We have celebrated Advent for over 10 years now. I do wish we had started when our older 2 children were little, though. Celebrating Advent leading up to Christmas is a great way for families to keep Christ in Christmas.
About 4 or 5 years ago, we added a Jesse Tree to our Advent celebration. With devotions, and ornaments added to the Jesse Tree daily, this is a great way to involve the kids in the events and history leading up to Christs birth. This is the book we use:
Our Advent Jesse Tree in the dining room |
All the ornaments waiting….I love the giant toy grapes and the stuffed camel…. |
Drawings from book we colored, David’s sling shot I made |
Beaded Angel made by my husbands Aunt, wheat that grew in our garden, a scroll made with toothpicks |
In our celebration of Advent, we also light the candles on our Advent Wreath.
Our Advent wreath in the living room |
If you don’t have an Advent wreath yet, you don’t have to go right out and buy one. You can use any wreath you have and put candle holders you already have inside. Like I did. 🙂
If you don’t have a wreath, you can get evergreen branches outside, or make a wreath out of wood. Or even just put the candles in a circle with the white one in the center. You can start celebrating Advent for just the cost of the candle sticks, using one of the free Advent readings linked below.
We have used these three books for our Advent readings since we first started celebrating Advent. The kids love these books. Ok, we adults do, too! Each book is a continuing story that lasts the whole Advent season, with a devotion at the end of each days story.
Jotham’s Journey, Bartholomew’s Passage
, Tabitha’s Travels
The three kids are in all three books, which helps to make them like old friends. This year, we are reading Tabitha’s Travels. In several parts of the book, she gets to meet up with Jotham & Bartholomew. Our youngest is 10 this year, so I hope we still have a few more years of reading these stories before they think they are too old for them. Hopefully they never do!
We light the days candles and read the story with only the candles and the Christmas lights on. We do this last thing before they kids go to bed.
From the warm family gatherings in the candlelight living room, to the learning about Christ together, Advent has been a great addition to our families Christmas celebration.
Here are some links to help your family get started celebrating Advent.
Advent in Church and Cultural Tradition
Advent readings crafts and activities
Free Jesse Tree Advent Devotional Book
For more inspirational posts, visit Spiritual Sunday
For more homemaking ideas, visit
Homemaker Monday
Tackle it Tuesday
Homemaking Link-up at Raising Homemakers
Works For Me Wednesday
Homeschool Snips & Tips
Thrilling Thursday

This is so interesting to me,thank-you for sharing your celebration of the Advent.
Blessings,
Ginger
I am learning so much about Advent, thank you for sharing these beautiful thoughts,
Blessings,
Sue
very interesting post on advent! thank you for sharing with us… love the pictures too…
Have a beautiful week Linda!!
Blessings,
Ruth
This is a wonderful tradition. Thank you for sharing it. Those with young children should definitely check into it.
Blessings,
Charlotte
Ooo, I like the idea of those advent books! How neat!
Thanks for linking up with Lazy Wed Walk!
The Lazy Mom
http://www.imalazymom.com
My mom gets the girls advent calendars each year and this year, we are reading advent scriptures each day to go along with the opening of a door. It has been a blessing to me and to the girls! I love how you use advent to bring Christ into Christmas! Thanks for linking up a post:)