Comments (2)

By Alyssa, November 27, 2011 8:57 pm

Are you a procrastinator like me looking for Advent activities for your kiddos?  I updated this calendar just in time to start Advent with our kiddos today.  These are all activities that realistically can be completed with a newborn, our current stage.  Hope you enjoy!

(Light the 1st purple candle this week.  This week’s theme is HOPE.)
November
27- Decorate a Christmas tree with Grandpa
28- Introduce the Advent Candles and the meaning of Advent (Here’s a great website with Advent Information)
29- Read Matthew 1:18-24 (Angel appears to Joseph)
30- Make an Advent Chain (red and green paper chain) to count down to Christmas
December
1- Read Luke 1: 26-38 (Angel appears to Mary)
2- Talk about all of the things we hope for at dinner
3- String popcorn garland for our Christmas tree and watch Polar Express

(Light the 1st and 2nd purple candles this week. This week’s theme is PEACE.)
4- Invite new friends to dinner
5- Make a Donkey puppet (We’re using this template.  The donkey is a symbol of peace and humbleness.)
6- Read Luke 1:57-66 (Introduce John the Baptist)
7- Have a Christmas carol dance party
8- Read Luke 2:1-7 (Discuss Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem)
9- Talk about other places in the world that are at war
10- Create Christmas cards and send them to Soldiers using resources from this website

(Light the 1st and 2nd purple candles and the pink candle.  This week’s theme is JOY.)
11- Take a drive to look at Christmas lights
12- Address Christmas cards and watch Christmas cartoons
13- Read Matthew 2:1-12 (Discuss the wise men’s joy)
14- Make Christmas presents for grandparents
15- Read Luke 2:8-20 (Introduction of the Shepherds and Angels)
16- Attend our Homeschool Co-op Christmas party
17- Watch Charlie Brown’s Christmas and talk about the true meaning of Christmas

(Light all three purple candles and the pink candle. This week’s theme is LOVE.)
18- Make and decorate heart sugar cookies
19- Deliver cookies to our neighbors
20- Make paper snowflakes
21- Memorize John 3:16
22- Say a prayer for the families that sent us Christmas cards
23- Act out Luke 2 together
24- Attend our church Christmas Eve service (Light ALL FIVE candles!)
25- Birthday cake celebration for Jesus’ Birthday!

Comments (2)

By Alyssa, December 2, 2009 4:02 pm

We’re celebrating Advent for the first time with Bubba and Zeke this year. I can imagine that each night, the family will gather around the advent wreath and solemnly read a few scriptures before lighting the advent candles. The boys will reverently listen as the Bible is read and quietly wait for the candles to be lit. Hmmm… I’m sure our Advent celebration will look a little more like me balancing a squirming one-year-old, Bubba asking for the fifteenth time if it’s time to light the candles yet, and Hubby catching the end of the chaos usually before he can take his coat off from a late work night. I’m realizing the older the boys get that our family traditions may not look like Hallmark cards, but they will always interesting.

I did some research and decided there were some easy ways we could incorporate Advent into our Christmas season. I would love to say we will complete a craft and bible reading with our kiddos every night with the candle lighting, but I made something a little more realistic. I know I’m a little late putting this out as Advent starts the 4th Sunday before Christmas, but better late than never I guess! Here is what we are doing each night as a family to celebrate:

December

(Light the 1st purple candle this week.  This week’s theme is HOPE.)
1- Introduce the Advent Candles and the meaning of Advent (Here’s a great website with Advent Information)
2- Make an Advent Chain (red and green paper chain) to count down to Christmas
3- Read Matthew 1:18-24 (Angel appears to Joseph)
4- Talk about all of the things we hope for and decorate cookies with the letters H.O.P.E.
5- Read Luke 1: 26-38 (Angel appears to Mary)

(Light the 1st and 2nd purple candles this week. This week’s theme is PEACE.)
6- Talk about other places in the world at war and make cards for Grandpa serving in Iraq
7- Read Luke 1:57-66 (Introduce John the Baptist)
8- Sing Christmas Carols with hand motions (We’re using this Christmas site for the motions)
9- Make a Donkey puppet (We’re using this template.  The donkey is a symbol of peace and humbleness.)
10- Read Luke 2:1-7 (Discuss Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem)
11- Watch “Charlie Brown’s Christmas” and talk about the true meaning of Christmas
12- Make cookies to give out to our neighbors

(Light the 1st and 2nd purple candles and the pink candle.  This week’s theme is JOY.)
13- Deliver cookies to our neighbors
14- “Sing Joy to the World” and “I have the Joy Down in my Heart”
15- Read Matthew 2:1-12 (Discuss the wise men’s joy)
16- Wrap gifts for Papa and Nana’s visit
17- Read Luke 2:8-20 (Introduction of the Shepherds and Angels)
18- Make spoon angels (We’re using this template.)
19- Watch “The Polar Express” and talk about joyful giving

(Light all three purple candles and the pink candle. This week’s theme is LOVE.)
20- Decorate heart cookies
21- Memorize John 3:16
22- Say a prayer for the families that sent us Christmas cards
23- Sing Christmas carols with hand motions for Papa and Nana
24- Act out Luke 2 with the entire family (Light ALL FIVE candles!)
25- Birthday cake celebration for Jesus’ Birthday!

So, if you didn’t guess already, I love cookies!  I added cookies (and probably Christmas weight) to every week of our advent celebration.  We may not be able to do everything, but I’m excited to see how much Bubba and Zeke learn about Christmas with our Advent plans.  If you are looking for other wonderful ways to celebrate Christmas this year (that don’t include spending tons of money and buying into all of the awful commercials), check out my friend Amy’s website, Just Mothering Through. She’s doing 25 Days of Giving with her kiddos this Christmas.  Wishing you a blessed Advent season!