Update on Favorite Advent and Christmas Traditions

A Slow and Simple Advent

Four years ago I wrote a post about our Advent and Christmas traditions and thought it was due for an update. A lot can change in four years, right?! You can read about our traditions of Operation Christmas Child, St. Nicholas Day, Christmas Eve service, Advent devotional, Three Gift Christmas, and Gifts for Jesus in the previous post.  

Christmas Eve 2018

We still enjoy all of the above traditions. I am thankful to Noel Piper and others for helping me to form thoughts about Advent, Santa, and Christmas when my first was still a babe. It's always been wonderful to have these traditions that point us to Christ. Over the course of the last year, I have been studying the liturgical year, or the church calendar, and I have really been inspired by all I've learned. I read through a great and simple book called The Circle of Seasons that explains the historical background and biblical emphasis of each season, and then gives ideas for how to incorporate that season in your home and life through different practices and traditions. You can see a Pinterest board of my favorite liturgical year resources here: https://www.pinterest.com/chalbond/liturgical-year-disciplines-restsabbath/

St. Nick's Day, December 6th 2018

This year we are intentionally taking things slower and trying to really feel that sense of waiting. We try to limit our Christmas activities as much as possible to guard our Advent devotional time and so that we can keep a peaceful atmosphere in our hearts and in our homes. We have decided to only get out our Advent specific decorations during Advent, and to wait to get out the rest of the decor and put up our tree closer to Christmas. Right now we just have out our Advent wreath and our Jesse Tree. We will put up the tree and the nativities a few days before Christmas and leave them up for Christmastide (the 12 days of Christmas) through Epiphany (January 6th). This allows us to really lean into the season of waiting and preparation and it makes the celebratory days of Christmastide that much sweeter! We read a page each day from this book about the 12 Days of Christmas and continue reading our Christmas books, watching Christmas movies, and playing Christmas music during Christmastide.  

I also created an Advent specific playlist this year. We are trying to hold off on singing the celebratory songs about Christ's birth until Christmastide. I'm not going to be legalistic about it, but we are going to try to be more mindful of it, at least in our own celebrating at home. This playlist has some traditional Advent hymns, as well as lovely songs from the Rain for Roots Waiting Songs album, some modern songs about Advent, a few hymns of lament, and a few songs about His second coming. Of course, a lot of the songs fit several categories as well. If interested, you can access it here: 

https://open.spotify.com/user/12171574112/playlist/1nIgTDKFSGeCddlXH0yfGd?si=Bp6Hp09-RPCJ-oIpCPfBew

Enjoy! 

Happy Birthday Jesus breakfast

Gingerbread Cookies during Christmastide

Each year I also create an Advent curriculum guide including hymns, poetry, Christmas folk songs, and art, as well as suggestions for books. This can easily be incorporated during dinner or on the weekends.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about some of our traditions and I'd love to hear about yours as well, so please leave a comment! 

Blessed Advent! Come, Lord Jesus!