Advent Ideas for Families
Advent is a special time of year for Catholics. Parents are tasked with passing along the awe and wonder of the season to their children. It’s a tremendous opportunity for traditions that can add depth to a child’s (and family’s) spiritual life.
Our Catholic schools incorporate faith every day into the curriculum-especially during Advent. There are many ways families can celebrate Advent at home, too. Here are a few simple ideas:
- Create and light an Advent wreath
- Read an Advent reflection daily during a family meal time
- Read an Advent story book together
- Decorate a Jesse tree with Bible-inspired ornaments
- Contribute to a Sacrifice manager – like the Giving Manager or similar
- Read aloud from the Gospel
- Volunteer and/or donate to others in the community as a family
- Visit hospitals or nursing homes to sing Christmas carols
- Explain and discuss the significance of the Nativity scene and other Christmas symbols
- Celebrate December feast days with special events, like stuffing shoes on St. Nicholas Day, etc
- Attend your parish Advent events and Christmas Mass with family and friends
The National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) has a library full of Advent resources for families. One is this awesome Advent calendar below. Find even more ideas here.
We’d love to hear what your family does. Do you have special Advent traditions or favorite reflections?
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