Bowl of Good Deeds
At the start of Advent, fill up a jar with slips of paper that
have kind
actions written on them. Every morning, each family member picks
a
piece of paper from the jar and performs the action during the
day.
or
At the start of Advent, put an empty jar or bowl on your kitchen
table.
Each evening, each family member tells about one kind thing they
did
that day, writes it down. By the end of Advent the jar will be full
of
ways we can love one another.
Make an Advent Chain.
Each part of Advent should be represented by a different color:
The
Sundays are white, then the first week has 6 purple (or blue) links,
the
second week has 6 purple (or blue) links, the third week has 6 pink
strips, the last week has ____ purple links (depending on when Christmas
falls) and Christmas is represented by a white or gold link.
Assemble the chains on the first day of Advent. Children take them
apart day
by day, or keep them as separate strips and put them together day
by day.
You can combine this activity with the Bowl of Good Deeds and ask
each
family member to write their kind actions on the link each day.
Set Aside Extra Time to be Quiet.
Have your own moment of meditation every day at the same time. You
can
have a very short prayer service (see parish
Advent reflections) or scripture
reading, or just ask everyone to sit together in silence.
Advent Wreath
Make an Advent Wreath from a tray and four votive candles. Have
your
children find items from outside to create a wreath. Use leaves,
pinecones, sticks, greens, acorns, berries and other natural decorations
to make it pretty. (Keep an eye on them that they don’t get too
close to
the flame.)
Celebrate the Saints’ Days in December
December 6 is St. Nicholas Day; December 12 is Saint Lucy.
Teach your children about these saints (and others) and have a special
ceremony together.
Participate in Parish and Community Outreach Efforts
Donate gifts through the Giving Tree, the Parish meals program.
Make a
way for your children to be involved by decorating the box, making
a
card, helping to bake bread, choosing the food and gifts to give.
If
possible, give a care package of winter staples and other items
to go
along with the Christmas dinner.
Visit a lonely neighbor on the third Sunday of Advent.
Celebrate the Creche
When decorating for Christmas, make the assembly of the creche an
important celebration together. Use candles, music, pine branches,
straw. Talk about the individuals and animals, and the sense of
anticipation that they felt about Jesus’ coming.
Prepare slowly
Throughout Advent, bring out one Christmas item per day - a wreath,
a
candleholder. By the end of Advent, your home will be prepared for
Christmas.
Use Resources
There are great Advent Calendars, wreaths, prayer services, out
there.
It is very intimidating to start a new tradition, so rely on the
books
and family prayers that have already been formulated, including
those
on the parish Advent site.
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