(This is the 2021 updated version of last year’s Advent post. 🙂 )

Happy Advent 2021! Whether you’re being minimal this year or doing all the things, I hope it’s a time of reflection, peace, joy, and drawing closer to God. Here are some of our favorites (and a few new things) that we do for Advent.

Advent Prayer Tables

We have two main prayer tables/shelves in our house. This one is by the front door. Here we add the nativity scene (purchased at Costco) and our Advent wreath. When the kids were younger, our thin Advent candles would always topple over or break. I finally bought pillar candles. It was the best decision, since these have lasted years. The wooden Advent sign I bought years ago from Rakstar Designs.

This prayer spot is in the family room. Last year we added this new gorgeous Holy Family print from Heart of Iesvs.

I am obsessed with it! So beautiful! To hang it up, I bought wooden magnetic frames from Amazon. It was super easy to put together and I think it looks great. (You want to buy a frame that is slightly bigger than the width of your print.)

This year we added the Jesse Tree from The Stump of Jesse shop at Etsy. And…

This St. Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer card from Redeemed and Free at Etsy. And…

The Baby Jesus manger with “sacrifice straw” from the 2021 Advent Liturgical Box from Catholic All Year.

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The Advent Calendar 1

Along with our Advent wreath, our Advent calendar has been a staple since the kids were little. Each day we have a rotating “prayer person of the day” who is in charge of leading the family evening prayer. During Advent, that person also gets to open the next box in our Advent calendar. We started this tradition years ago to take the focus off what we want to get, and instead, practice doing for others. We call it an Act of Love Calendar because we show our love for Jesus by sharing that love with others.

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I use the children’s printable Advent calendar from Loyola Press. I cut up the calendar and put the little paper squares into the corresponding day. In the morning we read the act of kindness and complete it that day. At dinner time, we each take a turn sharing something about our day. During Advent I’ll sometimes ask if anyone wants to share about their act of love and they explain how they held their tongue or helped someone out at school. The sharing helps us to see how we can apply our faith into the daily fabric of our lives.

Advent Calendar 2

A Letter to Baby Jesus (Instead of Santa)

This is another oldie but goodie. We’ve done this activity for many years and now it’s a family tradition for each of us. Instead of having the boys write the traditional letters to Santa, I put together a simple form letter that I could print off and give them to fill out. We decide on a spiritual activity we’ll work on during Advent as a gift to Jesus, who we will pray for during Advent and what presents we hope to get to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. When they were done, they folded up their letters and put them in their shoes for St. Nicholas to deliver to Baby Jesus. (In years past we’ve also placed them inside the stocking we have hanging for Jesus.)

If you’d like to print of a copy of the Letter to Baby Jesus, it can be found here. Also, I made a second version for those who don’t want the Santa aspect. It can be found here.

For the full post, click here – A Favorite Advent Tradition: A Christmas Letter to Baby Jesus (Instead of Santa)

An Advent Letter to Jesus for the Teens and Adults

This year, I used the same concept as the kid’s letter, but made a simple version for a teen or adult to use. You still choose some spiritual (or corporal) act you’ll offer to Jesus. You choose someone to pray for during Advent and instead of asking for a wrapped gift, you can write down what you are hoping to receive from Jesus this Christmas season. (ie. Peace in your heart, the ability to forgive someone who has hurt you, healing (physical or mental), etc.) You can download a PDF of the letter here.

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Jesus in the Manger

For years we used a paper version of Baby Jesus in a manger, but we saved up and found one we liked in the EWTN shop. We wait until Christmas morning to put out Baby Jesus. Meanwhile, during Advent we have a little basket of tan pieces of yarn (used as straw) that family members can use to fill up Baby Jesus’s crib. They put a piece in the manger whenever they make a sacrifice or do an act of love for Our Lord.

Then on Christmas morning we put Jesus in the manger and sing Him Happy Birthday and celebrate with presents and cake.

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Magnifikid’s Daily Advent Prayers

My favorite Advent family devotional/ prayer book is the Magnifikid Daily Advent Prayers from Magnificat. For each day of Advent there is an introductory prayer, an excerpt from the day’s Gospel reading, and intercessions. It is ideally for ages 7 and up, which makes it simple enough for our youngest to understand, yet it is meaty enough for the tween, teen and adults to get something out of it. The artwork is lovely and as an added bonus, it can be used year after year since it has different Sunday readings for the various cycles. I love it!

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Advent Journals

If you follow me on Instagram, you already know that I am a big fan of the Blessed Is She Advent journals. If you still want to buy one, each copy now comes with a digital download so you can start reading before your book arrives.

This year, the book is extra special to me since I am one of the authors of the devotional. I wrote the reflections for Week Four on the Holy Family.

Photo credit: Blessed Is She

Plus, this year they have one for kids as well. Matthew is eager to work on his.

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Sunday Missals

Photo credit: Every Sacred Sunday

I love the Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal and have been using it for a number of years.

Bella and I use the ESS Missal, but Brian and the boys prefer to use the St. Joseph’s 2022 Sunday Missal. You cannot beat the price – under $3!

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Feast of St. Nicholas

St. Nicholas was born in the 3rd Century to a wealthy and devout family. His parents died when he was young & Nicholas used his inheritance to help those less fortunate. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra (modern day Turkey) at a young age. Under the Roman Emperor, he was persecuted for his faith and was imprisoned. He was later released and became known for his generosity and works of wonder, particularly protecting children and the innocent.

More Catholic American families are adopting this feast day that is popular in European countries. Normally children will put out their shoes or hang stockings the night before. As mentioned above, our family also adds into the shoes the letter to Baby Jesus so St. Nicholas can bring it to Him.

While the kids are sleeping I’ll add a few small treats into the shoes – chocolate coins, candy, a small treat (like a mini Lego set or football cards) and a religious item such as a holy card, rosary or Tiny Saints charm.

You can find a lot of activities and printables at St Nicholas Center.org.

This year I found these amazing book marks from The Stump of Jesse and these beautiful prayer cards from Avery and Company Shop. The family loved them so much, I bought more for stocking stuffers.

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Spirit of Giving

Advent is perfect time to give of your time, talent, and treasure. Some charity activities have been modified to cope with the pandemic, but we have been able to collect food for the homeless and fill shoe boxes of goodies for the Box of Joy ministry. (Pictured above.) The kids did extra jobs around the house to pay for the items we purchased. (Tip: I buy extra school supplies and crayons when they are crazy cheap during back to school sales to fill Christmas boxes.)

We also give to the Falge Farm Worker program that brings food, supplies, and Christmas presents to migrant agricultural workers on the Central Coast of California. They are out in the fields doing back-breaking work in all conditions – cold, heat, smokey skies, even a pandemic – so giving back to them is a joy. We always sponsor one boy and one girl. This year we added a family as well.

We also try to bring a little cheer to the people in our community, such as our delivery people who bring countless boxes to our door, so I don’t have to go out shopping.

Every morning I leave a basket of snacks and drinks on the porch. Last year I added hard to find Covid items for them. It’s a small thing, but it gives them (and me) joy. 🙂

Those are some of my favorites Advent family activities! What are some of yours?

Have a great weekend!

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