This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #JoinTheSearch #CollectiveBias
As a Christian mom I am always thrilled when I can help point my children's attention to the true meaning of Christmas. We decided to make personalized manger ornaments this year and have even started a new fun tradition! I am going to give you some tips for Shepherd on the Search so you can get started with a new tradition too!
The span between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be crazy busy and I always wish there were MORE days! I have to really focus on being purposeful in pointing my kids to the real Christmas story. I am getting some help this year thanks to Dayspring's new Shepherd on the Search.
Shepherd on the Search
Dayspring took the Christmas story from thousands of years ago and created an amazing product that my kids are already loving! Remember how the angels visited the shepherds and brought them the good news? After the shepherds heard the news they set off on a journey to find baby Jesus. Well I can help make this important story come alive for MY kids EVERY year with our very own Shepherd. His journey starts every Christmas season and ends on Christmas day when he finds his way to the manger!
The kit includes a beautifully illustrated story that I can read with my kids. We will probably read this multiple times during December….they love the pictures and I know that retelling is vital for kids!
Tips for Shepherd on the Search
I want this to be one of my children's favorite parts of the Christmas season. I have some fun ideas and want to share these tips for Shepherd on the Search with you so your kids can love it too!
- First off…name your Shepherd. I love listening to my girls brainstorm names…always cracks me up! Naming your shepherd will make it more personal for the kids! I can't wait to see what names people come up with. My girls named our Shepherd Sherlock!
- Next up is to have a plan. The Shepherd on the Search is not meant to bring STRESS to parents during Christmas. Don't make it difficult. Just decide how you want to do it and proceed.
- How to Hide the Shepherd…I am planning to start hiding our Shepherd as far away from the manger as I can get. Each night or every few nights I will hide the Shepherd and will slowly be moving him closer and closer towards the manger.
- Plan some extra focused fun! I am going to plan out some extra fun for the family this season that focuses on the true meaning of Christmas. It is easy to do with the ideas I will be getting from Dayspring! Starting on November 27th, they will be providing fun daily adventures our family can do together! You can sign up for those email reminders HERE. One of our fun activities is making a personalized manger ornament!
Personalized Manger Ornament Supplies
Popsicle Sticks or Tongue Depressors (depends on how big you want your manger to be)
Brown markers or paint
Hot Glue Gun and Hot Glue Sticks (or another strong glue)
Photo of your child holding their Shepherd on the Search
Scissors
Ribbon
Small wooden star
Yellow marker or gold glitter
How to Make a Personalized Manger Ornament
Start off by coloring your popsicle sticks brown. This is a perfect job for little hands. They can use markers and just color away! You may need several brown markers to get the job done. It takes about 5 sticks to make the manger.
Take a picture of your child holding their Shepherd and print it off. I typically just print one off at home on my photo printer…but if you don't have a photo printer you will need to plan ahead and get a photo developed! I tried to take a photo that wasn't TOO close up…because the photo will need to be cut down a little bit to fit in the manger.
Lay your photo on the table and arrange the popsicle sticks in a square around the picture so you can see how it will go together and where to trim the photo to fit.
Cut the photo down to the right size.
Glue the popsicle sticks onto the photo to make a manger.
Add the star at the top.
Fasten the ribbon holder by gluing it to the backside of the manger ornament.
Perfect Reminder Each Year
This personalized manger ornament will be the perfect reminder of the real reason for the season! My kids love to hang up ornaments that include a photo of themselves!!
So..have you heard of the Shepherd on the Search? How do you keep Christ the center of Christmas at your house? I would love to know if you get a Shepherd and what his name is!!
I hope these tips for Shepherd on the Search help your family start a beloved new Christmas tradition. Leave me a comment and let's connect this Christmas season! Be sure to PIN this so you can make your own manger ornament too!
- Butterfinger Teacher Appreciation Gift Tag Printable - March 30, 2023
- More Weight Watchers Changes in 2023 - March 25, 2023
- Printable Easter Bunny Note to Child - March 20, 2023
My daughter just got this from her grandparents. I am excited about it and was already making it more difficult than I needed.
The paragraph where tou start with “First off…” was really helpful. How did it go last year and what would you change up for this year?
The recipe cards they offer online @ theshepherdonasearch.com is just extra you can do. You can just keep it simple and put him in a different spot everyday as he journeys toward Jesus right?
Yes!! It doesn’t have to be complicated or take a lot of time. Just put him in a spot each night a little closer to Jesus! Hope your kids love it!! Merry Christmas!