What we're doing for Advent

Happy Liturgical New Year! Seriously, it is so fun being a Catholic. I love the season of Advent. Here is how we are preparing for Christmas.

Jesse Tree: During Advent we walk our kids through salvation history, or the story of how God saves His people. We do this by reading one story a night from the Old Testament, beginning with creation and ending with the birth of Christ. After the story the kids hang an ornament on our Jesse Tree that represents that night's story. My ornaments are the product of youthful enthusiasm. I made them all when Bean was 2 from item already in my craft box. I was a little excited about having a Jesse Tree. For some more ideas of ornaments go here and you can download a list of symbols to make and readings here.

Baby Jesus Manger: We made these this morning with extra wide popsicle sticks and then painted them brown. Each little yellow strip is a piece of "hay". As the kids do good deeds during Advent they get to add a piece of hay to baby Jesus' manger, so as to make a nice soft bed for Him on Christmas.

Advent Calendar: This one is compliments of my mom, she is so great. Each day the kids get to pull a little something from each pocket to count down the days til Christmas. They are filled with little treats and mini manger ornaments. She also gave us a mini tree to put the manger scene on. All of my creative jeans come from my mom.

We also have out our Advent wreath and multiple nativity scenes, so we are ready to prepare :)!