If you are like me, the advent wreath may seem like a big religious mumbo jumbo mystery. What do the candles represent? Why are they purple and pink, and why do people light the pink one on the third Sunday? A simple google search can clear up most of those questions, and provide lots of rich history about advent celebrations.
As with many traditions, observing advent is a beautiful opportunity for worship and intimacy with Christ. Fussing about a ritual, and worrying about if you are doing it right, is not what advent is about.
It’s about anticipating the arrival of our Savior. Unlike past years, I am prepared to start our observance of the advent season on time when it starts this Sunday.
Wreath, check.
Candles, check.
Scripture readings, check.
Children excited about lighting candles, check.
Our advent time will likely happen after dinner and look something like this: Light the candle/s, short prayer, scripture reading, story, prayer. We plan on praying for the families of whatever Christmas cards we receive that day as part of that prayer. Then we will do a family activity. I am making a chain of loops of 28 red an green paper strips. On each one I will write the scripture for the day and the family activity. Each day a child will tear off one of the links and another will read the activity (because I have 4 kids, I need four jobs: lighting the candle, blowing out the candle, tearing the link, and reading the link). The activities work into our schedule, and many are things we already regularly do this time of year. Doing it this way just makes it more purposeful.
Here are the activities I'm planning on. These are not all my own ideas, they come from lots of discussions with other moms and from looking around online.
Things to do as a family during your time of advent:
1) Send a package to a military service member
2) Wrap 24 Christmas books and let your kids choose one to read each night of the Advent.
3) Have a picnic under the Christmas tree
4) Make gifts for teachers
5) Bring a plate of goodies to your local fire station or police station with a thank you note
6) Make a Christmas tree out of legos
7) Drive around and see Christmas lights
8) Put on Christmas music and dance
9) Have your children box up some toys to give to Goodwill
10) Find your old coats that still have some wear and donate them to a coat drive or ministry.
11) Make Christmas ornaments
12) Find a needy family to bless with 12 days of gifts (anonymously) – or a one time basket of gifts
13) Ring the bell for the Salvation Army
14) Watch videos from past Christmases
15) Stuff a small stocking and drop it off at someone’s door as a surprise
16) Talk a walk around your neighborhood in the dark.
17) Write a list of 10 things you are thankful for
18) Take food to a local food pantry
19) Make a homemade Christmas card for someone special and send it
20) Take a special treat to a neighbor
21) Decorate Christmas cookies
22) Write a letter or visit grandparents or extended family, tell them of your advent tradition
23) Take cookies to a nursing home and sing some Christmas carols
24) Go to a Christmas play
25) Read the story of “The Christmas Coat” (it’s on beliefnet.com) – not for Santa Claus believers
26) Read about St. Nicholas, lover of the poor and patron saint of children.
27) Go sledding together
28) Shovel/rake an elderly person’s sidewalk/yard
I hope you feel encouraged to observe advent this Christmas season. There is no wrong way to do it , and there are no advent police. It's an opportunity to enjoy the peace that is offered to us through the gift of Christ. May that be the focus of your season.
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