Advent 2011- Week 1

Growing up, we did something called advent. I thought it was normal, and that everyone did it.  Little did I know that it is not common.

Advent is celebrated the four weeks before Christmas. This year it begins today on November 27th.   There are 5 candles: one for each week and the last is to represent Christ. The purpose of Advent is to celebrate the 1st coming of Christ all while preparing for his 2nd coming.  Each Candle has it's own meaning: Prophecy, Bethlehem, Shepherds, and Angel.

When it came to our family, I knew this was a tradition I wanted to carry on. It would look different then what I did.  My father actually wrote his own reading list for advent. I searched and looked for something that would fit our family, only to in the end combine several plans to create ours.   Here is what our family is doing for advent:


Here are a  few sites that I have found that are great.  They are for past years, but still have a great plan.  They both have calendars that give not only devotionals for the day, but also crafts, topics to talk to your kids with, hands on activities, and even how Christmas is celebrated around the world.

Teaching Mom-  Click on the calendar for the activities for the day.
Annies-  A bit outdated, but has some great links

We are trying to make this interesting to Jeshu and even Janasa.  One thing we are doing this year is making a color through Christmas book. 

DLTK- Offers an Advent Coloring pages.  There are 24 pages to color. The idea is to color one December 1st- 24th and then read the whole story on the 25th morning.  Since there are four days before December 1st, I have found my own to add to this:  November 27, 28, 29, 30

The Readings

Sunday-  Genesis 3:1-15   Galatians 4:4       The need for Jesus and from a seed of Woman      
Monday-  Numbers 24:14-16                       From the tribe of Judah
Tuesday-  Isaiah 9:6-7                                  Unto us a Child is born...
Wednesday-  Isaiah 7:10-14                         From a Virgin
Thursday-   Isaiah 11:1-5                             From David
Friday-      Jeremiah 33:14-16                     From David and Judah
Saturday-   Micah 5:2                                 From Bethlehem

The last thing I have done to get ready is a Advent Calendar.  (I will post a link to this later)  It has 28 pockets where there will be our Bible readings and activities for the day.  It is a great way to count down to Christmas.  The suggestion I have, is to wait to fill the activities until the same day.  You never know what may come you way, and it would be hard to disappoint your kids with activities you cannot fulfill.

Some of our activities are:

• Decorate the house-  Starting December 1st we take one item and decorate every day. It normally takes a week.
• Get a Christmas Tree
• Festival of Lights- A big light show in a local park
• Journey Through Christmas- A drive through Christmas Nativity that my parent's church does
• Bake Cookies for the neighbors.
• Various crafts

The rest we will add to as we know what our week holds. 

Do you want to join us on our advent journey?  Comment below and let me know what you do!!