{"id":4101,"date":"2011-12-03T09:04:11","date_gmt":"2011-12-03T09:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/?p=1548"},"modified":"2011-12-03T09:04:11","modified_gmt":"2011-12-03T09:04:11","slug":"advent-family-children-rituals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/advent-family-children-rituals\/","title":{"rendered":"Advent (mis) adventures!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Every year, we prepare for Christmas&#8230;.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1549 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0329\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0329.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">We empty an alcove in our dining room and add some fairy lights&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1550 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0340\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0340.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Ooooh, this is a good spot for sitting in&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1551 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0344\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0344.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0344.jpg 640w, https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0344-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Very cosy, add a cushion&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1552 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0348\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0348.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0348.jpg 640w, https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0348-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Oh yes, and a cat too&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1554 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0359\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0359.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Use a staple gun to add some material in front of the lights. The &#8216;cave&#8217; is made from a large thick piece of paper, flecked with paint and then scrunched up.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1553 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0350\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0350.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"391\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Get some nativity figures. Before we put them into our nativity scene, why not have a little play, maybe act out the Christmas story?<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1559 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0370\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0370.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"427\" height=\"640\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Whoops. Maybe we won&#8217;t include the headless shepherds and kings&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1555 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0364\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0364.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Cut out 24 stars from glitter foam. This one is sticky on the\u00a0 back (you need them to be able to stick) but make do with what you have using card, glitter and double sided tape&#8230;.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1560 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0377\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0377.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Layout the stars in a &#8216;star path&#8217; that leads to the cave where Jesus is born&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1561 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0379\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0379.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"427\" height=\"640\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Mary, Joseph (and the donkey) are at the start of the path&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1562 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0381\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0381.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The kings are on their journey, the\u00a0 shepherds watching sheep on a hill&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1563 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0383\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0383.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8230;and the angels are in the sky, singing hallelujah&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1556 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0367\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0367.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0367.jpg 640w, https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0367-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">And the cat is following the star!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1557 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0368\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0368.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Surely there was a cat or two present at the nativity&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1567 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0405\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0405.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Mmm&#8230;maybe not such a good idea to encourage cat participation&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1564 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0390\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0390.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Every evening, from the start of advent to Christmas day, we gather round&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1565 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0397\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0397.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"278\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0397.jpg 640w, https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0397-300x186.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">We sign a song about Mary walking on the star path, then the children take turns&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1566 aligncenter\" title=\"DSC_0402\" src=\"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/DSC_0402.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"448\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&#8230;to move Mary along the star path, one star each night, then move the star from the path to the sky. Can you spot it?<\/p>\n<p>By Christmas eve, there will only be one, big special star left on the path and the sky will be full of stars.<\/p>\n<p>For now, there are two stars in the sky and two less stars on the path.<\/p>\n<p>That must mean that Christmas is getting nearer&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every year, we prepare for Christmas&#8230;. We empty an alcove in our dining room and add some fairy lights&#8230; Ooooh, this is a good spot for sitting in&#8230; Very cosy, add a cushion&#8230; Oh yes, and a cat too&#8230; Use a staple gun to add some material in front of the lights. The &#8216;cave&#8217; is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,26,36,37,29,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-artful-living","category-get-creative-arty-crafty-tutorials-and-ideas","category-celebrating","category-rhythm-and-rituals-for-life","category-parenting-and-family-life","category-soulful-life"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4101"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4101\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glitteringshards.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}