This year, I’m excited to have My Nativity Calendar from Magnificat and Ignatius Press to share with my kids.
(Oh, the almost-five-year-old is the one who’s going to enjoy it the most, as you’ll see, but I have no doubt the older kids will pay attention (though they wouldn’t ever admit it).)
The four-almost-five-year-old is probably the one who will be most interested and excited by it, as you’ll see, but I suspect the other kids will also pay attention (though they may never admit it).
Each day of Advent, you find the number in the background setting, and you pop out a character. (As you can see, we’ve been sampling it. And no, we didn’t start with 1. 🙄😖)
They’re made of not-quite-cardboard-but-not-flimsy-paper. There’s a piece that fits in cross-ways, like the paper dolls I had growing up. #nostalgiaalert
There’s also a companion booklet that comes with it and has a short explanation of each of the days and characters. Day 7, shown below (because why start with 1 when your mom’s reviewing it?), is Simeon.
“In the Jerusalem Temple, old Simeon waits in hope and joy,” we read. “The Holy Spirit promised him that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah, the Savior. Soon the Messiah will be born, and he will be the light of the world!”
This is perfect for younger children and families, and I imagine, if your kids don’t play too hard with it, that you can use it for a few years in a row. (And the companion booklet that comes with it will last, even if the characters need some toothpick support after a few years…)
Check it out on Amazon or, if you want to save a bit, at Ignatius Press.