Advent – Day 1

Dec 01 in Advent

Advent

1. The Word Advent comes from the Latin ‘Adventus’ which means ‘Arrival’ or ‘Coming’. This is the time for us to PREPARE for the celebration of Jesus and His coming. It doesn’t have to be all about spending money, the season has lost its way and it’s up to us to bring the true meaning back. There are so many things we can do as a family that can make the season one that is enjoyed and not dreaded.*Find a free printable December calendar and make some plans … we can make the preparation as special as Christmas Day!

Things to incorporate into our Calendar:

1. Carol Singing with friends… (maybe raise some money for a charity in your community)
2. Walk in the woods for raw materials to make wreaths, etc… (holly, pine, cones…) Pinterest has some great  ideas on making some homemade Christmas decorations that are truly beautiful and very creative.
3. Buy and decorate your Christmas tree…. (In our home we wear funny hats, play some Christmas music and usually wear most of the decorations before they go on the tree, daddy’s job is to put the star on the top after our shenanigans are over and hopefully the tree is still standing …. Make a family tradition)
4. Make a Gingerbread house (and in our case take a quick photo before it collapses!)
5. Baking Day / make things to give to friends.
6. Shoe box appeal (It’s important that children grow up knowing that Christmas is more about giving than receiving).
7. Help out in a soup kitchen … (homeless)
8. Make home-made house decorations / candles / flowers / wreaths… wrapping paper/ cards
9. Make cookies for the neighbours or cup cakes (decorate meaningful tags to go on them)
10. Go out to a Christian Carol Concert (Hillsongs, etc) or find a local Church that’s holding a Carol by candlelight service.
11. Go to London to see the lights
12. Invite the neighbours round for mulled wine and mince pies
13. Games night with friends and family (we get all the old board games out and it really is so much fun!although we are rather competitive in our house and have to watch the cheaters!)
14. Visit a Christmas market / vintage market
15. Catch a theatre production or pantomime. Go ice-skating.
16. Create your Nativity scene … when I was a child we would spend a day making the bethlehem, my dad would go out and pick branches, moss, rocks, earth and we would create the Nativity on a shelf beside the Chimney breast. It had a hill with a stream, farm animals all around the stable and we would wait to place the  baby Jesus on the 24^th . Very Special memories.
17. Christmas film pyjama (chill out) day …. hot cocoa, plenty of homemade cookies, popcorn, warm socks, blankets on the sofa and a good movie. Everyone ready?
18. Get a 1000 piece puzzle and get the whole family involved.
19. Have a look through family photo albums and memory boxes.
20. Make a Christingle .
21. Find a Church that has a midnight mass on the 24th.
22. Roasted Chestnuts on an open fire…. so many great things and ways to remember the day that Love gave us His greatest gift.

NEXT/PREVIOUS: