Advent Preparation

I haven't put a lot of thought into Advent this year.  However, I did pull out the resources I have. (Not candles, though; I'm not sure I have candles yet.  Oops.)

One I haven't used before, although we've done a Jesse tree in various forms for many years, is the Jesse Tree book.  I need to go through it and match it with the sheets I printed to supply us with inspiration (and tracing patterns if needed) for the pictures for each story.  (We've done lots of different types of images in the past; this year I thought we'd draw or trace pictures onto plastic cut from milk or vinegar jugs, then color them.)  Since I'm using our tabletop tree for a baby shower the first week in December, it won't do for our Jesse tree this year, but it isn't big enough to handle four daily ornaments for 25 days anyway.  We usually use it for our weekly ornaments.  (See next paragraph for more on that.)  We have a larger tree that is still small that we rescued from the church discards--I think it will serve as our Jesse tree this year.

I think the weekly reading/listening/looking/doing plan we've used for two years will still work this year, particularly since I haven't taken the time to revise it.

Our Advent calendar is homemade (ours is shaped differently than the one pictured at the link), and each year I fill each opening with slips of paper.  We've tried using the Jesse tree scriptures, but that doesn't fit our routine, so two years ago I started putting one "helpful deed" slip for each child in each opening.  I want the focus to be on hearts, not deeds, though, so this year I added scriptures to point us to our attitudes.  I'll include the list at the bottom of this post.

Last year we put the nativity out one piece at a time, with the baby coming last.  This year I'm thinking of incorporating Noel Piper's nativity Advent calendar story into this routine, although I need to come up with more items since our set doesn't have very many pieces.

We'll read poetry from Ambleside Online's Christmas poetry collection.

I don't yet know what I'll do with the Christmas books and videos.  I've sometimes wrapped them all and had the kids open one each day.  That has some downsides, so I think last year I just set them out in a basket right at the beginning.  I think the Nutcracker may have to be retired--I bought a new copy last year thinking to avoid the Arabian dancer, but this version has her too.  My boys are far too visual to tolerate that, apparently.

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Here now is the list of tasks and scriptures for our Advent calendar:

Make a card for a teacher at church.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Hug someone.
(Romans 12:10:  Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.)

Clean one kitchen counter.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Write a special note for each of your siblings.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Say "thank you" whenever someone does something for you.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Help your brother make his bed.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Tell each person in the family "I love you."
(Romans 12:10:  Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.)

Help your sister with her chore.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Tell your sister something you really like about her.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Tell your brother something you really like about him.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Tell your mom something you really like about her.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Tell your dad something you really like about him.
(Romans 12:8:  If we can encourage others, we should encourage them.)

Clean up next to your bed.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Put a nice note on each person's pillow.
(Romans 12:10:  Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.)

Take your dirty laundry basket to the laundry room.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Help Mom with a chore.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Help Dad with a chore.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Fill the bird feeder.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Let someone else go first.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Fill someone's water glass.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Put away all the dishes, not just yours.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Find a beautiful leaf and give it to someone.
(Romans 12:8:  If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.)

Put the shoes in the sunroom back in their bins.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Pick up the coats from around the coatrack and hang them up.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)

Clean your desk.
(Romans 12:7:  If we can serve others, we should serve.)