Advent & Traditions

Advent is the season preparation, of expectation. The month preceding Christmas is a time of excitement and anticipation. Under what better circumstances can you initiate traditions and customs into your family that both celebrate and teach your child to value the birth of Christ?

When a child notices something out of the ordinary – an advent wreath, Scripture hung on the wall, a story told over a candlelit dinner – a parent has a unique and engaging opening to tell about the story of Christ. Establishing traditions with your family that will cause your child to take notice and ask questions is a powerful way to gain a hearing, and not just an obligatory ear, but a curious inclination to know and understand the reason behind new practices and activities. Anytime we can peak a child’s interest for spiritual things, we want to take that opportunity. This Advent season, I encourage you as a family to establish a new tradition that is rooted in the gospel story and will be an engaging exercise for your children and provide you as parents with the opportunity to worship as a family and to share with your child the reason behind the celebration and reverence of the holiday season.

Possible new traditions:

• Sunday night Advent story – each Sunday preceding Advent, gather as family to retell in part or in whole the Christmas story. Give 1 small gift a week.
• Carol Songs – sing traditional Christmas carols with your children before bedtime, but explain the words and meaning of the songs. Choose songs that talk about the birth of Christ and worship of Him.
• Nativity Scenes – make a new Nativity scene every year out of paper, cookies, clay, etc. Use this time as an opportunity to retell the Christmas story.
• Christmas Invitation – make an invitation inviting a friend, neighbor or family member either to Church or to a special family dinner. Include part of the Christmas story on the invitation. Deliver it by hand and retell all of the Christmas story to the recipient.