Celebrating Advent

I don't want to get too ahead of myself by discussing Christmas before we've even had Thanksgiving, but I do want to share about our Advent calendar in the event that any of you might be interested in celebrating Advent in a similar fashion as we plan to this year. This is a tradition Stephen Grande's family had growing up - the celebration of Advent with an Advent calendar. Each day they did something special in light of the season of awaiting the coming of Jesus the Christ Child. My mother-in-law would write down an activity, a verse to read, or something as simple as make hot chocolate and put it on a little piece of paper to stuff in the Advent calendar pockets. Last Christmas when she was taking orders for what we wanted for Christmas, Stephen Grande and I both agreed that an Advent calendar was our hearts' desire. We knew we wanted to carry on this childhood tradition of his with our children.

This morning I dug out our calendar from our Christmas storage - still in the plastic packaging as this is our first year to use it. Before I went to bed last night I jotted down a few activities to write down and stuff in each pocket to carry out in the spirit of Advent. I look forward to this being the first of many Advents we celebrate in this way and can't wait until our children are old enough to understand and participate a little better!

Here is a sampling the things I came up with:

read the Christmas story from The Jesus Storybook Bible

make Christmas cookies

hang door wreath

set up Nativity scene

have friends for dinner

go out for breakfast

make a Christmas gift for the new baby 

write a real letter to a friend

watch a Christmas movie

memorize Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

I just think this is the one of the greatest ways to celebrate the typical holiday season activities and keep the real reason for the season at the forefront of our minds and hearts!

When I googled Advent calendars there were lots for sale...some at Pottery Barn kids. I really like ours because it has the Nativity theme. Found the exact one here.

My friend Emily does an excellent job of explaining more about advent in her blog post {scroll down}.

I also found this article with a list of Advent readings.

Happy Advent!