remember a few years ago when we brought home Mary the Advent Angel, our elf on the shelf alternative? Mary hides every night and brings the kids a fun advent craft or activity and an accompanying bible reading. the kids asked about Mary when we were getting the Christmas decorations out but i told them we were going to try something new...
The Christmas Star from Afar is a beautifully illustrated, hard-cover storybook telling the story of Jesus' birth. it comes with a good sized wooden nativity scene with 10 figures, and big star to hang from the stable roof. every night leading up to Christmas, we hide the star somewhere in the house. in the morning, the kids hunt for the star and move all three Wise Men to the star, leaving the star and the Wise Men in that spot all day.
"Each day your star will be hidden. Look high and low.
Once you have found it, there your Wise Men must go."
on Christmas Eve night, instead of hiding the star, we get to hang it on the top of the nativity stable. and then on Christmas morning, the kids will see the star in it's rightful place and the Wise Men get to go to the nativity scene where they find the Messiah is born!
"The blessed birthday of our King will be a very special day.
For under the STAR FROM AFAR Our Lord Jesus will lay."
M, yall! 
we just started this last week and we LOVE it! the nativity, made of quality chunky wood pieces, sits on our piano. the kids like to move the pieces around and play with it and i am totally fine with that! our other nativity scene is a little bit more fragile and less kid-friendly. hiding the star gives that element of excitement, while i can still tie in advent activities (my favorites are from Truth in the Tinsel) and daily scripture readings PROVIDED in the back of the Star from Afar book.
"Let your bright Star remind you That the Lord is your guide. Every day of your life, He will be right by your side."
if you are looking for a new tradition that helps keep Christ in Christmas, and an alternative to Elf on the Shelf, i highly recommend The Christmas Star from Afar by Natalie Ard.
Merry Christmas, yall!
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