Advent really is the most wonderful time of the year! A time to rejoice, in hopeful expectation. The word advent means “the arrival of a notable person or thing.” During this time, we focus on celebrating the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.

As our culture strays from the real message of Christmas, the traditions of Advent can serve to counteract this tendency to cheapen what is sacred. We can refocus our attention on Jesus.

The official season of Advent lasts for four Sundays leading up to Christmas. It begins on the Sunday between November 27th and December 3rd each year, and marks the start of the liturgical year among many Christian denominations. For the sake of simplicity and consistency, however, it is common to celebrate Advent beginning December 1st, counting down the days until Christmas Day.

My husband and I spend a good deal of time talking with our children about what Advent means, and using family traditions and activities to demonstrate our assurance in the promise and gift of Jesus.

 

One of my favorite advent activities involves books, naturally. We wrap 25 books, in various festive packages, and number them. To each gift, we add a printable tag with a Bible verse.

To help your family celebrate, we’ve created this set that you can download and print:   Advent Ornament / Gift Tags Printable There’s a tag for each day, starting December 1st, with a verse that tells part of the Christmas story.

It can be difficult—for parents, let alone children—to focus on giving, rather than receiving, during this time of year. By loving and serving one another, we can help our families remember and rejoice in the true meaning of Christmas. Click To Tweet

Beginning on the first day of Advent, read and discuss the Scripture on the ornament with your children, and then place the ornament on your traditional Christmas tree, Jesse Tree, or a wreath. 

As an optional addition, you can write family activities on the back of each ornament, for your family to enjoy together that day. (See the list of suggested activities below.)

 

As one of the very first gifts, we like to give an advent devotional book to use throughout the season. Two favorites we have used are:

• Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas 
• The Advent Jesse Tree: Devotions for Children and Adults to Prepare for the Coming of the Christ Child at Christmas

Many of the books we’ve opened during advent have become family favorites. Throughout the years—and after many, many repeated readings—we’ve had to replace worn copies. (Fortunately, my daughter works at a wonderful local used bookstore, Once Upon A Time Books, that has amazing prices and even ships orders all over the country!)

Some of my favorites include:

• God Gave Us Christmas 
• Christmas in the Manger
• HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS
• A Star for Jesus
• J Is for Jesus: The Sweetest Story Ever Told
• Jesus, Me, and My Christmas Tree
• The Marvelous Mud House: A Story of Finding Fullness and Joy
• My Christmas Stocking: Filled with God’s Love
• M Is for Manger
• Itsy Bitsy Christmas: You’re Never Too Little for His Love 
• Song of the Stars
• This Is the Stable
• Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale
• The Crippled Lamb
• Advent Storybook
• Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem

I mentioned earlier that we often add a family activity to each gift tag, then complete that activity together. Here are some ideas for daily family activities:

Bake muffins.

Find an Angel Tree and go shopping together to select gifts for the child.

Go ice-skating.

Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas together.

Build a snowman.

Host a cookie exchange for a group of friends.

Collect canned foods for the food bank or church food pantry.

Make fudge … here’s a classic recipe.

Decorate gingerbread men.

Dress-up day … pick a theme!

Family game night!

Shop for new (matching?) pajamas.

Watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas (would you believe this was made in 1966?)

Make a Christmas craft (there are great ideas at Parents.com).

Share hot chocolate and s’mores on a cold afternoon.

Make bookmarks, and leave one inside a library book for someone else to enjoy.

Decorate the Christmas tree.

Go watch a local Christmas parade.

Eat a picnic lunch or dinner together around the tree.

Deliver a plate of Christmas cookies to friends and neighbors.

Make your own cards, then visit a nursing home & pass them out to residents.

Leave a gift for the mail carrier, or for the UPS driver when he delivers packages – if you can catch him!

Take treats to the police station or fire house.

Research the history of a favorite Christmas carol.

Have a virtual snowflake-making contest.

Donate food to a local animal shelter.

Watch It’s A Wonderful Life (20 years OLDER than the last one on the list!)

Mail special cards with a hand-written note to any relatives you won’t see during the holidays.

Go caroling in your neighborhood.

Pick a chore that is usually a sibling’s responsibility, and surprise them by doing it yourself.

Leave a mini candy cane on every car in a parking lot.

You can choose any 25 from this list, or create your own from favorite activities, then do them together to create indelible memories for you and your children. (For additional ideas to celebrate Advent as a family, visit Lifeway.)

It can be difficult—for parents, let alone children—to focus on giving, rather than receiving, during this time of year. By loving and serving one another, we can help our families remember and rejoice in the true meaning of Christmas: celebrating God’s Son, the greatest gift ever given!

Editor’s Note: To help your family count down the days until Christmas, we’re offering a FREE set of printable Advent ornaments/tags, with daily verses that tell the story of Christ’s birth. (The PDF file includes 5 pages of ornaments, plus a colorful one-page winter design that can be printed on the reverse if you don’t want to leave the back side blank.) Download your printable ornaments here:

Advent Ornament / Gift Tags Printable