Advent Ideas

Posted at 12:33 am on December 2, 2009 by Farrah

I love this time of year.  I love the traditions, the songs, the movies.  I especially love that it is a time to slow down and be intentional about how we spend our time and what I am teaching my boys.  I talk big all year round about wanting to make the most of every moment.  But Advent is the one time of year that I actually seem to stand behind my talk- mostly.  Advent, for me, is about learning the joy in waiting.  I am not always good at delayed gratification (which is why I am horrible at dieting and exercise).   But during Advent, I can appreciate the excitement of looking forward- of slowly preparing my home and my heart for the coming of Christ and the big celebration day on Christmas Day.  I tend to have high expectations for myself and my family this time of year so I have to be careful about that.  I want it all the be meaningful and perfect, the stuff that memories are made of.   But I am finding the happy medium, the things I can do with my boys even when they are this young, and start to build our family’s traditions for this time of year.

All of us want to make the holidays meaningful and special for our family.  Here are some of the ways I try to do that this time of year.  I am always looking for new books and ideas to make the most of this season.  So please share what you and your family do this time of year as you celebrate the holiday season.

I have started a small Advent/Christmas books collection for my boys.  Every year I buy them a new one to add to our stash.  We set them all under the Christmas tree so we can read them together in the light of the decorated tree.  Just tonight, Hubby and I sat with our 3yr. old and read 3-4 books next to the tree and it was really great.  Also, this is our second year with this Advent Storybook where you read one part of the story each night of Advent.  It chronicles the story of a little bear’s journey to Bethlehem to see baby Jesus.  I love that it is teaching my boys to wait for the next part of the story.

I have lots of other book suggestions, both kids’ books and idea books for mom, if you are looking for ideas.  Let me know and I can send you a list.  Here is another great list with some other great ideas.  We also checked a bunch out from the library so that we can have a new one to read each night.  Again, something to look forward to.

We bought this magnetic Advent calender this year and the boys are eating it up!  They can’t wait to open the next door in the morning and see what character they get to add to the nativity scene.  Another great lesson in the excitement in waiting.  When we bring out a new piece, we then talk about how that piece is important in the Christmas story.  Even my littlest guy loves to look in all the doors and set up the scene.  I am a big fan of having pretty things out at Christmas.  But more and more I am buying things that the boys can play with to their heart’s content without any fear that they are gonna break it.  We have a Fischer-Price Little People Nativity set and a chunky wood one that are specifically for them to play with.  And they love it.  Speaking of doors, I hope to eventually get this book which I have heard is awesome.  Do any of you have it?

Another big part of our celebration this time of year is the Advent wreath.  One candle is lit every Sunday of Advent and there are Scripture readings and stories that go along with it.  We keep the real wreath on the kitchen table but I also have a felt one with velcro candles that the boys love to play with.

In hopes of preserving these traditions I am trying so hard to establish, I have started a holiday memory book for our family.  I am recording the key memories and photos from each year and putting them in one scrap book that is just for this purpose.  I got the idea from here last year and am just starting our book this year.  I am excited to be able to sit down with the boys and even my grandkids someday and relive the memories from these years.

Other things on our Advent agenda:

Here is a great list I found of the top holiday movies for families.

We are doing crafts and activities from these books.  We already have plans to make candy-cane reindeer and painted ornaments.

I bought a tiny tree that is just for the boys.  We haven’t done it yet due to some illness we’ve been fighting, but I am going to let them decorate it however they want and put it in their room as their special Christmas tree.

There is so much more that I want to do and will hopefully get around to one of these years.  My boys are still young so I figure I have time still. 

What ideas do you have?  What are some special Advent/Christmas traditions that you and your family share?

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