Preparing for Christmas often brings thoughts of shopping for presents, baking cookies, decorating the tree and wrapping gifts. For many children, Advent is something they do at church on Sundays, but home is all about Santa and presents. However, parents can invite their children into the spiritual preparations of Advent at home with fun activities and traditions that may carry on for generations.
A classic Advent tradition is the decorating of a Jesse Tree. A Jesse Tree helps children draw connections from the Old Testament to the New Testament as they learn about the coming of Christ at Christmas. There are numerous free printable ornament designs online to make this tradition easier for even the busiest parents.
Another fun idea is to create an Advent prayer garland. Have kids write names of family, friends and maybe even different ministries on 25 strips of colorful paper. Loop these strips together to form a garland and decorate with it. Each day, take a loop off the garland and take the time to pray for that individual or ministry.
For more ideas on how to celebrate Advent as a family, click here.