Here’s an Advent Update, regarding shaping this season in our household:
- As Noël Piper recommends in her book, Treasuring God in Our Traditions, we’ve been lighting the Advent candles every meal shared. I’ve loved Advent candles ever since I was introduced to them by my family as a child, so this feels natural. Problematically, our family eats together frequently. I have no idea whether the Week One candle will make it to Christmas. We have The Little Candle That Could, alive in the Advent wreath!
- The Jesse Tree is going strong. It’s a newer tradition for us, and one we’ll keep alive for many years. It’s like recounting in summary the old Old Testament “path” to Christ’s coming. We read accounts from The Jesus Storybook Bible or the biblical narrative directly.
- For the first time, this year the four of us will attend midnight service together. Jared and I have snuck off before if another adult was home with the sleeping boys. Last year, we four attended Christmas morning service, which I found special. But we can’t very well do both midnight and morning service, so we’re simply choosing midnight this time. Back at home after the late-night service, one gift each will be opened, in the form of new pajamas for the family. We’ll also use that moment to give a gift to the Lord. I’ll have given the boys advance opportunity to prepare an offering (a craft, drawing, or for Noah, some giving from his allowance savings), and Jared and I will share the charitable giving we’ve chosen, making it a family experience. Perhaps we’ll lay our gifts next to the nativity set.
- Come morning, I’ll make apple cider doughnuts, which I experimented with on Braeden’s birthday. Jared and I didn’t purchase gifts for one another… we’ll be giving to the above purpose instead, and will have plenty of fun with the pajamas and the name-draw exchange on his side of the family. (Admittedly, when we decide an expense is worthwhile during the year, we just go ahead, or save until we’re ready, rather than waiting for Christmas.) I decided to give four gifts apiece to the boys: Something You’d Like, Something You Need, Something to Wear, Something to Read. This idea came from Jones Design Company, though I changed the first line from want to would like. After all, I know what Noah wants, and it’s a $400 Star Wars Legos set. Also, would like allows me the opportunity for thoughtful giving, rather than committing to (potentially boundless) expectation… I think that’s a worthwhile lesson for them in both giving and receiving.
- The paper-whites are fabulous. We have our first blossom, as of yesterday.
- One last thing: I was inspired by this blog post one year, and fished down an aged copy of The First Noel: The Birth of Christ from the Gospel According to Saint Luke. It’s simply the account from Luke, taken verbatim from the KJV and copied onto beautifully illustrated pages, children’s-book-style. (See the blog link for some serious eye-candy.) Come Christmas morning, I think we’ll pile into bed first thing and have Noah (as our youngest reader) read aloud to the family. New pajamas, a crowded down comforter, Christmas morning light, and the Luke reading to start the day sounds perfect to me.
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