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Countdown to Christmas: A Twist To The Classic Advent

Did you grow up getting chocolate candy advent calendars? Take this twist to the classic advent to one that will put Christ at the center of your family’s Christmas celebrations!

Did you grow up buying those really cheap chocolate candy advent calendars? I remember this being something I looked forward to every December as a child. The chocolate didn’t even taste good! I was just excited to eat chocolate before breakfast, and couldn’t wait for Christmas morning! But honestly, I don’t think I could fully understand the meaning of Christmas until I was around 15. I mean I knew it was Jesus’ birthday, but still, my knowledge wasn’t that great. I’d like to change that for my family!

If you want Christ as the center of your family’s traditions for Christmas, you’re going to love this twist to the classic chocolate advent countdown!

The Tradition

On December 1st we will launch the start of our Christmas Countdown! We will have homemade Christmas tree cinnamon rolls. This year my toddler will get to “help” decorate this breakfast! He will open up his first present, Christmas pjs! And we will launch our December bible reading!

Now this will look different as my children get older. Eventually, they will be involved in reading the bible each day with us! As a family we read through Jesus’s life story. Every day, we will read a chapter from Luke to read through Jesus’s life! From birth to resurrection.  It’s as simple as Dec.1 read Luke 1. Dec. 2 read Luke 2, all the way until Christmas Eve when you read Luke 24.

What better way to ring in celebration of Jesus’ birthday, than to read about his life to understand the significance of his life! For now, while my son doesn’t understand, I’ll play the audio of each chapter every morning while we eat breakfast! Each evening, my husband and I will read it together and discuss it! Eventually it will be something we read and discuss together as a family!

Each December, our children will hear Jesus’ life story from start to finish! And my biggest hope and prayer is that one day, when they have their own families out of allll the things we do to make the holiday season special,  this is the tradition that they will want to continue.

Tips For A Meaningful Reading Experiance

Gospel Of Luke Overview

Ideas To Make It Extra Memorable!

Have Older Children?

You can add an advent display like this one to your reading tradition! After reading your chapter of the day, the kids can discover the christmas activity your family will be doing that day!

Some ideas might be

  • make homemade hot chocolate
  • do a Christmas craft
  • drive to see lights in the neighborhood at night
  • make paper snowflakes to decorate their playroom or door
  • make christmas cookies

It can totally be customizable to your children’s interest!(And what’s already on your Christmas calendar!)

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I hope after reading this post your inspired to start this tradition with your own family! If you found this idea intruging, I encourage you to share it with a friend who you think would enjoy doing it with you too!

Save this idea to Pinterest for next Christmas!