love, Love, LOVE this! And I am going to do it!!

I started this great idea on Sunday night, left the basket with instructions, first nativity piece and some treats. Returning every night, last night we found that the family has not been taking anything out of the basket!?! Any suggestions on what to do now? I was thinking about sending a "spy" to the house and casually say,"what's this basket for..."

As a family we do something similar, only the first 5 days we do fun things ie cookie dough w/cookie cutters, frosting and sprinkles; a Christmas theme movie w/popcorn, candy etc; a Christmas themed book; a fun activity kit, whatever else we can think of. Then the last 7 days the family receives pieces to an 11 piece nativity set, along with an appropriate song to go with the piece ie the animals the song is "The Friendly Beasts". We've been doing this for years also. It is so much fun! I buy everything after Christmas for the next year to save money. We do 2 families a year. We also have a cute poem a friend of mine wrote that we leave the last day inviting them to do someone the next year. Each year we ask our bishop for names of families who could use a special lift and we choose from his suggestions. We are always anonymous, we hope!

I just love this idea, and thought of printing onto fabric and creating a felt interactive book for my grand children.
Would have to print the figures twice and then have a little pocket to take the figure in and out.
Great little Christmas Quiet Book

I love the idea of printing onto fabric for a quiet book, but how do you print onto felt???

I LOVE this idea as well! I think with each item I am going to add a scripture reference. LDS.ORG has their catagory "Christmas" on the home page. If you click on this, you will find "The 12 Days of Christmas" scriptures listed under the ideas listed for families.

Thank you! Thank you for this beautiful idea. My son's 8 year old friend came over the other day and when she saw our nativities around our house asked us what they were. She had never seen a nativity before. My son asked if we could give her one for Christmas. It will be so wonderful to attach this to each piece so that she will know the meanings as well. I definitely want to add this to our family traditions. I think we take for granted that people know about Jesus and his birth, but we were reminded that so many people still don't know.

We have been doing this about the last 15 years and it is a family tradition that is now starting in the next generation too! Each year the spirit lets us know what family needs this gift the most.

I have looked all over for an idea like this. Thank you so much for doing the work for me. I have a few people that I need to bring Christ into their lives and especially at Christmas time. Thanks so much, Becky

it says not to peak so they might be confused...

Thank you so much for putting this together. My family did this when I was little and it was an experience I will never forget, so I want to begin doing this tradition for myself and my family.

So beautiful!! And a Great Idea. Just to let you know that this is the correct way to spell Frankincense & Myrrh. Thanks!

This is a great idea. Did not want to offend anybody with my comment but the 12 days of Christmas are celebrated from Christmas Day through January 6 (12 days between the 2 dates)or Epiphany, the date we celebrate when the wise men arrived at the stable.

I love this. I think I will try and find a Nativity that young children can play with and not worry about breaking for the families with young children.

adore this, going to make for my god daughter and niece thank you

Wow - this is exactly what I was looking for! The internet is so wonderful when it comes to sharing ideas like this. Thank you Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

Deseret Book has a little pamphlet "Christmas wtih the Prophets" (a condensed version of Laura F. Willes book). I am using your print outs and a quote from each of the 15 prophets for each day (some days I had to do 2 prophet quotes). On the 12th Day (Christmas Eve) we will give the pamphlet to the them and a copy of The Book of Mormon with our testimonies inside.

Very cute idea! It needs some revisions--The wisemen brought Frankincense and Myrrh (not frankinscence and Myhr), and the little Lord, Jesus, lay down his sweet head.

Great idea, but as someone else mentioned the 12 days of Christmas actually starts on Christmas day.. But this would still be something fun to do during Advent in preparation for Christmas.

this is adorable. I am going to do this with my daycare kids and put each piece in a separate little gift box they can open. (like the Easter egg story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus)
thank you so much for sharing this wonderful gift idea.

jeanniebrock