What comes to mind when you think about Advent? Is it a calendar with chocolate? A countdown to Christmas? While these are ways that we celebrate the Advent season, there is actually a much deeper and holy meaning. Keep reading to learn about 5 Advent traditions for families to try this year.
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What is Advent?
Advent is a season observed in many Christian traditions, typically beginning four Sundays before Christmas. It marks the period of anticipation and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Symbolized by the lighting of candles on an Advent wreath, each candle represents a different theme—hope, peace, joy, and love.
What Do the Candles Represent?
Each week of Advent, a new candle is lit. The candles symbolize hope, peace, joy, and love. There are 3 purple candles, 1 pink candle, and some people use a white candle on Christmas.
The Prophecy Candle
The first purple candle symbolizes hope. It encourages us to remember the prophets, such as Isaiah, who prophesied the birth of Christ. This candle is lit on the first Sunday of Advent—four Sundays before Christmas Day.
The Bethlehem Candle
The second purple candle is a representation of faith. It reminds us of Mary and Joseph’s trip to Bethlehem. This candle is lit on the second Sunday of Advent.
The Shepherd’s Candle
The third candle is pink because it is the liturgical color for joy. It reminds us of the joy that the shepherds felt upon hearing of Jesus’ birth. This candle is lit on the third Sunday of Advent.
The Angel’s Candle
The third purple candle is lit on the fourth week of Advent. It symbolizes peace and reminds us of the message of peace that the angels brought. This candle is lit on the fourth Sunday of Advent before Christmas.
The Christ Candle
Some families light a fifth candle on Christmas Eve. It is white to symbolize purity, and is lit as a representation of Jesus’ birth.
The three purple candles represent penance, the pink candle represents joy, and the white candle represents purity.
Why is Advent Important?
The Advent season encourages reflection, prayer, and spiritual readiness, fostering a sense of expectation and hopefulness. It serves as a time for believers to look back at the historical significance of Jesus’ birth while also looking forward to his promised return, embodying the dual themes of reflection on the past and anticipation of the future.
Advent Traditions for Families with Young Kids
A few years ago, my sister-in-laws were talking about ideas for how to celebrate Advent with their children. At the time, my son was just a baby; however, I have taught about that conversation often since then. Now that my kids are old enough to participate and start to understand, I want to begin teaching them about the significance of the Advent season.
I have been thinking a lot about discipling my children in these early years. Advent is a great opportunity to focus in on why we celebrate Christmas and to engage children in learning about the significance of this season.
5 Advent Traditions for Families to Try
Here are some tangible ideas for how to teach your children about the meaning of Advent.
Advent Candles (DIY or Pre-Made)
If you want to make your own Advent candles, you could use this kit. Or, if you would prefer an easier, cheaper alternative here is a pre-made option.
You could use a collection of thrifted candle stick holders, or you could purchase an Advent candle holder like this.
Regardless, the most important thing is the meaning behind each of the candles and the conversations that you will have as a family as you light them each week.
Advent Cards
I purchased these advent cards last year from Pip and J Papery to display around our home. You can purchase them with just the cards or with these beautiful, wooden engraved ornaments.
One idea is to display the cards with these photo holders and read one each day at dinner. Another idea is to hang them up with string and mini clothespins, and flip one over each day.
According to the Pip and J Papery website, “’There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.’ Isaiah 11:1
Our Jesse Tree Advent Cards build on the beloved tradition of the Jesse Tree, which has brought families and people of all ages together in the worship of Jesus. These cards are used to count down the days from December 1st to the 25th, and as the anticipation builds toward the celebration of Jesus’ birth, you will see the progression of God’s covenant’s, types, and shadows that all point to and are fulfilled in our Covenant King, Jesus Christ. Our hope is that this will be a tradition that you treasure and look forward to each year.”
Advent Devotional Book
The Advent candles focus on each week leading up to Christmas, but I also like the idea of talking about the true meaning of Christmas every day.
The Jesse Tree tradition tells the story of Jesus’ family tree and lineage. This year, in addition to the cards, we will be using this Jesse Tree devotional book by Ann Voskamp called Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas.
I found the book for about $6 on Thriftbooks, but you can also purchase it here if it is out of stock.
This book tells the story of Jesus’ lineage by sharing Scripture passages and stories each day. This devotional book is speicifally designed to engage children, and it has suggested activities for each day.
DIY Jesse Tree Ornaments
The devotional book mentioned above comes with free printable ornaments that go along with each story. I’m planning on printing them on cardstock and will have my kids decorate one each day to then hang on their little tree.
Because we keep their tree in their room, we will talk about what we learned each evening before bed to further instill the stories in their memories.
Advent Calendar
This is a non-religious way to celebrate Advent, but a lot of families enjoy having a countdown to Christmas with an Advent calendar. You could purchase a pre-filled one, make your own, or buy one that can be re-filled with candy or little trinkets each year!
Conclusion
In conclusion, I think being intentional about Advent is a great way to teach our children what the true meaning of Christmas is. It is a way to reflect, remember, and praise God for the gift of his Son.
I hope that these ideas will give you some inspiration for implementing some of these Advent traditions for families this holiday season.
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