My family is growing into our Advent traditions. We’ve been married only five years, and with three children in the house our traditions have been evolving according to our ability to manage chaos and our children’s ability to participate in traditions. This year we fell into something that I really like.
We made an Advent Wreath on Sunday night at a fellowship event at my congregation. We brought it home, and we’ve been lighting it each night, singing a verse of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and opening a door on the Advent calendar I bought from Target, which is fashioned to look like a house with 25 doors.
At a local craft store I purchased a miniature Christmas tree and miniature Christmas ornaments. Some of the ornaments are snowflakes, some are Santa Claus, some are silver, gold, blue, red, or green balls, and some are of each part of the nativity scene. I’ve placed a few ornaments in each day of the calendar, paying particular attention to place Santa on December 6 (St Nicholas Day), the shepherd and sheep on December 9 (Blessed Juan Diego), Mary on December 12 (Virgin of Guadalupe), and Jesus on December 25, of course.
Each night our daughter opens the door for that day and places the ornaments on the miniature Christmas tree, which she calls her "Advent tree." Each morning she comes downstairs and immediately tells me, "Daddy, at dinner we have to open another door and decorate our advent tree!" It is great to watch her excitement at participating in this daily ritual.
So, how do you mark the days of Advent? Write a comment here, or better yet, write a post on your blog and put a comment here that you’ve written.
The Lutheran Zephyr 
Here is an odd one. I’m copying by hand the Gospel of Matthew … since this is the year of Matthew. At least a chapter per day, putting me into reading carefully the text that I’ll be preaching on all year.
We have an Advent wreath…which, truth be told, I’ve yet to pull out of my holiday stash in the basement, thanks to my Thanksgiving travels. I made my own wreath — a plain faux evergreen wreath decorated with various blue ribbon and a gold circular candleholder in the middle with blue candles.
One year I attempted an Advent fast — this being a penitential season in the calendar and all. But I tend to suffer from SAD during the dark months, so for me to purposefully dive into this type of observance is redundant at best, probably emotionally unhealthy at worst.
“Getting ready” for Christmas too early reminds me too much of the secular aspects of Christmas, so I tend to decorate, bake, and shop quite late. Maybe I should reverse all of that.
This is such a great idea. I was wondering how I was going to get around buying candy/gifts every single year for our Advent calendar (we have one that’s very similar). I love the reusable ornament idea – educational, fun, and green! I am learning so much about raising faithful kids from you. 🙂
(By the way, we recently picked up the children’s Bible you recommended and LOVE it. Thanks.)
St. Nick’s Night (or Eve) is kinda a big deal here in Green Bay area… A few gifts for the kids set out, like a mini-Christmas. It’s a big deal in Milwaukee and certain other areas.