11 Advent Traditions for You and Your Family
We find that many want to make the Christmas season more intentional with their family. By having specific Advent traditions in place, your family can draw closer to Christ. Do you want to make this Advent Season more meaningful for our family? If so, here are 11 Advent traditions that you and your family can implement this season to experience God in new ways.
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“The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
What is Advent?
Before I can share our 11 Advent traditions with you, let’s start with the basics. The Advent season begins the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day and goes until Christmas. Dating back to the first couple of centuries of the church, the Advent Season has been recognized by the church as a special “waiting season” that prepares our hearts and minds for the coming of Christ. It is similar to the Lent season that prepares us for Easter. Want to learn more about the basics and history of Advent? Check out our post HERE.
Why celebrate Advent?
The Advent Season is an opportunity to have intentional time to grow your roots deeper in Christ as a family and church community. It’s more than just habitual actions. Practicing these traditions year after year grows your roots deeper when your heart is hungry for more of God.
The Advent season can truly be a special, set-aside time for you and your family to intentionally slow down and go deeper.
There are some traditional Advent practices that are typically honored by many Christian churches during this season. I will share these long-lasting traditions in this article, including the Advent Candles, Advent Wreath, and Advent Calendar. I will also share some of our other favorite family traditions you can incorporate this Advent Season to make this time of year meaningful and special.
Here are 11 Advent Traditions your family may consider this season!
Important side note: These are just ideas! Do not implement all of these all at once. You WILL become overwhelmed and discouraged if you do. Instead, I recommend picking one or two to try this year. If you love it, then do it again next year! If not, try a new tradition.
1) Celebrate with Advent Candles
Traditionally, four candles are lit to represent the four weeks of Advent. Each Sunday, a candle is lit with a particular meaning and color. Each candle has its own special meaning and significance. Lighting a new candle each week could also be something that your family partakes in at home.
- The first purple candle, oftentimes known as the “Prophecy Candle,” symbolizes hope. It is lit in remembrance of the prophets who foretold of the coming of Christ. It also represents the excitement and anticipation we feel as we await the coming Messiah, not only on Christmas day but as we await His 2nd coming.
- The second purple candle, known as the “Bethlehem Candle,” symbolizes faith. It is a reminder of Mary and Joseph’s faith journey to Bethlehem.
- The third candle is pink and is known as the “Shepard’s Candle.” This candle symbolizes joy because of the immense joy the world experienced with the coming of Christ and the joy we feel as we anticipate Him coming again.
- The fourth and final purple candle is the “Angel’s Candle,” which symbolizes peace. It marks the final week of prayer and anticipation as we wait for the birth of our Savior.
Check out these Advent Candles from Amazon! You can have them right in your own home for your family to light each week.
How to Light Advent Candles in the Home
Some families enjoy saying prayers and blessings as they light a candle on the wreath each Sunday. In family practice, the Advent wreath is most appropriately lit at dinner time after the blessing of the food. This is an example of an interactive family prayer from Crosswalk.com:
Parent: Lord, you are the light of the world.
Child: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Parent: Heavenly Father, we long for your plan of rescue and redemption to be realized. Give us hearts that see Your beauty and wait in hope for You to make all things good and new again.
Child: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.
Parent: May Your light and love shine brightly in our hearts, spreading hope and peace to those around us.
Child: Amen.
A more traditional candle-lighting ceremony
If you would like a more specific and traditional candle-lighting tradition for your family, here is a beautiful tradition of lighting and liturgy that you could follow from Catholiceducation.org.
- On the First Sunday of Advent, the father of the family blesses the wreath, praying:
“O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth Thy blessing upon this wreath, and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and may receive from Thee abundant graces. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.”
He then continues for each of the days of the first week of Advent, “O Lord, stir up Thy might, we beg thee, and come, that by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sins and saved by Thy deliverance. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.”
The youngest child then lights one purple candle. - During the second week of Advent, the father prays:
“O Lord, stir up our hearts that we may prepare for Thy only begotten Son, that through His coming we may be made worthy to serve Thee with pure minds. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.”
The oldest child then lights the purple candle from the first week, plus one more purple candle. - During the third week of Advent, the father prays:
“O Lord, we beg Thee, incline Thy ear to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy visitation. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.”
The mother then lights the two previously lit purple candles, plus the rose candle. - Finally, the father prays during the fourth week of Advent,
“O Lord, stir up Thy power, we pray Thee, and come; and with great might help us, that with the help of Thy grace, Thy merciful forgiveness may hasten what our sins impede. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.”
The father then lights all of the candles on the wreath.
2) What is an Advent Wreath?
The Advent Wreath is one of the most common symbols used during the Advent season. The four candles can be placed on this wreath, with a white candle placed in the middle of the wreath to represent the life of Christ. This “Christ Candle” is white because it symbolizes purity. Using an Advent Wreath in combination with the Advent candles is a beautiful way to prepare your heart and mind for Christmas.
There is a lot of symbolism in the Advent wreath. You can read more about the history and symbolism of the wreath HERE. The wreath is made of various evergreens symbolizing everlasting life promised to us through Christ. The circle of the wreath symbolizes God, who has no beginning and no end.
What about starting a tradition of creating your own Advent wreath?
Gather your friends and family, put out a hot cocoa bar, and build your own Advent wreaths together! You could use the leftover materials from trimming your Christmas tree, or you could head to your nearest craft store and get artificial evergreens. Either way, this could be a special tradition that you do with your loved ones year after year!
3) Countdown to Christmas with an Advent Calendar
Advent calendars are a very common thing to keep during the Advent season. It is a great way to have a physical reminder of this “waiting” season and also creates anticipation as we await the coming of Christ. Advent calendars come in a variety of forms, but one thing they all have in common is that they provide a “countdown” until Christmas day.
Some families have Advent calendars that were handmade and passed down from generation to generation. Others purchase chocolate or gift advent calendars each year where the recipient can open one box each day and find chocolate or a special gift awaiting them.
This is a fun way to get children involved with Advent! Our children always look forward to the chocolate advent calendars we get each year as we count down the days until Christmas. Check out these options for your kids if you haven’t purchased yours yet:
If you love the idea of having a reusable advent calendar or one that you can personalize yourself, here are some other options we love!
You can fill this wooden one with your own gifts, chocolates, or Bible verses
We love this fabric option that you can use year after year with your family
This wooden advent calendar would be such a beautiful piece to pass on
Your child opens the fabric pockets to find items to add to the nativity scene
4) Make an Advent Garland to Create a New Family Tradition
This year, our family is trying a new meaningful Advent tradition! We spent time putting together our own Advent garland, which we hung up in our dining room and will refer to all Advent season! I love the memories we made putting it together. This is just another unique way to set this season apart.
Want to make your own? Our sweet friends over at Scripturedoodle have created the cutest Christmas Garland Kit. They provide everything you need to make this adorable garland that you can hang up for future Advent seasons to come. (If they are sold out, you can still make your own Advent garland! Check out an easy felt ball garland tutorial HERE!)
Each felt ball on the garland represents a different element of the Christmas season. I love that they provide 10 devotional cards that refer to these different elements, which you can read together as a family!
For ten days leading up to Christmas, you’ll take time to examine the wise men, baby Jesus, the star of Bethlehem, and more. It will help start a conversation with your loved ones about our Savior and the beauty of His coming into the world.
5) Learn the Names of Jesus During This Advent Season
We implemented this tradition a few years ago, and it was such a special way of learning the different names of Jesus. We cut out the 25 names of Jesus and hung them up on a long piece of twine with mini clothespins.
Each of the 25 days leading up to Christmas, we would take down one of the cards and read the name of Jesus along with the scripture that goes along with it. This is such a beautiful addition to family devotion time during the Advent season. You can get your FREE download from A Virtuous Woman Blog HERE.
6) Set Aside Extra Prayer and Meditation Time
The Advent season is a wonderful time to have extra dedicated prayer and meditation time. Use this time to draw closer to the Lord as an individual and also as a family. We love this prayer below from Proverbs 31 ministries. You could read this liturgy in your quiet time or together as a family.
“The Manger of My Heart”
This Advent, Lord, come to the manger of my heart.
~Renee Swope, “The Manger of My Heart” from Proverbs 31 Ministries
Fill me with Your presence from the very start.
As I prepare for the holidays and gifts to be given,
Remind me of the gift You gave when You sent Your Son from Heaven.
The first Christmas gift, it was the greatest gift ever.
You came as a baby born in a manger.
Wrapped like the gifts I find under my tree,
Waiting to be opened, to reveal Your love to me.
Restore to me the wonder that came with Jesus’ birth,
When He left the riches of Heaven and wrapped Himself in rags of earth.
Immanuel, God with us, Your presence came that night.
And angels announced, “Into your darkness, God brings His Light.”
“Do not be afraid,” they said, to shepherds in the field.
Speak to my heart today, Lord, and help me to yield.
Make me like those shepherd boys, obedient to Your call.
Setting distractions and worries aside, to You I surrender them all.
Surround me with Your presence, Lord, I long to hear Your voice.
Clear my mind of countless concerns and all the holiday noise.
Slow me down this Christmas, let me not be in a rush.
In the midst of parties and planning, I want to feel Your hush.
This Christmas, Jesus, come to the manger of my heart.
Invade my soul like Bethlehem, bringing peace to every part.
Dwell within and around me, as I unwrap Your presence each day.
Keep me close to You, Lord. It’s in Your wonderful Name I pray.
7) Read an Advent Devotional or Special Readings
There are so many amazing resources that will guide you through the Advent season! One idea is to read one chapter from the Gospel of Luke every day from December 1st-24th. There are 24 chapters in the Gospel of Luke, so this is a perfect reading opportunity to learn about the birth and life of Christ as you celebrate Him on Christmas Day.
We also love the Bible study resources at The Daily Grace Co. I’ve been using their Bible studies for several years now, and every one of them is beautiful and full of rich questions to take your faith deeper. They have themed studies this year that revolve around the Advent candle-lighting tradition! You can check out those resources HERE.
How could you make time for specific family devotion time this Advent season?
8) Create Space for More Silence & Solitude
Silence and solitude are spiritual practices that will always grow your roots deeper in Christ. The Advent season is a great time to introduce these practices into your spiritual journey! If you are already spending regular time in silence and solitude, I would encourage you to create space to have more! If you want to learn more about the practices of silence and solitude and how they deepen your roots in Christ, check out our blog post HERE.
9) Create an Advent Tradition of Serving Together
There are so many different opportunities to serve as a family during the Advent Season. From homeless shelters to Operation Christmas Child to your local Foster Care ministries, you can partner with plenty of organizations this season.
First, see what your local church is doing. This could be a great way to get involved and bless lives together as the local church community. Then, seek out outside organizations that may need an extra hand or extra resources.
We have a high homeless population in our community in North Carolina. Our children came up with the idea to create goodie bags of fun and helpful supplies that we can pass out whenever we see them on the streets. My daughter, Azalia, wants to take it a step further. When we can, she wants to park and get out of the car to pray with each person as we hand them their gift. This is such a simple yet powerful way to bless the people of our city this season.
How could you or your family serve this season? What could it look like to do fewer “festivities” and more volunteering during the Advent season?
10) Put Up a Family Nativity Scene Together
This is one of our favorite family traditions during the Advent season! At the beginning of the Advent season, we love to take out our Willow Tree Nativity Scene (which was a Wedding gift from my parents). Piece by piece, my children put the scene together on top of our piano. It becomes a central focal point of our home during the Christmas season.
11) Advent Sunday Candlelit Dinners
Each Sunday during Advent, have an intentional, slow, Sunday meal with your loved ones. This could be with just your immediate family, or you may want to invite your neighbors or friends from church. Make this meal set apart and special by lighting the Advent candles, and enjoying dinner by candlelight. Have a special devotion or read Scripture out loud to the group.
Another opportunity to make your Advent dinners special is to linger around the table and have a more meaningful and deeper conversation. Do you need some ideas on what questions to ask to have better table conversations? Download our FREE resource: 30 Questions For More Meaningful Table Conversations. These special Advent dinners can be a grounding moment for you and your family each week during this season.
How to Implement Advent Traditions for Your Family
Undeniably, there are so many other Advent traditions that you could have during this season. Our hope is that we have given you some ideas as a starting point. Take them and make them your own. The biggest key is to embrace the Advent season with a heart desiring to grow closer to Christ. Having an Advent tradition for the sake of just having a tradition is meaningless unless it grows our roots deeper in Him.
The key to any tradition is to be intentional. Like anything in life, it most likely won’t happen if it doesn’t get scheduled. Therefore, I want to encourage you to take some time to think about what new Advent tradition you would like to incorporate this year and then take the next step of putting it on the calendar to make it happen.
We’d love to hear from you! Comment below and let us know which Advent tradition you are going to give a try! Please share any other ideas that you may have so that we can learn from you.
Stay Rooted in Him!
-Kayla
