I’m not very good at doing an advent calendar or countdown. Every year, I make an attempt and make something for it, but most days, I end up dropping the ball on it. We’ve made this tear-off calendar in the past, but doing a daily thing is hard (at least for us). I didn’t plan to do one this year at all, but Ben took the initiative and got the book Prepare Him Room and has leading our family worship a few times a week in preparation for the arrival of Christmas. Whew! A 2-3 times a week is much easier to handle than the pressure of doing an activity everyday, and this way, we are able to really reflect on why we celebrate Christmas.
The first project in the book was to make an advent wreath, but we didn’t follow their directions exactly. Instead, I went to Lowes and picked up discarded Christmas tree branches, and wrapped them into a wreath with floral wire. Then, I inserted four wooden candle holders into the wreath and secured them on with more floral wire. Voila! It’s also a nice centerpiece to our dining table.
Are you pretty good at advent activities? Or are you not so good like me?
We are doing prepare him room too! Have you got the cd to listen to too?
We don’t listen to the CD, but Sovereign Grace has youtube vídeos with the songs and lyrics and we play that!
I’m saving the elaborate advent calendar for next year when my little will be 3 1/2. Every year we just get the chocolate kind at trader’s and he enjoys that but next year he will be more aware of everything and he will really enjoy little activities and surprises.
I can understand how an everyday advent calendar can be hard on you guys though with home-schooling and all other activities already on your schedule. You’re wreath looks great!
Thank you!
I’m good at making them, but executing the activities – that’s a whole other story. This year I chose to do a book advent calendar where I wrapped 25 presents and placed them under a paper tree. As each evening passes, we opened a book. It’s working so far especially since goodnight stories are apart of our bedtime routines. However, there will come a night when we’re too tired or busy to open a book and read, so we’ll read it the next night. Honestly, one night I had to play catch up and read three books! Eeek!
With Love,
http://www.thebookwormclub.org
Man, I don’t think I could even do 25 books. That’s ambitious and I don’t have that consistency in me, especially because Soul and Ben’s birthdays fall in December, so it’s really busy!
I can handle doing our advent wreath every Sunday (still working on finding the best theologically correct yet age appropriate material to use) but I often drop the ball on daily readings. This is the 2nd year I’ve tried the Jesse tree idea and I have failed to do the devotionals more times than I remember. I have been able to be pretty consistent with putting daily stickers on a picture that corresponds with the picture book The Christmas Promise.