St. Nick Project 2009

We're pretty well-acquainted with a guy named St. Nicholas around here -- and December is his big month. We get to see him a couple of times in December; early in the month, and then again on the 25th. Everybody loves Santa Claus/Sinterklaas /
etc. -- these legends all spring from one man -- St. Nicholas. He was real, and a very good man.

What a wonderful legacy his good life left behind. Learn more about St. Nicholas, by clicking  here.

Mixing in a little service in Christmas is a must for Mr. H and I. It keeps our family's hearts in the right place during the season, and this year more than ever, we needed that. We call it our St. Nick Project -- why? St. Nick is pretty famous already here at our house, and it's the perfect way to celebrate this good man and follow his example of doing good for others.

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This year's St. Nick project is a 12 day Nativity.  We're delivering one piece of the nativity (with a note that includes a thought about that figurine) to a family we've picked in the neighborhood. We wait for it to get dark and we deliver the next piece, ring the doorbell and hurry away. Love that part! Getting away before they can see us...

We've arranged it so that the Baby Jesus will be delivered on Christmas Eve. That night, we'll stay and deliver it in person and the note will also come with our testimonies of the Savior. Can't wait.

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I love the project we picked this year. It's kept our focus on Christ; the reason for the season. We're also focusing on someone else, instead of feeling sorry for ourselves or having the "gimmees" consume us. My favorite part of the project is being together in the car and reading the nativity note together. The text I'm using for each piece is borrowed from a book I have, and the words are beautiful.

Okay, I lied. My favorite part is the running away after the delivery. But the note is my very next favorite part. ;-)

I'm going to post more pictures about our 12 Day Nativity, and the text of the notes that go with them on the Celebrate blog, but it will be *after* Christmas. If you don't have an invite to that blog, click my email button on the sidebar and send me your email address and I'll get you set up...

Does your family do a service project tradition at Christmas-time? I'd love to hear about it!