Advent this Year

For Advent this year we are doing our "normal" preparations, spiritually speaking. The only thing we are not doing is our Jesse Tree. Since we returned from South Dakota after Advent had started, I didn't take the time to drag out my Jesse Tree. A few years ago I made a flat felt tree and an "ornament" for each day of Advent to go along with Bible stories I read to the boys. Just before Christmas we also had ornaments for the "O Antiphons" and for Christmas there is a manager scene at the bottom that we fill in according to the story. After Christmas we do the Twelve Days of Christmas based on the Catholic faith. Also, the three wise men go up on their day. Then the Jesse Tree is complete. The boys have had a great time with it in the past, just didn't work out this year. SOOO, instead we have done all of these.....

The traditional Advent wreath. The boys take turns lighting and blowing out the candles. Brech seems to think he should blow them out every night.
What Advent isn't complete without the chocolate Advent calendars?? This technically only goes from Dec. 1 to the 24th, but its close enough. The boys are treated to their piece of chocolate after we say our nightly prayers. They also beg to have the Bible passage inside the flap read from THEIR calendars. I have memories of chocolate Advent calendars from my childhood. I hope they can save these memories for a later time.

This is something we started a couple years back. Its from a book called A Year with God: Celebrating the Liturgical Year from Catholic Heritage Curricula. In the book it recommends picking one for all of Advent, but we pick a new card every week.

Some of the cards include:

The Christmas Angel - This Advent be a messenger of joy with your positive and encouraging words.

The Donkey - In charity, this Advent, lighten the burden others carry by going out of your way to help family members and friends.

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Other card characters are: St. Joseph, the Blessed Mother, the Shepherd, the Ox and the Lamb. We have enjoyed this activity and it WILL remain a tradition in our family. I like the fact that I can remind them if they are acting like the donkey or speaking like the Christmas angel. It is a good reminder to the boys how they should treat others. Sometimes the boys will randomly pick the same character two weeks in a row. We keep what we pick - even if we have just done that. I always smile thinking maybe their angel had a little to do with that. There are times when certain boys could pick the same character over and over again and still need to pick it again.

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Happy Advent - may the last part of this season be filled with loving thoughts of Baby Jesus.