Advent begins today!
Ring the bells, light the candles, and cue the music – Advent begins today. =)
I’m sure you can tell I’m a wee bit excited. I love this time of year. Tonight we’ll do our first Advent candle wreath lighting and scripture reading. The next 25 days will be a time of intentional focus on Jesus, family, friends, love, service, prayer, and scripture.
It’s not too late to jump in and get started. It’s easy to pull things together in a snap – and the most important thing you need, the only thing you really need, is a heart that seeks Jesus.
Advent Resources
Advent can be as simple or in depth as you want. Do you want to do a traditional Advent candle wreath? Do you want to do daily readings or just weekly readings and candle lightings on Sundays? It’s up to you.
Here’s a few different things to help you get started.
Advent Scripture Readings
Somewhere, some how, to some extent you will incorporate scripture into your Advent celebration. This is key for focusing our heart and mind on Jesus.
- Free, printable, Advent scripture calendar – A verse (or two) on each day of the calendar.
- Unwrapping The Names of Jesus – Daily Advent devotional available on Kindle. Includes daily readings, the weekly readings for candle lighting, and online resources to download.
- The Dawning of Indestructible Joy – Daily Advent readings by John Piper.
Advent Activities & Calendars
- Advent Experience Bingo – a twist on a traditional Advent calendar. Instead of assigned treats or activities for each day of Advent, mark items off of your bingo card as you complete them. Pick and choose what you do each day and try to complete the whole card before Christmas Day.
- Journey to the Manger Advent Calendar (Adventures in Odyssey)
- Advent Wreath candle holder and Advent candles
- My Advent Pinterest Board is full of ideas and suggestions.
Advent Books for Your Family
- Destination: Bethlehem – Two young boys find themselves at the heart of the nativity story. Read a chapter a night and finish on Christmas Eve. Available on Kindle for immediate download.
- The Adventure of Christmas – A book of Advent traditions to help you and your kids celebrate Advent.
- A Read-Aloud Family Christmas – A collection of Christmas stories to read aloud to your children, including How the Fir Tree Became the First Christmas Tree, The Gift of the Magi, and the biblical account of the birth of Christ.
Other Advent Resources
I have a page full of Advent resources with information, links, and past posts I’ve written about activities, traditions, and our Advent celebrations over the years. Check out my Advent Resources page.
Celebrate Jesus
Regardless of what you choose and how you do it, remember why we are celebrating and what we are remembering. How wonderful our God is to have made a way for us to know him and be intimately known by him. To God be the glory. <3
