I listened to their activity in the other room while gathering our Advent supplies. We have a few books through the years that give us ideas of activities for each night. I have a 4 space candle holder with a tree in the middle, some candles and our Bibles.  As I heard a break in their activity (switching from their new PS3 game to a Netflix episode) I asked them to come into the dining room.

I have memories, back to my childhood, of celebrating Advent on each Sunday through December. We’d light the candle each week, sing wonderful Christmas Hymns and hear words of encouragement about our Savior all month long.  It seems that few churches do that now.

Since the boys were tiny we celebrated Advent from Thanksgiving to January. Each night reading a verse, making a craft, 2 years we had tiny gifts each night (parts of lego minifigs), choco calendars, lego calendars, we’ve done just about everything. We made Jesse Trees and created an ornament each evening. We still have quite a few of those. But as they get older, is it still important?

Tonight, on December 2nd, as we read the prophecies and the fulfillments made in Christ, and as we read John 1:1-18 my heart stirred. Yes, we should be reading these passages every day, not just November – January. May they have these verses given to memory. Who Christ is. Why He came. Why He is coming again. What He did? What does it mean to us?  A month of learning, remembering, honoring and passing it to the next generation.

We each light a candle because we are fire hounds. We may or may not create a drawing or make an ornament. Most likely we will try to read each evening. I encourage you to do the same with your children. We happen to use Doorposts’ Advent and Christmas in Family Worship. (no affiliate or review) We have the 2003 version. I have many happy memories of the candles, verses and hymns with my boys.