[kakuehl]

Every where I go it seems like homes are decorated for Christmas. Are any of you doing anything special for Advent? Do you use and Advent calendar or an Advent wreath? We are encouraging everyone in our parish to read one chapter of Matthew per day during December and to study it. What about the rest of you?

[Juliana13]

We have young children, so the advent calendar is very popular. - we have a regular advent calendar, and a music one, so we sing a different Christmas song each night before bedtime prayers. We do nightly scriptures with the kids, too, but that's not just in December.

They also love to go driving around looking at the lights, and LOVE to listen to Christmas music constantly. They are getting into doing extra chores to earn money for gifts, too. All around, it's a really fun season!

[Juliana13]

Ooops! I just realized that this is the Lutheran forum - and I'm not Lutheran. Oh well. Sorry! Merry Christmas anyway!

[mrsred]

Juliana, this is not a closed club, you are welcome here.

As for Advent, I have tried to find an Advent calendar without the chocolates or little gifts in the windows and haven't had any luck yet. With four kids I would have to have four calendars or listen to three of them whine everyday.
This Wednesday we start our mid-week evening Advent services at church.

[kakuehl]

Julianna, I like the Christmas Carol idea. As MrsRed says, just because this is a "Lutheran" thread doesn't mean "only Lutherans allowed"!

Mrs.Red - There are Advent Calendars that open to reveal a picture each day and have a saying or a verse to read, etc. You might try a local Christian bookstore. Lutheran Brotherhood (now Thrivent) used to have one to distribute... there might still be some hanging around the church! LOL

Have any of you (either of you?) ever used a Jesse tree? This is made by placing a bare tree branch in some sort of holder and then decorating it with figures from the Old Testament that lead the way to Jesus. The name comes from the father of King David - Jesse. Moses, Isaiah, Noah, "Father Abraham", the "burning bush", anything that shows how God has a relationship with his people. I'm doing a modified version for the children's sermon at church. You are only limited by your imagination!

[Juliana13]

Okay - I'm back, then. My children LOVE advent calendars. I know there is a lot more to Advent than calendars, but they are young, and anything they can do to countdown the time we have going on. They have a paper chain taped to the fridge, with a scripture on each link that tells the Christmas story. They have the Christmas carol calendar. They have a felt Nativity scene advent calendar - where they take a piece of the nativity out of teh corresponding pocket for each day and place it on the background. (Yes, 25 pieces. There are a few stars, and several sheep...)

I have never heard of a Jesse tree - but I have pretty class ornaments - 12 in a set - that depict various events surrounding Christ's birth, and we hang those as we read or talk about them. My kids like to do those all together on Christmas Eve. And they LOVE to do their own pageant. It gets interesting on some years, but it is fun. I remember the year my daughter, a wise man, gave her 2 month old brother, who was playing Jesus, her favorite teddy bear. So sweet!

I like the Jesse tree idea - even if it is not done at Christmas time, it would be neat to do in Sunday school, or even at home with my own children, to teach those same concepts. Where do you get the figures to hang? Do you just make them? Or do you use pictures?

[kakuehl]

I'm sorry... I didn't get back quickly. The "ornaments" are limited only by your imagination. Pictures, drawings, handmade figures all work. I know of no place that sells them. A toy ark for Noah, or a picture of a rainbow to remind us of God's covenant. The 2 tablets with the 10 Commandments or the figure of Abraham carrying them. Joseph's Robe of many colors. An altar. All are images that come to my mind. Images from the Creation story like a sun.

In Sunday school I can image telling the story and taking about how it connects with Jesus, then coloring a picture (use card stock!) to illustrate the story, cut out the figure and hang it on the tree.