Catholic Mamas - Advent Ideas

[elanorh]

Hi,

We are looking for some supplemental Advent things to do with the girls. Does anyone have anything special which they do (beyond Advent calendar, nativity) with kiddos during Advent?

We put one person/item into the nativity every day until Christmas. Although the set is small enough we start slowly and don't add a new thing EVERY day, especially since I don't want to put the Wise Men in until later.

I'd like to do something for St. Lucia's Day, and also I think for St. Nicholas. Any cool traditions that you all do? Perhaps somewhat in a lesson format even?

We always do something with the Angel Trees, too .... And we keep our tree up until the Epiphany.

[chfriend]

We have an advent wreath. We light it and sing O Come O Come Emmanuel before meals.

This year we are going to have a Jesse Tree. Here are some nice links my dp came up with:

http://www.eriercd.org/jessetree.htm
has downloadable/printable jesse tree ornaments

http://anaannacarina.blogspot.com/20...ift-ideas.html
simple gift ideas with the concept/story behind each gift

http://www.rc.net/wcc/adventp1.htm
advent prayers

http://www.stmichaelonline.org/Litur.../Jessetree.htm
the best one - has verses and which ornaments go with those verses for 29 days

[crunchy_mommy]

Subbing... was just asking the same question on another forum today!!

We don't have too many traditions yet... DS is not even 1... we will take him to the local shrine during advent for Christmas lights & Mass, and I'd like to get an Advent wreath (love the idea of singing as DS would not sit still for a long prayer/reading!)... we do stocking gifts for the 12 days of Christmas... but hoping to find some more Christ-centered ideas!

[Fay]

We sing a new song every day during Advent & Christmas. "O Come Emanuel" is my kids' favorite, and it has 7 verses, so we can sing a new verse every day for a week. "Creator of the Stars of Night" is another traditonal Advent song with several verses. We sing "Immaculate Mary" on Dec. 8. I think there are special songs for St. Nick & St. Lucy, too. My kids put their shoes outside on Dec. 5, and St. Nick leaves a little surprise for them in the morning of Dec. 6...usually a prayer card and a few chocolate coins.

[jlpumkin]

This year we are trying this out: http://www.holyheroes.com/?Click=1165 though we've never done it before so I wouldn't call it a tradition.

We also add in one person/item to the nativity every day.

Our old parish used to have a big event on St. Nicholaus day where the kids would make gifts for children in the local children's hospital. Then St. Nick himself would arrive handing out candy canes and answering questions about his life. It was an awesome time for the kids. We've moved and can't attend this year. We will fill their shoes this year... maybe something more, we'll see.

[Bluegoat]

I know some families where kids get chocolate coins for St Nicholas day. But there is a great website, the St Nicholas Center, that has all kinds of activities and crafts.

[jest]

For St. Nicholas Day we leave our shoes out the night before and in the morning we find small gifts in our shoes. I have been giving the kids an ornament and a piece of good quality chocolate. This year I bought some chocolate coins.

We have an advent wreath and when we light it I say a prayer and then we sing "Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel".

We also signed up for the Holy Heroes that was linked above.

[sarahsmiles]

Just subbing. We still haven't managed to get anything together and DD is 3. I'm feeling guilty. Advent wasn't part of our childhoods, and I'm still struggling with DH over when "Christmas" begins.

Hope to get it together soon.

[elanorh]

I ordered two books today:

The Last Straw http://www.amazon.com/Last-Straw-Fre...9112546&sr=8-1

and

The Shortest Day http://www.amazon.com/Shortest-Day-C...9112574&sr=8-1 (NOT a religious book but seasonal still I think , the girls are really interested in planetary tilts etc. and seasons)

So, although they're an unusual gift for St. Nicholas' Day, I thought they'd be good; I didn't want to wait 'til Christmas to give them to them. I'll have them put their shoes out on the back steps on Dec. 5th and they'll have wrapped books and some candy in them the next morning.

I looked up St. Lucia's Day - I know Cooking Light had a good article and recipes for it in last year's December magazine, I need to go through my old magazines; otherwise, this was informative: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucy%27s_Day I could easily make cuccia for breakfast that day and think the girls would like it. I don't know what else I'd do .... maybe a Scandinavian bread recipe?