Advent begins Sunday, December 3rd this year. There are many different ways to celebrate Advent and countdown to Christmas, but it is important to also teach our children the reason that we celebrate this season. My kids have been asking why the stores don't decorate for Thanksgiving and go straight to Christmas so I tell them that people focus on Christmas because they buy a lot of gifts. I don't want the consumerism to be the focus of Christmas for our family though. I want the traditions that they remember with our family to focus on Jesus.
Over the next few weeks, I will be posting some ways to focus on Advent this year with your family. There are all kinds of calendars, activities, and countdowns available (thanks to Pinterest!), so I have chosen some that range in commitment from minimal to lots of preparation. I hope that you can find one that fits into your family's traditions.
Several years ago the Grace Kids Team made a Jesse Tree that had magnets to attach with a devotional for each day. Most of the devotions came from the book, The Advent Jesse Tree by Dean Lambert Smith, and some were from other resources. If you have lost your devotions to go with your Jesse Tree, you can find the devotions at the Reformed Church of America website. You can also purchase The Advent Jesse Tree book at a discounted price of $6 at the Resource Table at church.
Another creative way to use the Jesse Tree is to make ornaments for each of the days. Carisa Hinson from 1+1+1=1 has created an eBook and printable ornaments that she hangs on a miniature tree as she reads through the devotions each day with her family. Blessed Beyond a Doubt compiled a bunch of DIY and other printable ornament ideas that different bloggers have created over the years.
Another great devotional geared towards preschool-aged children is the Truth in the Tinsel. The ebook costs $9.99, but it includes 24 devotions, crafts and conversations to walk you through Advent with your children. There are options to do the devotions every day or a plan that only cover 6 days of the Advent season.
Stay tuned for more advent ideas to come...
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