The Best Gift Ever - Calendar Companion

Hello
amazing grown-ups!
Ready to give your favorite little ones
the best gifts in all the world?
YOUR TIME. YOUR PRESENCE. YOUR JESUS.
This booklet will help you make the most of The Best Gift Ever calendar.
Starting on December 1, gather your family around the calendar and
let someone scratch off the circle for that day.
Have everyone read aloud the gift that you just “unwrapped” and then
go through quick and easy activities for each gift.
We hope you have fun, make memories, and even life-changing
discoveries about our God, the greatest Gift-Giver of all.

DECEMBER 1
FORGIVE-
NESS
In Him we have redemption through His
blood, the forgiveness of sins,
in accordance with the richness
of God's grace.
When was the last time you asked
someone to forgive you?
How did it feel - asking for forgiveness
and then being forgiven?
EPHESIANS 1:7
Dear God, thank You for
the gift of forgiveness.
You take all the burden of guilt
away from me. Help me to
forgive others like You have
forgiven me.
Can you find a yummy red lollipop
in the calendar?
Which family in the calendar
reminds you of yours?

DECEMBER 2
ETERNAL
LIFE
For the wages of sin is death,
but the free gift of God is eternal life
through Christ Jesus our Lord.
ROMANS 6:23
What does eternal mean?
Have you received God's amazing gift of
eternal life?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Eternal Life.
I know that because I trust in
Jesus I get to spend forever
with You in heaven,
the most awesome place
imaginable!
Can you find a Christmas ornament
with a heart on it?
Finish the sentence:
I wish I had a never-ending
supply of...

DECEMBER 3
PEACE
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give
you. I do not give to you as the world
gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled
and do not be afraid.
JOHN 14:27
How have you experienced the peace
Jesus provides?
Have you experienced God’s peace in the
midst of a difficult situation?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Peace.
With You by my side,
I never have to be afraid
because You are
always with me.
Can you find the Grandfather
with green pants?
As a family see if you can spend
90 seconds in complete silence.

DECEMBER 4
HOLY
SPIRIT
For the Spirit God gave us
does not make us timid, but gives us
power, love, and self-discipline.
As a believer in Christ,
how does it encourage you to know that
the Holy Spirit lives inside of you?
2 TIMOTHY 1:7
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Help me to pause when I feel
afraid or troubled so that I can
feel the strength of your Holy
Spirit who lives inside of me.
Can you find a smiling snowman?
As a family make a list of 10 things
that are invisible yet real.

DECEMBER 5
ABUNDANT
LIFE
The thief comes only to steal
and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life,
and have it to the full.
JOHN 10:10
What does abundant mean?
Where are the empty places in your life?
What's missing? How can you invite God’s
abundant provision into the areas
of lack and scarcity?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Abundant Life.
When I choose to live with You
by my side, You fill up any empty
place inside of me with joy, and
peace, and strength. I don't need
things God, I only need You!
Can you find a dog begging
at the table?
Open a tap and let the water flow into
your cupped hands. Let it overflow
and remind you of God's gift of
Abundant Life.

DECEMBER 6
PURPOSE
For we are God’s handiwork,
created in Christ Jesus
to do good works, which God prepared
in advance for us to do.
EPHESIANS 2:10
Let's dream a little bit.
What will you be like and what will your life
look like 10 years from now.
If you could do something and fix just one
problem in the world, what would it be?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Purpose.
I am so excited that You made
a unique plan just for me!
I can’t wait to start doing all the
good things You created
for me to do.
Can you find a chef who is icing
a pink cake?
Look around - what objects do you
see? What's their purpose?
Could they be useful for
anything else?

DECEMBER 7
ALL
THINGS
He who did not spare His own son,
but gave Him up for us all -
how will He not also, along with Him,
graciously give us all things?
ROMANS 8:32
Where have you seen God provide for
something that you were worrying about?
What does our family need that we can
trust God to provide?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of All Things.
Sometimes it’s hard to imagine
how much You love me.
Help me to remember that You
give us all the things we need.
Can you find the boy giving a lollypop
to the little girl in a pink dress?
Do you have a Nativity set?
Take turns hiding baby Jesus
and the rest of the family
looking for Him.

DECEMBER 8
RECONCI-
LIATION
All this is from God, who reconciled us to
Himself through Christ and gave us the
ministry of reconciliation.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:18
Reconciliation is like a bridge.
It makes it possible for the people who
were hurt by each other to be friends
again. Can you think of any examples in
your own family where someone built a
bridge of reconciliation?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Reconciliation.
Thank You that the sacrifice of
Your beloved Son, Jesus, has
provided the way for me to come
to You so we can be friends.
Can you find a gray bird flying
high in the sky?
Put two chairs 2 feet apart and
using things you can find around
a house build a bridge strong
enough to hold
a can of soda.

DECEMBER 9
ENCOURA-
GEMENT
May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and
God our Father, who loved us and by His
grace gave us eternal encouragement
and good hope, encourage your hearts.
2 THESSALONIANS 2:16-17
How is encouragement like a sun?
A battery? A rain? A freshly baked pie?
Is there someone whom you’ve been
overlooking who could use some
encouragement?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Encouragement.
On my best days and on my worst
days, I can always be sure that You
love me no matter what! You will
love me forever and ever and
that makes me so happy!
Can you find a brown teddy bear?
Have everyone in your family describe
each other using encouraging words
that start with each letter in the
person's name.

DECEMBER 10
RIGHTEO-
USNESS
We are made right with God
by placing our faith in Jesus Christ.
And this is true for everyone who
believes, no matter who we are.
ROMANS 3:22
How would your life change
if you truly believed that you are right
with God and that He is fully
pleased with you?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Righteousness.
Jesus, thank You for dying
on the cross for me and
making a way to erase
my sins so that I can have a
relationship with You.
Can you find a girl taking a picture?
Play a “prayer tag” where everyone
takes a turn praying for the person
on their left.

DECEMBER 11
GRACE
God has saved us and called us to a holy
life—not because of anything we have
done but because of His grace. This grace
was given us in Christ Jesus.
2 TIMOTHY 1:9
Go around the room and create a goofy
story about someone getting into trouble
and someone else saving them. A parent
starts and then everyone else adds a
sentence. Finish by thanking God for
sending Jesus to be our Savior.
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Grace.
You show me kindness,
forgiveness and love even if I
don’t always deserve it.
Can you find a cat about to make
a huge mess?
Find "Amazing Grace" lyrics video
on YouTube and sing along
as a family.

DECEMBER 12
WISDOM
If you do not have wisdom,
ask God for it. He is always ready
to give it to you and will never say
you are wrong for asking.
JAMES 1:5
Who is the wisest person you know?
What makes them so wise?
How do you get wisdom?
Parents, tell about a time when you
weren’t sure what the wise thing to do
was. Tell the kids how you figured out
what to do and the outcome.
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Wisdom.
Life can be tricky and
confusing at times. It's so good
that You have unlimited supply
of wisdom and don't mind
sharing it.
Can you find a mom helping her little
girl write a letter?
Have fun taking turns where one
person asks for advice and
everyone else offers
a silly answer.

DECEMBER 13
NEW
BIRTH
Give praise to the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ. In His great mercy
He has given us a new birth and
a living hope.
1 PETER 1:3
Take your children on a gratitude walk
through your house! Decide where you’ll
start and where you’ll finish. For every
step that you take, everyone has to say
one thing they are thankful for (based on
what they see in that space).
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of New Birth.
Thank You that, because of
Jesus, I am a new creation.
Forgive me for the times
I return to the old things that
need to go away.
Can you find the family making a
snowman?
Today, do something NEW! Watch a
new movie, play a new board game,
cook a new recipe, make
a new friend, or eat at
a new restaurant.

DECEMBER 14
PRECIOUS
PROMISES
His divine power has given us everything
we need for a godly life. God has also
given us His very great and precious
promises.
2 PETER 1:3-4
What does the word “promise” mean?
Has anyone made a promise to you lately?
What was that promise? Did they keep it?
Did you know that the Bible is full of God’s
promises?
Dear God, thank You for
the gift of Precious Promises.
Help me to keep these
promises in my heart and
remember them often.
Can you find a girl wrapping the gift
with green paper?
Have everyone pick a promise
from God’s Word and write it on a
piece of paper. Decorate your papers
and hang them where
you’ll see them a lot.

DECEMBER 15
NEW
COMMAND
A new command I give you:
Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you
must love one another.
JOHN 13:34
How have you recently experienced
God’s love through others?
How can you show God’s love in
a practical way?
Dear God, thank You for
showing me, in the greatest
way possible, that You love me.
Fill my heart with the willingness
to help when I see a need.
Can you find a summer day?
Play a favorite board or card game
such as Uno or Sorry with your family.
When the game is over, the winner
gets to choose one way all of you
will show love to someone
this week.

DECEMBER 16
VICTORY
But thanks to God!
He gives us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:57
What does Jesus’s victory on the cross
mean to you? How are you living out the
power of His resurrection?
In what area of life would you like
to get victory?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Victory.
I’m grateful that You are
greater than my mind could
ever comprehend. Help me to
trust You today.
Can you find a boy doing a silly dance
down the steps?
Experience the sweet taste of victory
by playing a few quick games like,
Rock-Paper-Scissors, Thumb War,
or Staring Contest.

DECEMBER 17
STRENGTH
I can do all things through
Christ who gives me strength.
PHILIPPIANS 4:13
Tell us about the first time you saw
God's hand at work in your life.
How have you seen God's strength operate
in and through you?
Dear God, thank You
for the Gift of Strength.
I am so glad that You give me all
the strength I need to get
through good and bad days.
Nothing is impossible with You.
Can you find a boy pulling a sled?
Are you stronger than a piece of paper?
Take a piece of paper - any kind and
any size - and see if anyone in your
family can fold it in half more
than 7 times.

DECEMBER 18
BEAUTY
FOR
ASHES
To those who have sorrow
I will give them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes.
ISAIAH 61:3
Have you ever seen something good
come out of a bad situation?
How did something that started off bad
bring you closer to God?
Dear God, I know that You
can turn every situation
around. You will be by my
side, no matter what. You are
my best friend, and together,
we can face anything.
Can you find a child making
a snow angel?
Give everyone 5 minutes to go around
the house and find something
that they think is beautiful.
Bring it back to show
to others.

DECEMBER 19
HEART
DESIRES
Be happy in the Lord.
And He will give you
the desires of your heart.
PSALM 37:4
Is it too early to start planning or
at least dreaming about summer
vacation? Who says you can’t?
As a family, explore your hearts' desires
for the next summer.
Dear God, thank You
for giving me the desires of my
heart. Teach me how to delight
myself in You so that my desires
match Your great plans for me.
Can you find a Christmas tree with
presents under it?
Play a “Gratitude Charade”
where every member of the family
acts out something they are
thankful for while others
are trying to guess.

DECEMBER 20
DAILY
BREAD
Give us today
our daily bread.
MATTHEW 6:11
What does God provide for you that you
really like?
As a family bake a loaf of bread. As you
eat it talk about stories where God
provided for you in the past.
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of my Daily Bread.
You promise to give me what I
need each day. Help me to stay
close to You and recognize how
You provide for me.
Can you find a a loaf of bread
baking in the oven?
Thread O-shaped cereal on a piece of
string and tie the two ends together.
Hang the string on a tree branch.
Enjoy watching the birds
come to eat.

DECEMBER 21
JOY
You suffered much,
but still you accepted our message with
joy. The Holy Spirit gave you that joy.
1 THESSALONIANS 1:6
Where do you find your joy?
How have you experienced joy in your
relationship with Jesus?
How might you spread the joy of Jesus
to others today?
You are a good Father,
dear God, and You sure know
how to put a smile on my face
and a song in my heart. You
provide joy that is beyond what
anything the world can offer.
Can you find children having
a snowball fight?
Take turns acting out something that
brings you happiness and joy.
Let other people guess.

DECEMBER 22
HOME IN
HEAVEN
I am going to prepare a place for you.
After I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back.
JOHN 14:2-3
What comes to mind when you
think about heaven? What do you most
look forward to about life in God’s
presence?
What do you think will be the first thing
you’ll do when you get to heaven?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of a home
in heaven. You have prepared
a room just for me!
My very own room…
I am so thankful, God.
Can you find a cozy room
with a fireplace?
Play a Marshmallow Toss. One person
is holding a plastic cup or coffee
mug. Another is tossing
marshmallows from
10 feet away.

DECEMBER 23
ANGELS
The Lord will command His angels
to take good care of you.
PSALM 91:11-12
What do you know about angels?
Can you think of an instance when you
may have encountered one without
realizing it at the time?
Thank You, God,
for the angels You send,
meeting us in our time
of need.
Can you find children dressed
in angel costumes?
Can you find all 12 angels in the
scartch-off calendar?

DECEMBER 24
GREAT
LOVE
See what kind of love the Father
has given to us in that we should be
called God’s children, and that is
what we are!
1 JOHN 3:1
How have you recently experienced
God’s love through others?
What situations cause you to question
God’s love?
Dear God, thank You
for the gift of Your great
love and that I get to call You
Father! There is nothing You love
more than me, Lord! Wow! Thank
You for loving me so much.
Can you find three red hearts?
Form a circle. Have one child step inside
while the rest of the family takes
turns speaking blessing to them.
You could start with,
“When I look at you,
I see…”

DECEMBER 25
JESUS
God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son.
Anyone who believes in Him
will not die but will have eternal life.
JOHN 3:16
What does Jesus mean to you?
What would life and history be like had
Jesus never been born?
Lord Jesus, thank You for
being born into this dark world
so that we might be born into
Your family. You became one of
us so that we might become one
with You.
Can you find the baby Jesus
in Mary’s arms?
Using your Nativity set,
re-enact the story
of the first Christmas.