Advent Traditions

Traditions are so wonderful- they create stability and comfort, they teach, instruct and form, they connect generations and pave the way for future generations. Choosing which traditions to

follow as a Catholic family can be daunting when your children are little. When they are all little, everything is still overwhelming. You wonder how you can add more things to your plate, much less add things that you will be responsible for repeating year after year! My advice is to start small, with what is age-appropriate, and as your children get older, your traditions will start to fall into place and emerge, as your children help let you know what is essential and meaningful by their involvement and insistence!

When we just had a baby and toddler, our Advent traditions were mainly the dinnertime Advent wreath, a soft felt Advent wreath, a soft Nativity set to bring to Church, Little People nativity set, and of course, BOOKS. We also had Great-Grandparents at a nursing home, so every year we would create tons of homemade nativity Christmas cards, even just scribbled coloring page ones, and bring them up to the nursing home with Daddy on a weekend. Another activity that we've done in the past, but haven't continued for some reason is to print an Advent chain.

Now that we have some grade school age kids, our Advent traditions have expanded. There are food drives and clothing drives and different charitable activities that the older ones participate in through school- they do work to "earn" any things they bring in, and their school helps make it very "hands-on" for the kids.

Around the house, I have been busy with the kids help clearing out EXCESS, and giving away whatever possible. We cleaned the entire house this past weekend, including the dreaded back of the basement, and set out our nativity sets and books for Advent! I just love this season of anticipation and preparation, and thought I would share some photos and what we do.

Of course, first of all we light our Advent wreath at dinner time. Here is the prayer that we read at the lighting of the wreath. It's the same one I grew up using.

We have SO many nativity sets. Can you have too many? We have:

Little People

Playmobile

Little Plastic figurine

Window clings

Softee Baby/toddler set

Here is where I store all the different nativity sets (this year) in ziplocs in a cube.

Our Family Fontanini nativity set that goes up high- we add a piece to this set every year or two...

Baby Jesus and his manger- the cup of "hay" (cut up raffia) is so that the kids can place one piece of straw in the manger for each good deed, as we try to soften up the manger and our hearts for the baby Jesus to be welcomed in.

Our Jesse Tree. It's a piece of "magic wall" that we drew on with sharpies. The Jesse tree symbols were circles that we printed from online. The kids and I colored them that first year when we made our set, and I laminated them and put a sticky magnet on the back, for attaching to the magnetic Jesse tree. I also printed the readings for each day to go with the symbols, which are all in a purple Advent binder along with the Jesse tree symbols (in one of those zipper pencil pouches that go in a 3 ring binder) Our tradition has become to read the bible story of the day together while sipping hot cocoa (I bought a huge box of the no sugar added pouches at Sam's Club last year and we are still working on finishing those this year!) Of course, there are some

evenings that are busier than others, so if we miss a day of Jesse tree, no big deal, we just make it up on the next evening. And yes, there were a few times where we had 3-4 bible stories and ornaments to put up on one day. :)

Countdown calendar which has a wooden ornament hidden in the box to go on the tree.

And last but definitely not least, Our books basket. We cleared out all the other books and put out the Advent and Christmas books. Here is a list of our books collection, handily compiled with a neat barcode scanner from my iphone! It's probably easier to read the list if you click on the link- it has photos of some of the book covers too :

Check out my list, Christmas Books, created by RedLaser! http://redlaser.com/lists/?list=H6JqPfM39kB

1. The First Night - B. G. Hennessy 2. The Christmas Story - Carol Heyer 3. The Very First Christmas by Paul L. Maier (2006, Hardcover, Board) 4. Jotham's Journey: A Storybook for Advent by Arnold Ytreeide (2000, Paperback) 5. Gingerbread Baby - Jan Brett 6. Baby Jesus ABC Storybook by Judy Sparks (1979, Hardcover) 7. How St Nicholas Project Bk - Bernie Marquis - Deacon Bernie Marquis - Theresa Frances Myers 8. If You Take a Mouse to the Movies - Laura Numeroff 9. A song for Joseph: A Christmas story for children (Arch books) - Mervin A Marquardt 10. A Child Was Born: A First Nativity Book by Grace MacCarone (2000, Hardcover) 11. The Christmas Donkey - Donna Thornton 12. Night of Las Posadas by Tomie De Paola (2001, Paperback, Reprint) 13. Merry Christmas, Strega Nona by Tomie De Paola (1991, Paperback, Reprint) 14. Frosty the Snow Man - 15. Silent Night, Holy Night by Joseph Mohr (1999, Hardcover) 16. Jesus, the Reason for the Season 17. The Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie De Paola (1980, Paperback) 18. The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie De Paola (1997, Paperback, Reprint) 19. The Snowy Day 20. On This Special Night - Claire Freedman - Simon Mendez 21. The Night Before Christmas - Clement C Moore 22. A Christmas Carol Pop-Up Classic Book HC 23. Story of Baby Jesus by Heather Amery (2006, Hardcover, Board) 24. Advent & Lent Activities for Children by Shiela Kielly and Sheila Geraghty (1996, Paperback) 25. The Saggy Baggy Elephant A Little Golden Book 26. Get Dressed, Santa! by Tomie De Paola (1996, Hardcover, Board) 27. Bestpriceshop Black Hard Cube Nylon Carrying Case For Amazon Kindle 2 Which Includes Wristband Screen Guard And Car Charger 28. Product of Western Publishing Company, Inc. 29. Usborne Book of Christmas Poems 30. The Friendly Beasts: An Old English Christmas Carol by Tomie De Paola (1998, Paperback, Reprint) 31. 9780307161697 32. 51899 33. The Lord's Prayer for Children (1987, Hardcover) 34. The True Story of Santa Claus by Paul Prokop (2000, Paperback) 35. Franklin's Christmas Gift 36. Product of Checkerboard Press, Inc. 37. The Star of the Manger by Joni Oeltjenbruns (2002, Book, Illustrated) 38. Where is Christmas, Jesse Bear? 39. The Christmas Story: With Exciting Felt Characters to Act Out the Wonderful Story (1999, Hardcover) 40. Advent Nativity Book by Felicity Brooks (2006, Hardcover, Board) 41. Tomie Depaola's Make Your Own Christmas Cards by Tomie De Paola (1998, Paperback) 42. Country Angel Christmas by Tomie De Paola (1995, Hardcover) 43. Story of the Birth of Jesus/No. 960/22 by Jude Winkler (1989, Hardcover) 44. Product of Hallmark Cards Inc/Hallmark Bran 45. Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale - Martin Waddell 46. Christmas Story by Heather Amery (2006, Paperback, Revised)

Hope you enjoyed seeing what we do. I'd love to see your family traditions too!!

Last years post on Advent traditions.