Finding Your Focus In The Midst Of Holiday Hurry Creative Ways to Celebrate Advent with Family & Friends Jenn Hale

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1 Finding Your Focus In The Midst Of Holiday Hurry Creative Ways to Celebrate Advent with Family & Friends Jenn Hale ad vent 1. The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event 2. The first season of the Christian church year, leading up to Christmas and including the four preceding Sundays 3. In Christian Theology the coming or second coming of Christ Advent is a season of and as we wait in expectation for and spend time preparing our for Him. We celebrate Advent to remind us of Christ's as we wait for His. Advent is countercultural because it: acquaints us with rather than the immediate. focuses us on rather than the temporal. allows us to rather than physical gifts. Advent Candle Themes: Week One: Hope Candle Week Two: Peace Candle Week Three: Joy Candle Week Four: Love Candle Christmas: Christ Candle Week One: God s People Week Two: O.T. Prophets Week Three: John the Baptist Week Four: Mary Christmas: Christ Week One: Prophecy Candle Week Two: Bethlehem Candle Week Three: Shepherd Candle Week Four: Angel Christmas: Christ Candle Advent wreath ideas: Purchase a base advent candleholder ring as well as the candles in a craft store like Michael s or Hobby Lobby as well as greenery and decorations to add. Make an advent wreath by arranging 5 candles or candleholders on a cake stand. Add greenery or leave plain. Make a long advent wreath by gluing 5 small mason jars to a board. Fill the jars with sand and then candles. Weave greenery around the candles or leave plain. (This works well for longer spaces where a round wreath would not work.) Turn an aluminum pie tin upside down. Poke 4 holes evenly spaced from each other. Stick 4 taper candles in the holes. For the 5th candle you can either just set a large candle in the middle or poke another hole in the middle for a 5th taper candle. Arrange greenery around the candles.

2 Practical Ways To Celebrate Advent Christmas Card Prayer Prompt As Christmas cards arrive, save them and place them near the advent wreath. Every night as you light the candle(s) pray for the senders of the cards that arrived that day. Prophecy Sticks This is a good way to introduce kids to the Old Testament prophecies that tell of Christ s coming. Write the following words on popsicle sticks: Birth, Anointing, Betrayal, Crucifixion & Resurrection. Then read the following Scriptures and see if the children can hold up the correct stick. Isaiah 7:14 (birth), Isaiah 25:8 (resurrection), Zechariah 11:12-13 (betrayal), Isaiah 9:6 (birth), Isaiah 53:12 (crucifixion), Isaiah 11:1-4 (anointing), Micah 5:2,4-5 (birth), Isaiah 53:6 (betrayal), Psalm 22:16-18 (crucifixion), Psalm 16:10 (resurrection). When the game is over you can discuss how amazing it is that Scripture predicts these events and how the events came true during the life of Jesus. Jesse Tree Isaiah 11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. It is from this verse that we get the tradition of the Jesse Tree. Jesus is that branch that grew from the stump, or lineage of Jesse. You can use a miniature Christmas tree for a Jesse tree or even a bare branch. The ornaments hung on the Jesse tree are not necessarily beautiful, but symbolic. All the ornaments have biblical significance telling some aspect of the story of the coming of Christ. Search free Jesse tree printable ornaments online or on Pinterest to find downloadable ornaments. (Choose from colored ornaments or blank ornaments that your kids can color in.) Or you can buy paper ornaments at The ornaments are paired with daily Scripture readings that bring meaning to the ornaments. Give Good Gifts All Season Long Have each member of the family decorate a shoe box and then cut a hole in the top. Throughout the advent season put notes or love, thankfulness or encouragement, coupons for service, Scriptures or treasures from nature into the boxes. This is a good way for children to learn that the best gifts are most often not store-bought. Caroling With Intentionality Go caroling as a family or make it a bigger group by inviting friends. Before you go, pick 3 or 4 songs that have special advent meaning and discuss the meaning as a group before you go. Some suggestions are: Joy to the World (the Lord has come, let earth receive her King, let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing...) O Little Town of Bethlehem (Yet in thy dark streets shineth an everlasting light, the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight...) Hark The Herald Angels Sing (Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled, mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth...) O Holy Night (Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth, a thrill of hope the weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn... Truly He taught us to love one another His law is love and His gospel is peace, chains shall He break for the slave is our brother and in His name all oppression shall cease...)

3 Children s Play/Reenactment This is a super easy and fun idea for kids and can even be a great outreach opportunity if you have neighbor kids over. You can make it as elaborate or simple as you want. To go the simple route, all you need is various scraps of material (bathrobes can be used as well). First read the Christmas story or have an older child do it. Then help the children to identify the main characters and choose roles. They can use the scraps of material (and bathrobes) to make their costumes (think head wraps, shawls, belts etc.). Stuffed animals can be used for the extra characters depending on how many children are present. Let them play and practice as long as they want and then they can come and tell the adult(s) when they are ready for the big performance. Family Epiphany Reflection & Recap: Epiphany means manifestation and celebrates the visit of the Magi to Jesus whose birth was manifested by a star. It is typically celebrated on January 6. This is a perfect date (now that Christmas and New Year s are over) to look back at the season and recount the blessings that your family experienced over the season. It is also a great time to recap the five themes of advent (Hope, Peace, Joy, Love & Christ). One way to do this is to write down on a piece of paper Advent 2014 and then have family members call out favorite memories of the advent season for this year. This can include special ways that you experienced Hope, Peace, Joy, Love & Christ this season. Pull out your list at the very beginning of advent season next year to remember and get excited for the season ahead. Family Candle Reflection & Recap: This works well to do at the end of December or on New Year s Eve. Round up 12 candles. Tea light work great or if you want to be really creative, you can find 12 different candles that represent each month (silver or sparkly for January, red for February, Christmas themed for Christmas etc.). Gather the family together and ask them to think of special memories (good or bad) that they recall from the entire year. Start with January and light a candle for January and then ask each family member what they remember from January. Go through each month until you have 12 candles lit and everyone has shared memories from each month. (Most likely you will find that there will be memories shared that will make you laugh as well as some that will make you cry and everything in between.) Names of God Ornament Balls Find or buy 25 ornament balls (can be various colors and sizes). Find a large vase, bowl or other decorative container to display them in. Write one of the names of God below on each of the balls (Sharpie works best). Place all the balls in a bag or other container. Each day through Christmas, at a set time (at breakfast, after school, at dinner etc.) have your child(ren) reach in to the bag and pull out one ball. Read the corresponding Scripture and place the ball in the display container. 1. King of Kings, Rev. 17:14 2. The Vine, John 15: The Branch, Isaiah 11: The Word, John 1: Lion of Judah, Rev 5: Lamb of God, John 1: Messiah, Luke 2: Light of the World, John 8:12 9. Redeemer, Isaiah 47:4 10. Bright and Morning Star, Rev. 22: I AM, Exodus 3: The Good Shepherd, John 10: Ancient of Days, Daniel 7:9 14. Bread of Life, John 6: Living Water, Jeremiah 2:13, John 7: Root of Jesse, Isaiah 11: The God Who Sees Genesis 16: Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9:6 19. Rock of Ages/Rock Eterna,l Isaiah 26:4 20. The Truth and the Life, John 14:6 21. The Everlasting Father, Isaiah 9:6 22. Man of sorrows/suffering, Isaiah 53:3 23. Savior of the world, 1 John 4: High Priest, Heb. 7:26-27 & Heb. 4: Emmanuel, Isaiah 7:14,Matthew 1:22-23

4 Advent Book Recommendations for Adults Watch For the Light: Readings For Advent and Christmas This book includes one reading a day (each from a different author) beginning on November 24 all the way January 7 (the day after Epiphany). It is a deeper, more thought provoking book with selections from authors including Henri Nouwen, Brennan Manning, Soren Kierkegaard, T.S. Eliot and more. (Each passage stands alone and does not build on the others.) God Is In The Manger: Reflections On Advent And Christmas by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (compiled & edited by Jana Riess) This book is a wonderful arrangement of Bonhoeffer writings paired with scripture and tied together with the editor s thoughts. It begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas and goes until January 5. The weeks are arranged in the following themes: Week One: Waiting, Week Two: Mystery, Week Three: Redemption, Week Four: Incarnation, The Twelve Day of Christmas And Epiphany. The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping The Full Love Story Of Christmas by Ann Voskamp A beautifully and poetically written devotional. Each day ends with three questions and a space to journal. Also includes downloadable ornaments. Ann uses the tradition of the Jesse Tree to explore the overarching theme of God s big story through the ages. This would be a great book to use as a small group study if you wanted to gather a small group of friends or neighbors to walk through the meaning of Advent and Christmas together. Simply Wait: Cultivating Stillness In The Season Of Advent by Pamela Hawkins Also a good and simple book to use for a group study. It combines reflections, questions and prayers together with space for journaling, to get to the heart of the season. Immanuel: The Coming Of Jesus In Art And The Bible by Hans-Ruedi Weber The very unique and beautiful book combines the perspective of all four Gospel accounts of Jesus birth along with art, prayer and hymns from around the world. Waiting Here For You: An Advent Journey Of Hope by Louie Giglio (Brand new this year)

5 Advent Book Recommendations for Children Unwrapping The Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas by Ann Voskamp A large hardcover book with beautiful illustrations and readings for each day of advent. Each day includes a reading, a portion of scripture, thoughts to discuss, a family activity and a Jesse Tree ornament. The book also gives you a code to go online and download free Jesse Tree ornaments. Little Star by Anthony DeStefano The story of Little Star, the smallest star in heaven who (unlike the other stars) can recognize that the tiny baby Jesus is the King of Kings. Getting Ready For Christmas by Yolanda Browne Helps children to count the days, as they get ready for Jesus s birthday. Includes Scripture passages, prayer and activities. The Wonder Of Christmas by Dandi Daley Mackall Prompts children to think about what each character in the nativity story would have been thinking. The Pine Tree Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs Beautiful story that helps children to understand the true meaning of Christmas (although not directly about Jesus or the manger). The Advent Storybook by Antonie Schneider Benjamin Bear is so impatient for Christmas to come. To help the time pass more quickly, his mother tells him that every day when he opens a door on his advent calendar she'll tell him a story: twenty-four stories all about another little bear and his long, arduous journey to Bethlehem. Truth In The Tinsel : An Advent Experience For Little Hands (This is an ebook that you can buy and it also includes printable ornaments).

6 Advent for me: Advent for my family: Advent for others in my life: Notes: My