Advent 2020
Advent Toolkit for Kids
Many thanks to Catherine Saxe, our Diocesan Director for Children's Ministries, for providing the activities and book list below for Advent. Catherine is a wonderful resource for ideas and lesson plans any time of the year.
Looking for our Advent Adult Formation Series? Click above.
Advent Ideas for Home
Handout to support Advent Worship at Home
Download here: Advent Worship at HomePraying in Color
Includes prompts for adults and children to use: Praying in ColorJourneying the Way of Love Advent Calendar 2020
Available free from The Episcopal Church via download. There are prompts for reflection and potentially discussion together.Journeying the Way of Love Advent Curriculum
A full curriculum for groups, available free here: Journeying the Way of LoveAdvent Giving Calendar from Episcopal Relief and Development
Suggested giving here: Advent Giving CalendarChristmas Tree Ornament Kits
Create your own ornaments with the instructions here: Christmas Tree Ornament Kits$0.99 Advent Wreath
Inexpensive items to create a mini Advent wreath. Item list and instructions available from Build Faith: Advent WreathAdvent Prayer Bag
Easy crafts to make a kit for Advent prayers: Advent Prayer BagJesse Tree Ornaments
This tree collects ornaments symbolizing Bible stories: Jesse Tree Ornaments
Advent Books
The Ten Marys and the Angel Gabriel by Aurora Magni
The Angel Gabriel is sent by God to announce to Mary huge news: she will be the mother of God! Only one set back, he doesn’t know which of the ten Marys in Nazareth is the right one.
The Way to the Manger by Jeff Land and Abbey Land
A Family Advent Devotional
The Advent Storybook: 25 Bible Stories Showing Why Jesus Came by Laura Richie
Nativity Books
The Donkey’s Dream by Barbara Helen Berger
The Advent of Christmas by Matt Mahar
Who is Coming to Our House by Joseph Slate
Other Fun Ideas
Visit www.godspacelight.com and look for resources link. Scroll to find seasons link and open. Look for Advent and Christmas section.
Faith-based Activities
Make and decorate a birthday cake for Jesus.
Spend time on your bellies playing with the family nativity scene and acting out the story.
Cut your lunch sandwiches into the shape of stars and talk about the original Christmas star.
Write a letter to God about all the good things you’ve experienced throughout the year.
Make a manger with twigs you collect from outside and talk about Baby Jesus and the type of place he was born into.
Make paper crowns and talk about the wise men and the gifts they brought Jesus.
Serving Others
Take a few small gifts to a shelter for women and children.
Write a letter to a family friend or someone serving in an overseas charity.
Buy a small gift for a child in the long-term care wing of the children’s hospital and add a bouquet of flowers for his/her parent(s).
Clean out your toy boxes and donate good quality items to an opportunity store.
Raid the pantry for canned goods to donate to a charity.
Wear Santa hats and take some doggie treats to your local shelter.
Wear Santa hats and take a garbage bag to clean up garbage from your neighborhood.
Kitchen and Home
Make Christmas cookies: gingerbread, snickerdoodle, or sugar cookies!
Serve a red and green themed meal.
Make homemade caramel corn.
Make chocolate-dipped pretzels with red and green sprinkles.
Eat “reindeer droppings” for breakfast (donut holes!).
Make edible Christmas trees out of upside-down ice cream cones, green frosting, and sprinkles.
Decorate a gingerbread (or graham cracker) house.
Host a virtual cookie decorating party by sending out invitations with a small gift card for the supplies and set it up on Zoom.
Melt chocolate into Christmas molds.
String a popcorn garland for the tree.
Make origami ornaments for the tree.
Decorate a wreath together.
Make a paper garland to hang on the tree, over a door, or in the kids bedroom.