let the christmas decorating begin {dayspring giveaway}

I know, I know. It is a little late to be just beginning my Christmas decorating. We usually get our tree right after Thanksgiving, but it just didn't happen this year. The day we were going to go was so cold and so windy...so we stayed home instead. We finally got our tree and got it all set up and then we went to Colorado. So it sat undecorated for awhile. Now the lights and ornaments are on and our house is beginning to feel Christmas-y. I forgot how much I love that.

Last year I read Treasuring God in Our Traditions by Noel Piper. It gave me a whole new perspective on traditions. I remembered Piper saying something about how we decorate our houses for Christmas, so I pulled that book out again this year to refresh my memory. Here is what she says...

How will our home look if our celebration is a picture of anticipation and waiting for God's plan to be completed, a picture of our joy in the salvation he has begun for us? What visible things will fill our house as we celebrate what God has done through Jesus?

I had never thought about being intentional even with my Christmas decorations. It got me thinking about my Christmas decorating in a new way. I want to make sure that there are things around my house that point to the whole reason we even celebrate...Jesus!

I added these Nativity Hurricanes from DaySpring to my Christmas collection this year.

  They are really pretty and I love how they tell the story of Christ's birth. Levi even likes to show me where baby Jesus is!

 I also picked up this Carved Wooden Serving Tray. I think I am actually going to give it as a gift, but I just had to pull it out of the box and take a peek. 

 Simple joy, unending hope, wonderful grace, authentic peace, unfathomable love...are the words carved around the edge of the tray.

 Levi even got in on the DaySpring goodness. Remember how I told you I was looking for some Christmas books to add to our collection? Well, I found two on the DaySpring site and thought we would give them a try.

The Greatest Shepherd of All and Christmas Angels are both great board books to use as we teach our kids what Christmas is really all about. The Greatest Shepherd of All tells the story of three mischievous sheep that follow the shepherds' trail looking for Jesus. Christmas Angels tells the story of the angels that appeared to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds surrounding the birth of Jesus. The Greatest Shepherd of All was a little too long and the pictures are pretty small to keep Levi's attention...but it would be a great book for older kids. Christmas Angels was perfect for my {almost} two year old!

Would you like to add some of these items to your house for Christmas?

DaySpring is offering one of my readers a

 $50.00 gift certificate to use in their online store!

Giveaway Details:

$50 to DaySpring

ONE winner chosen at random

One entry per person

Giveaway ends Tuesday, December 13th at 9pm (CST)

To enter visit DaySpring... 

then come back to this post and leave a comment

telling me what you would buy with your gift certificate.

AND...

 DaySpring is offering a special discount to my readers on any of these three items!

Use coupon code Macs30 and get 30% off...

The Greatest Shepherd of All

Christmas Angels

Nativity Hurricane Candle Holder Trio

Hooray for 30% off! Thanks DaySpring!

**Coupon code expires Wednesday, December 14th**

Use coupon code shipping25 to get free shipping on $25+ orders.

This post is part of DaySpring's affiliate program.