Advent: Day 10

Living in Idaho, our temperatures are fairly mild. So when I was writing out our advent calendar and activities, I didn't really consider weather to be a factor. A cold day in December is in the 30's typically.

I stole the idea for our tenth day from Denise. She has done this for the past six years. I knew my kids would love it. What I didn't know was the temperature would be:

Activity: Free Hot Chocolate Stand

The kids were excited and lasted about 40 minutes in the cold. They did sneak into the car and a warm store every now and then. After about an hour, we decided to pack it in. It was very interesting to see how people reacted to the free gift. Many would walk around us, avoid eye contact, or just ignore us. I think people were really just unsure of how to respond to something for FREE! The kids were determined and having a great time despite the cold. The cold weather also opened itself to a teachable moment for the kids. We are blessed to have hats, mittens, snow boots, warm coats, and blankets to help keep us warm and we had warm cars and warm homes waiting for us when we finished. Our coldness was temporary but there are families that don't have homes or coats or beds. A tangible lesson for the kiddos. We will definitely do the stand again next year!

Bible Verse: He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Mark 16:15