I’m taking a break today from adoption posts for National Adoption Month, to start talking Advent. Â I’m honored to be teaming up with a fantastic group of faith-filled Catholic bloggers to share the ways we each celebrate Advent in our homes. Â Please read to the bottom to see all the fabulous participants. Â You will be blessed!Â
I have always been an early Christmas shopper, mostly because I like to be ready early and don’t want to deal with the last minute crowds and leftover Christmas gifts. Â As I get older, I like to get my Christmas prep done early because I desire to have an Advent that is a little bit less frantic and to really be able to focus on preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ.
Slowing Down for Advent
Contrary to what the rest of the world tells us, Advent is not the time to be crazily running around burning the Christmas candle at both ends. Â In a world that has Christmas decorations out before Halloween is over, Christmas music playing 24/7 in November, and a Thanksgiving season that is all but forgotten – well, we can do better. Â As Catholics, as Christians, our Advent season does not need to reflect our secular culture.
I would be at a total loss with out my Advent/Christmas notebook. Â It helps keep all my thoughts about the holiday contained in one place. Â I don’t have to reinvent Advent each year, I remember what we did and what we want to do again, and what didn’t work out that well. Â I can also stick in ideas that I find throughout the year.
We don’t do much in the way of formal lessons during the month of December. Â We will keep up with math and finish up our Pilgrim unit, but other than that our time is devoted to preparing.
So what does Advent look like in our home?
A Rundown of our Advent Calendar:
December 1st – mail Christmas cards {Christmas cards are my one thing I do “early”. Â I love giving and receiving Christmas cards!}
December 6th – St. Nick’s Feast Day – we celebrate by doing our Christmas stockings, we have Russian burgers for dinner. Â We will read The Miracle of Saint Nicholas
December 8th – *Holy Day* Immaculate Conception – we read Mary the Mother of Jesus
December 9th – St. Juan Diego Feast Day – we read The Lady of Guadalupe and watch Juan Diego: Messenger of Guadalupe.  We usually have enchiladas for dinner.
December 13th – St. Lucy Feast Day – because it is the feast of lights, we celebrate by having hot chocolate and driving around looking at Christmas lights. Â This year we are also going to start the day with St. Lucy bread and reading Lucia Saint of Light
Family Advent Reading:
Bob – Behold, He Comes: Meditations on the Incarnation
Me – Advent and Christmas: Wisdom from Henri J.M. Nouwen
I have a huge stack of Christmas picture books that we will get out and read through several times. Â We love the Tomie de Paola books, and have many of the recommended titles from here.
We will read through the Advent Storybook, however it doesn’t start until December 1st
Saint Francis Celebrates Christmas is a new one for us this year. Â We will read it when we bring parts of our nativity scene out.
We will read The Legend of the Candy Cane along with doing a J is for Jesus craft from the Catholic Icing Alphabet book.
For the older kids {okay, probably just Sarah!} I have My Catholic Advent and Christmas Activity Book
Another fun activity we have is an Advent Lego Calendar. Â The boys can’t wait to get started.
Last year we were somewhat successful with the Jesse Tree and our Children Around the World Calendar is one of my favorite decorations. Â Of course Advent wouldn’t be complete without our Advent Wreath.
Each week of Advent we are going to make a different kind of cookie:
Week One :: Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
Week Two :: Gingersnaps
Week Three :: Â Pine Bark {I shared these last year, they are a must try!}
Week Four :: Â Peppermint Sugar Cookies – this are new this year, found ’em on Pinterest
Advent is also the start of the new liturgical year in the Catholic Church, hence the changes in the mass translation beginning November 27th, the first Sunday of Advent.
Please be sure to visit these other great blogs for more Advent ideas:
A Slice of Smith Life
Catholic Baby Steps
Family at the Foot of the Cross
My Little Flower
Reasons for Chocolate
Your Advent around the world must be wonderful in your home, Jen. Thank you for those recipes — I’m in dire need of Christmas recipes! especfially for treats!! You’ve got the weeks planned out with amazing ideas ! I’m checking out your Advent notebook now! Thanks for inviting me to work on this Advent project with you! God bless your Advent.
Wow, what a fabulous post. With the girls being home for the first time this advent, I feel like we need to do more than we have in past years. I love all of your traditions!
Thank you, Jen!!!! This has been so much fun:) I love the different cookie planned for each week. I’ll be back to get that Peppermint recipe:):):) I am not an egg nog fam but my husband adores it…I’ll surprise him with your recipe! I hope to adopt your viewing Christmas lights on St. Lucy’s feast…putting that on my calendar now…great idea. I’ll be thinking of all of you precious families out doing the same thing on the same eve. JOY to you this Advent.
That is one Saint Nick book we do not have yet. Oh I wish Amazon would give me a year pass on free books for children. The damage I could do! I also love sending and receiving Christmas cards. One of my favorite memories of childhood was watching my mom sit at the table in the evening filling out addresses. Really looking forward to the annual light viewing night. Brilliant idea!
Thank you for inviting me to join you on this project. I am thrilled to be working with such amazing women!
May Christ fill your home and hearts with peace and anticipation this Advent season!
Hi Jen!
Such wonderful ideas and resources! Love the idea to drive around on St. Lucy’s feast day to look at all the lights! I definitely will be referring back to your post and the other wonderful ladies’ posts too!
Thank you for inviting me to join in on this Advent project! It is an honor to blog along side such amazing moms who love their faith as much as I do!
May God’s peace and love be with you always, especially during this beautiful and holy season!
God bless,
Tracy
I love the idea of going Christmas light viewing on the Feast of St. Lucy. I wish I had thought of that one.
The Lego calendar! I forgot about that. I need to get to the store! 🙂
Amazing. I love your pictures and your rundown of the season. And, I love the cookie idea. I am always so overwhelmed at the thought of baking. Sadly, my baker (my 2nd daughter) went and got married! 😉 Do you freeze them?
Lights on St. Lucia day- I had not thought of it! Putting it on our list.
Thanks for putting this together. I have had so much fun reading all the posts.
The boys are looking forward to the Lego calendar. I don’t freeze the cookies, we just eat them as we go!!
HI Jen, what great ideas to celebrate Advent! I like that you make a new cookie each week to make it a little extra special. Have a Blessed Advent Season!
Great ideas!
I love the idea of looking at Christmas lights on St. Lucy’s feast day. I think we might try that this year. I also agree that we need to keep the Christmas season full of our faith and not get into the hipe. Thanks for sharing!
Hi! If you or any of your readers are looking for ways to celebrate advent, I make Jesse Tree Ornaments. I’d love for you to have a look.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/73055020/adventchristmas-jesse-tree-ornaments-set
Blessings,
Deborah
Homemaker Honey
homemakerhoney.com
homemakerhoney @gmail .com
etsy.com/acupofjoy
Thanks, I’m going to take a look!
Congratulations to all of you!! This idea really helps to highlight the meaning of the season. You have wonderful suggestions, I like your recipes!! Jen, I would love to have your post in my Advent Link Up party here: http://familiacatolica-org.blogspot.com/2011/11/fiesta-de-enlaces-para-adviento.html
Have a blessed Advent!!