don’t feel guilt when your life is the good cause! Taking care of your families and helping them come to Christ is one of the best causes there is!

TRUTH #3: THERE ARE AS MANY WAYS TO GET ENGAGED IN GOOD WORK AS THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE PLANET.
So many messages in General Conference  included beautiful accounts of people who are "anxiously engaging" in the work. I loved Elder Uchtdorf's account of him visiting a small branch with a nonmember friend and at first being a little embarrassed by the imperfect talks and lessons, then later being amazed when the friend remarked on none of that, but rather commented on how loving and welcoming the members had made her feel. That was thought provoking to me. How often do we worry about making everything as perfect as can be and we lose sight of what really matters? What really matters, of course, is helping bring others (and ourselves) to Christ. Well prepared talks and lessons are a wonderful way to do that, but so is helping people feel loved and welcomed. Each of us is unique and each of us will find different ways to be "anxiously engaged". And there are many good causes that may not be affiliated with the church.

Last, but not least, let’s not forget the verse after, which reads: 
"For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward."  D&C 58:28

That's a powerful promise.  As we allow God to work through us to bring to pass much righteousness, we are promised the greatest gift of all! 

What are your favorite ways to engage in the work?   Feel free to share below! 

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I thought this video would be a great accompaniment to a lesson on this topic. 

VIDEO PERFORMANCE OF "HAVE I DONE ANY GOOD IN THE WORLD TODAY": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oih_GBF2u4A



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PRINTABLE CFM ACTIVITY SHEET

These activity sheets are designed to print double-sided and cut in half.  They're perfect for reviewing or introducing the content found in the Come, Follow Me reading each week and would be great used in a classroom or home setting.   I have no children at home, nor do I have a calling working with youth, so I copy these to be handed out with the sacrament programs each week.  Kids, teens, and adults enjoy them. 

HERE IS A LINK TO THE ACTIVITY PAGE (in case it's not showing below): 



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BE SURE TO BOOKMARK THIS SITE AND COME BACK EACH WEEK FOR MORE "COME, FOLLOW ME" RESOURCES! 

Enjoy learning the Gospel together!

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What We Did on Our Humanitarian Trip to Africa

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”   Margaret Mead

I've had a ton of people ask us for more details about the humanitarian trip to Uganda our family participated on this past Christmas. It was an incredible, life-changing experience, and I don't think my words or pictures could ever do it justice, but I thought I'd try to share a little glimpse of it here for those who are curious.    (Read this other post if you're interested in hearing about how this trip came to be)

We went on this trip  with high expectations and it exceeded them all.   We'd forgone our Christmas presents to help make the trip possible and I have to say that it ended up being the perfect mix of work and play, especially for the more hesitant of us in our family. Just when we were completely exhausted from the long days of service, we had the opportunity to do something fun. I thought that the organization we worked with (Family Humanitarian) has the right idea--get people to the country, introduce them to the locals, and get their feet wet in doing some good. Though the work we did was focused on a small group of people, I wholeheartedly feel that the work we did was impactful for the people we interacted with AND now they've got a whole big group of vested people who care and are looking for ways to continue to contribute and make a difference. People who have been on the ground, seen the problems first hand, and developed a love for the people are ones that are poised to make an even bigger impact in the future.

Uganda has one of the highest birth rates in the world, and only 22% of the population has access to electricity and about 30% have access to clean water. Most of their population lives in rural, agrarian communities, and as such very few Ugandans are able to attend school for very long. They’re needed for help taking care of household tasks and with the care of their siblings (I can’t even tell you how many young kids we saw taking care of babies).

  One day we sat with a family to de-kernel corn with them--a task which was surprisingly difficult for us--and watched with amazement as their 4-year-old daughter was able to do it far more efficiently than we could! She'd clearly had plenty of practice.  And I have to say that after helping a family tote their {very heavy} water jugs from the local well about 1/2 mile away I was humbled to think how little thought we give to turning on a faucet here at home while they spend much of their time and energy getting the water their families need.    Additionally, many of the adults we talked to lamented that their families had not been able to pay their school fees and thus had their education cut much shorter than they wanted. Just like any parent anywhere, they wanted more for their children.

We had two main objectives in our service (in no particular order).

1.  help a local Uganda-based organization with clean water training and water filter installation

2.  help with projects at a school  that is being funded by Family Humanitarian but is being built primarily by local skilled labor


 Here's a glimpse in a little more detail what each of those looked like...

OBJECTIVE #1:  Clean water and hygiene training:
We worked with a Ugandan organization on this project. The local organization had a structure in place, as well as a list of who in the community hadn't received the training and the water filters yet. They had us, from Family Humanitarian, teaching a series of lessons on hygiene and clean water to small groups of locals. Because we were in small groups, we had the opportunity to be interactive and to answer questions. They shared with us some of the struggles they face accessing clean water and how heartbreaking it was for their children to be sick with diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, all of which still kill people in Africa regularly and can be prevented with better access to clean water. It was eye-opening and humbling.

After the training, we were able to work one-on-one with people and show them how to use and install a simple water filter affixed to a bucket. Though these water filters are simple, they are also durable, effective, and 100% operable and maintainable independently by the families that received the filters. They last about 10 years and filter out 99.99% of harmful pathogens. The families we left the filtration units with can simply pour their water (straight from the river, community well, or wherever) into the bucket and VOILA clean water comes out through the filter ready to drink. Family Humanitarian donates the buckets and water filters and coordinates with the Ugandan organization to distribute them. The people are absolutely thrilled to receive the filter and bucket and many expressed how much it meant to them to know that their families would have clean water now.

OBJECTIVE #2:  Help with projects at a primary school being funded by Family Humanitarian:

"EDUCATION IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO REDUCE POVERTY AND IMPROVE HEALTH, GENDER EQUALITY, PEACE AND OVERALL STABILITY." 

 Quote from Family Humanitarian website 

The school is being funded by Family Humanitarian but is actually being built by locals. We were there to help with several projects related to the construction and preparation of the school to be opened.

 

 We helped move some heavy materials to where they needed to be (many hands make light work), we helped build the latrine, built and stained some bookshelves, and most meaningful of all...got to help fill those bookshelves with books we'd brought from home! Family Humanitarian believes strongly in education over handouts and we were thrilled to be able to contribute to that school's ability to provide an education for the children in their community.

The community members were so EXCITED about that school being built and we talked to several proud parents who were thrilled that their children would have the opportunity to go to school for the first time. In fact, interacting with the members of the community that lived around the school was one of our very favorite parts about our time there. At any given time, some or all of our group was holding, entertaining, and playing with the children who swarmed us the second we stepped off the bus. We weren't allowed to give them food, candy, toys, or handouts of any kind, so they weren't clamoring for things, as much they were just clamoring to be held or talked to.  We colored together, painted their nails, played ball with them, sang songs and danced with them, read books, and just played like all kids everywhere like to play.

 

 

 Most of the younger kids did not speak English yet and wanted to just hold our hands or jump into our arms and snuggle. Most of the older kids spoke at least a little English  and they seemed just eager to be near us and to talk to us. As a family full of introverts, being surrounded by people for so long was tiring, but our exhaustion was tempered with the awe we felt. These people had so very little--and were still glowing with happiness.

 
I feel like I need to be honest that this trip did not come without difficult emotions. From the moment we arrived, it was painful to be confronted with our own privilege in such a stark way. It hurt to be surrounded by so many hungry children while we had backpacks full of snacks to eat between our three square meals every day. Thoughts of “are we really doing any good” were ample as we returned to our gated, guarded lodging (complete with a private chef and running water) each night while the kids we spent the whole day with went to sleep on the dirt ground. I can understand why so many people have concerns about "voluntourism" and whether humanitarian trips such as this one actually do any good. To people with those concerns, I would like to say two things:

•  We were very intentional about choosing an organization  that aligned with our ideals and did what we believed was the "right" kind of service. Family Humanitarian is very cognizant of making sure that the service they support is impactful, sustainable, and does not foster dependence. They work side-by-side with Ugandan based organizations to make sure their service is making a difference where it matters and really focus on educating and empowering the locals to improve their own lives. I loved that they hire locals to lead the expeditions. Our expedition leaders, cooks, drivers, etc. were all locals. The actual builders and director of the school they are building are locals too.

• Despite choosing the best organization we could find, we still felt our share of guilt and constantly wondered if we were really doing the most we could to help the people we were serving. I think that’s the whole point of trips like this; in battling these emotions we found an increased empathy for people who really aren’t so different from us. In the discomfort of facing our privilege, we were able to break down cultural barriers and exist with the Ugandan people in their reality as they welcomed us into their homes, communities, and lives. It is obvious that we gained just as much if not more from the people we were serving than they did… and I think that makes the importance of this trip even more obvious. We don’t serve just for others, we serve to change our own hearts.

We left our time there with blistered hands, clothes caked in the red dirt, and our hearts and eyes opened to the beautiful Ugandan people. I don't think anyone needed us to be there to accomplish the work that we did, but we needed to be there to let these experiences and people sink deep into the chambers of our hearts. We needed to see how much we take for granted in our comfortable lives. We needed to see that the people in Sub-Saharan Africa are just like the people everywhere else in the world. They are intelligent, loving, hard-working, and just want a better life for their children. We didn't change the world, but I believe that we absolutely did make a difference in the lives of the people with whom we were fortunate enough to work.   If you ever get the chance to do this kind of trip with your family, jump at it.    You'll never be the same.

“Do a little bit of good where you are. It is those little bits of
good put together that overwhelm the world.”   Desmond Tutu

How Our Humanitarian Trip to Africa Came to Be

For a long time, I've longed to take our family on a humanitarian trip.  I talked to friends and looked into many options over the years, but never found one that seemed like a good fit for our family. Then sometime last year I heard about an organization called, "Family Humanitarian."

Family Humanitarian was everything we were looking for.   They are not interested in just bandaid fixes that cover problems and don't do any real long-term good.  They strictly forbid their participants from bringing handouts and  they earnestly seek to work with local organizations and people to do projects that are sustainable and focus on education.   I loved the idea that we would be busy and engaged in doing and supporting a good cause, but in a way that did not harm the local economy or make the people we were serving more reliant on others.   The goal is education, health, and self-reliance.   Add to that that they are family friendly and include some cool sightseeing trips on the side, and it was the perfect balance of work and play we were looking for and we decided to go for it.  
Family Humanitarian offers a variety of options for locations and timing of  service expeditions.   With kids in college or working, one that hopes to leave on a mission at the end of the school year, and Glen with an intense job, we really felt like Christmas was the only option for timing for us.   Location wise we were drawn to Peru and Uganda with Uganda being our strong preference, but since only Peru had a scheduled expedition at Christmas, that's where we put our efforts.   We researched, discussed our budget and other considerations,  made the decision, and signed up.  But we were too late.   We had no idea that the trips filled so fast. 

 I had felt such strong impressions that our family needed to do this trip, it was discouraging to only be on the waiting list, but still we held out hope that something would work out.   In the meantime, we decided to keep our Christmas calendar completely open.  I didn't even buy the kids their tickets home from college, because I wanted to be sure about dates before committing to anything. 

Sure enough, somewhere along the way we were contacted and informed that, because there were so many people on the waiting list, that they were considering opening up another expedition or two at Christmastime.   We were totally thrilled when Uganda was mentioned as one of those potential add-on trips.  A trip to Guatemala was the first to get added.   We considered it, but reluctantly decided to wait to see if Uganda would open up too.  Eventually it did... but only if they could get the minimum number of participants to commit.  

At this point, the spiritual impression that this was something that our family needed to do had only grown stronger.   We jumped at the chance and hoped and prayed that other families would feel the same pull, so that the trip could happen.

We didn't hear officially that the trip was a go until mid-October, a fact which was frustrating to me as the planner and organizer of our family, but we were truly so excited that it was hard to focus on the frustrating aspect of it.  

At that point, it was full speed ahead with buying plane tickets, getting the right vaccinations, visas, preventative medications, etc...all with us living in different states.    Stay tuned for the next blogpost, which will be about some of those preparations...

12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas for Families

One of our family's favorite Christmas traditions is surprising a friend or neighbor with  12-days of Christmas fun!   We've been doing it now for several years and my kids won't let us go through a Christmas season anymore without it.  When a friend recently mentioned wanting to start the tradition in her family and not really knowing where to begin, I thought I would compile some of the things we've learned over the last few years and share it with all of you. 

Choosing your recipient.   We take this step pretty seriously and have each member of the family give their input a couple of weeks beforehand.  We then pray about the names and decide who will be the recipient.  We don't  choose who we think is the neediest, but usually someone who is new or we feel could use a little pick-me-up or TLC.   After a family has been chosen, we try to do a little reconnaissance to make sure they're going to be in town through Christmas Eve.   This could also be fun to do for your own family. 

 Planning. After we decide who we're going to surprise, we sit down in a family meeting and plan each day's gifts out , marking it on the calendar what we're going to do.  It's helpful if the parents have done a little pre-planning and have some ideas to suggest, as well as having a budget in mind.  After you've decided what you want to do, I highly recommend purchasing everything in advance, so that you're not stuck at 7:00pm on some crazy night right before Christmas with nothing to give.   

Notes.  We usually write silly little poems to go with each night, but it isn't necessary at all.  Each delivery could simply have a note that reads, "On the seventh night of Christmas, the elf brought to you seven...."  or you could print off these cute printable tags that I found.

Packaging:  We package everything up in cheap gift bags or inexpensive baskets (from the dollar store), but you could wrap everything up in wrapping paper too. 

Delivery.  After all that prep work is when it's time for the real fun to begin!  We usually begin delivering on December 13, so that we'll finish up on Christmas Eve.  Our kids really enjoy leaving the gift on the doorstep, ringing the doorbell, and running to our car which I've parked just out of sight.  But you could also do blocked phone calls (by dialing *67 before the phone number) with the message that their package has been delivered.  My kids enjoy the running too much and would throw a fit if we ever tried that though!   We do try to vary the times of our deliveries, to minimize the chance of being caught, but my older kids have gotten brazen and will sometimes hide in the bushes to watch them open the door. 

Finishing up.  To reveal yourself or not?   We usually opt not to, because that's our personality, but it's up to the individual family whether you want them to  know who you are or not. 

It never fails to be a great experience for our family and we love imagining their excitement and anticipation each night for our deliveries.

So what do you give each night? 

I've compiled two versions of ideas...a deluxe version and a more economical version.  Both lists would be best suited for families with children.  You could mix and match between the two lists or add in any of your own ideas.  One thing to keep in mind, is that the lists are very flexible and you could move items around depending on how many people they have in their family or how many of a certain item you can easily find. 


Deluxe Version  Approximate Cost:  ~$125

1-a fun Christmas movie (perhaps this one,  this one, or this family favorite)
2-children's Christmas picture books (board books are cheaper--we like  this one  or   this one )
3-things for dinner (a soup mix, bread, and a bottle of sparkling cider)
4-different kinds of flavored hot chocolate mix + marshmallows
5-blossomed poinsettia plant  (this is an easy one to move around to a different day)
6-pairs of fuzzy socks (or these ones) for however many people they have in their family--check the dollar store
7- a goody plate with 7 different treats
8-sheets of Christmas Stickers
9-Christmas Cookie Cutters (+ a roll of sugar cookie dough + frosting + sprinkles)
10-Christmas ornaments (I like this set:  10-piece Olive Wood Nativity Ornament Set)
11-oranges + Christmas Orange story  (printed from here or  this gorgeous book version)
12-candy canes + the beautiful children's book, The Legend of the Candy Cane: The Inspirational Story of Our Favorite Christmas Candy  (the board book is cheaper)


Less Expensive Version  Approximate cost:  <$50

1-chocolate orange (to share) + printed Christmas Orange story
2-Christmas coloring books (and a box of crayons) (this one and  this one are cute)
3-things for dinner (a soup mix, bread, and a bottle of sparkling cider)
4- packets of flavored hot chocolate mix + marshmallows
5-blossomed poinsettia plant
6- Christmas cookie cutters + sugar cookie dough + frosting
7-homemade ornaments (or inexpensive 7-piece Nativity set from the Dollar Store)
8-Candy bar note with 8 different candy bars (use hot glue or clear packing tape to attach to a cardboard or poster board)  See this post or this post or this post for some fun ideas for writing the note
9-muffins for a yummy breakfast (along with 9 funny Christmas jokes to tell at breakfast)
10-oranges (with a reminder about Christmas orange story from 1st day)
11-a goody plate with 11 treats
12-a cd you've burned with your 12 favorite Christmas songs

 

Here are some other items you could also use:

*Christmas/New Year party in a box (party poppers, Martinelli's,photo booth props ,light-up necklaces, noisemakers, etc)

*Chocolate Oranges

* Holiday Stampers

*   Christmas Fun Mad Libs

* Nativity Stained  Glass Coloring Book

* Handmade Felt Nativity

HAVE FUN!!!!

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  *This post contains affiliate links. This means that a special tracking code is used and that I may make a small commission on the sale of an item if you purchase through one of these links. The price of the item is the same for you whether it is an affiliate link or not, and using affiliate links helps me to maintain this website and support my family.