Advent starts on 2 December this year. Advent is a time of waiting and preparing for celebrating Jesus’ birth. Advent starts on the Sunday that is 4 Sunday’s before the 25th December. The video below explains advent a little more.
I’ve shared some of the things we do to celebrate advent in previous posts – Our Advent Calendar & Exciting Stories for Advent. In this post I’d like to share a selection of ideas that you can use as individuals or with your children or grandchildren.
A few years ago I bought a copy of The Season of the Nativity: Confessions and Practices of an Advent, Christmas & Epiphany Extremist by Sybil MacBeth. In this book she explains about the seasons of Advent, Christmas (Dec 25 – Jan 5) & Epiphany ( starting on Jan 6). She also shares lots of ideas that you can use during these seasons.
The colour for advent is purple and in The Season of the Nativity, Sybil suggests using lots of purple to decorate including purple decorations on the tree until closer to Christmas.
Some of the ideas listed are resources that we have offered to people in our church to choose from to use in their homes, during advent. The majority of the resources are free to use. There are lots of resources listed, just choose one or a few to try with your household. The ideas listed are just a few of the many that there are.
Advent Calendars & Similar
2018 Advent Family Faith Practices Calendar from Traci Smith
Jesse Tree – Printable Pictures that you can use on a Jesse Tree, there is also a link for a booklet with a question & activity for each day
Names of Jesus Advent Chain – Print and make this advent chain and learn about the names of Jesus or make these printable paper Christmas ornaments
Simple Stone Advent Calendar – make this as a countdown to Christmas or use this similar Advent Nature Table idea
Advent In a Jar – free downloadable packet to walk you through the steps of making your own advent jar
Family Advent Calendar – print & use
Reverse Advent Calendar – Collect items to give away
Advent Devotions
Advent Weekly Family Devotions – Free to download from Candle Press – each week has a gathering idea, a way to check out the gospel passage, an idea to reach out to the community and suggestions for older children and adults to continue to explore the gospel passage.
Advent Prayer Bags – an object and a prayer idea for each week of advent
Advent Wreath Ideas
For a number of years I used a green plastic plate to represent a wreath. I added 3 small purple candles, a small pink candle around the edge of the plate and a white candle in the middle. We would often light it before we read our advent book each night.
A few years ago we gave all the families in the church advent packs which included a wreath making kit. The wreaths were made using a a foil pie tin, plaster of paris with 5 bits of foil to place battery operated tea light candles in & some green and purple garland decorations. To make the wreath mix up the plaster of paris and pour it into the pie tin, add the foil covered candles & the decorations.
This post from Affording Motherhood goes through the why behind an advent wreath & offers different suggestions on making one and also links to some advent reading plans
Advent wreath with a styrofoam base
Other Advent Ideas
Praying in Color Advent Templates – Several templates with a space to doodle or draw each day. The link has ideas for how to use the templates. I have used these in the past & plan to print one for myself again this year.
Advent Journey Playdough Mat – Download, print and laminate this playdough mat & think about how Mary & Joseph journeyed to Bethlehem.
Play with Your Nativity Set – Ideas from Building Faith to make your creche interactive & not just a static display.
Picture a Day for Advent – Take a picture each day during advent and share to your social media platform. Includes a suggested word and a scripture for each day.
Journey to Bethlehem – A Labyrinth for Advent
I’ll be doing some more posts with Christmas ideas but since many people put their tree up around 1 Dec here’s an idea for blessing the Christmas Tree.
What do you do to celebrate advent?
Fascinating read, Jillian. I thought “Advent” was purely a marketing too. Had no idea there was meaning behind it. Thanks for sharing, and hope you have fun with your family.
Thanks May! I think lots of things end up being commercialised that don’t start out that way. Now I just need to follow my own advice and only choose 1 or 2 things to do!