1. ADVENT CALENDAR
ad·vent/ˈadˌvent/
Noun:
- The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.
- The first season of the church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays.
There are several types of advent calendar. There are wreaths and wall hangings, chains, ornaments, pictures, boxes, cards, and so much more. You can purchase advent calendars that are in the shape of a Christmas tree or have a nativity picture on it where you open each day and find a piece of chocolate. Depending on the extravagance of it, they can be priced at $40 and over! But that’s not really my style. We are celebrating the birth of Christ. So in that wonderful and exciting tradition, reading through the Christmas story is an important part of our Holiday celebration. A great way to do that is to make your own Advent calendar. Spell Out Loud has a great printable Advent paper chain (this is what we are using this year) that counts down the days as it teaches the story of Jesus’ birth. It’s also a great little craft that will keep the kids busy for a little while putting it together.
FamilyFun Magazine also has A-door-able Advent Calendar that would be fun to make and use this holiday. And since it’s a door theme, why not hang it on your door?
If you’re the ultra crafty type, skiptomylou.org has a host of ideas to glue, sew, cut, stick, and hang your way into the advent season with their 10 terrific Advent Calendar Tutorials!
If your heart’s set on an advent with candy or gifts, this one at KristenHove doesn’t have instructions but is pretty self explanatory.
But if you’re not too crafty, or just short on time, try an online Advent Calendar. You’ll find a good one at beliefnet and another at Teaching Mom.
With all of these choices, you’re sure to find something you love. Just have fun with it and enjoy these special moments with your family as you teach them some important things about why we celebrate CHRISTmas. If you’ve never done an advent calendar before, why not start a new tradition this year? It’s a great way to daily keep your focus on the real reason for the season!
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