Monday, September 10, 2001

All Things Advent/Christmas

Rather than write the same things each year, I will place links here to various past Advent posts.
These are MY posts about our traditions and not direct links, though direct links are included in the posts, I don't want anyone to be frustrated. LOL We are a "Low Protestant" family who entered the military chaplaincy and have since learned much from our High Protestant and Catholic friends about Advent. Here are some of the things we do that make Advent meaningful to us. These are not polished aricles...they're simple, off the cuff blog posts.
Our Reasoning
Christmas: To Celebrate or Not - posted 2006.
Giving and Receiving - thoughts posted 2007
De'Ettas Sanity Saving Tips for Life and Christmas - posted 2007
Inviting the Birthday Boy to His Party - Dec 25, 2009
Transitional Christmas - posted Dec 27, 2009
Christmas "Shopping" - posted Dec 12, 2010

Studies & Devotionals
I write about our Favorite Family Inductive Advent Study here. Here's a direct link - current in 2012.
First Sunday in Advent - Devo with daily readings by Mike - posted 2007
Second Sunday in Advent - by Mike - posted 2007; link broken trying to find it again.
Third Sunday in Advent - by Mike 2007
Fourth Sunday in Advent/ Christ's Candle by Mike
Various Traditions listed (Adornaments, Jesse Tree, Jotham's Journey etc) - Confessions of Advent Devo Overload - posted 2006
Jotham's Journey and all - action packed stories to read nightly during advent; I don't always agree 100% with the theology but I edit on the fly.
Advent Study - written by Good Morning Girls, short passages, family activities - posted 2012
Free Jesse Tree Advent Family Devotional by Ann Voskamp complete with colored ornaments to make and hang on your tree - posted 2012
Why Do We Call it Christmas - $10 DVD by What's in the Bible Team - our kids love it
Everyday Emmanuel  - What's in the Bible Team - This is a much slower paced family devotional with activities, projects, crafts, readings, and four ornaments to make. Link updated 2014.
Truth in the Tinsel - This $8 ebook provides a daily Scripture which you read, talk abut the story and make an ornament. I've heard it's easy to adjust for a variety of ages. 2014.

Our Traditions
Jesus Stocking - 2007 (have been known to leave this out year round)
RCA Jesse Tree Devotionals and Ornament Patterns - posted 2009 - see above as well
Advent Hunt Calendar - posted 2009
Christmas books, music and videos - posted 2006
Advent Reads - Jotham Trilogy and Advent Storybook - posted 2009
Advent Countdown Candle - posted 2006 and here (2007) (thin candle works best)
Christmas Shopping - posted in 2006 - note that Mike was deployed this year and we posted a LOT of stuff so he'd be part of our celebration...though not physcially with us. One of our escapdes recounted here - posted in 2007.
Happy Birthday, Jesus - posted 2006
Jesus' Birthday Cake - posted 2009
Organized Christmas Morn - posted 2006
Operation Christmas Child - That Shoe Box Thang and here (2007, 2008)
Touring Light Displays (big and small) 2007
Family Photo Shoot - 11 people, one tri-pod, will travel posted 2007
Family Tree and photo ornaments/ tree topper- 2008
Advent Activity Calendar - 2008
Tips from readers about Advent Calendars and such - 2008
Traveling Wise Men - 2014

Christmas "Helps"/ Ideas
Helps from Cyber friends - tons of links - current in 2007
An Organized Holiday - posted 2007
Candy Christmas Wreaths - 2007
Whisk you a Merry Kissmas - 2007
Make Nativity Dominoes - 2009
The Old Schoolhouse - Digital Holiday Supplement - FREE ideas, freezer meals, decorating ideas, activities for young children - 2009
Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix - 2011
The Gift of a Christmas Verse - 2011
Ginger's Grab Bag - 2011

Christmas Symbols
Christmas Tree Lights by Nolan and Arielle - posted 2006
Christmas Trees by Children & I posted 2006
Advent Season by Arielle - posted 2006
Nativities - narrated by Children in 2006
Giving Gifts by Nolan - posted 2006
Feast Pig - may yet become a tradition - posted in 2006
Twelve Days of Christmas - practiced - posted 2006
Twelve Days of Christmas Song - I KNOW there is controversy over this tradition. I've found this "code", however, in many books and sources....we choose to use it as an object lesson for our children.

Christmas School
An explanation of Christmas School. - posted 2006
School or Christmas School - 2007
See Children's writings on symbols for examples of Christmas School.
Samples of our Merry Christmas Books - posted 2006
Journal Jar - 2007 - could be a gift idea as well
Christmas Symbols/Preschool Nativity Lapbooks - 2008
Christmas Alphabet - we are going to make "books," a letter a page, this list will get you started. 2009

Christmas Memories too Good not to Share
Stacia's Christmas Photos for Mike the year he was deployed - WOW did she grow during that time. 2006
The Daddy Bear - a way we kept Mike "alive" for Stacia and RECEIVING the Daddy Bear - 2006
Bre & Krista finally arrive after a wild bus trip home.


©2008 D.R.G.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to sit and go through your posts. We love Advent. The whole preparation thing for Christmas. Living in Germany helped us get into it years ago. But always having celebrated it, it is awesome to see so many get excited about its significance. Glad to see the Low Prots get on board -- ha!! I wrote tonight about stress and the real focus. {{hugs}} to you and yours. Still so thankful for our few minutes together in Dallas!

Romany said...

'I've heard it was never illegal to be a Catholic in England,'

Goodness, it certainly was illegal to practice the catholic faith for a long time in Britain! You can go to any large tudor home and find the 'priest's hole' where the family hid the priest when government troops came searching.

Unfortunately, much of British history pivots around religious differences of various types.

I think the 12 days of christmas poem is a more recent invention though.

Cynthia said...

Great idea to link the previous blog entries. I was thinking about doing something similar to what I do with our recipes.. just haven't had time to do that yet.