Everyone’s favorite time of year is rolling around, and you may want to give some thought to what you want to do for Advent.
There are so many beautiful ways to live this liturgical season! Here are some of our favorite Catholic products for living Advent well with children.
Activities
Mary on the Mantel
Similar to the Elf on the Shelf concept, each day Mary is moved around your house as she prepares for her new baby, “nesting” and doing ordinary tasks. When the children find her in the morning, Mary delivers a small act of kindness that they can perform that day.
The Mary on the Mantel kit is so thoughtfully designed and beautifully made. My children delight in the Mary and Jesus figures and reading the lovely little book. The whole thing is such a positive and loving way to honor Advent.
The kit includes a gorgeous children’s book, a caregiver guide with tips and ideas for what Mary can do around your home, 60 Acts of Kindness cards and a small map of the Holy Land. (Mary doll is sold separately.)
Catholic Family Crate Advent Resources
Catholic Family Crate offers some lovely products for Advent, including a December feast days crate, liturgical art, stickers, and scriptural ornaments.
The Nativity Trail from Catholic Sprouts
The Nativity Trail is an Advent Study for parents. Intended to be a journey with Jesus, Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem, each day of the study offers a psalm, a brief reflection, and a short prayer.
Advent Blocks Set
These cute Advent Blocks come with a guide book called The King Is Coming, preparing hearts for Christmas in a gentle, hands-on way.
The Giving Manger
Your children can place pieces of straw in the manger for each kind deed or act of service they do, making a soft bed for Baby Jesus on Christmas Day. The set comes with The Giving Manger picture book, a wooden manger, a bundle of straw, and a Baby Jesus figure.
The Jesse Tree
If you’d like to include the Jesse Tree tradition this year, you can find many beautiful sets:
- Catholic All Year’s wooden laser-cut set
- Catholic to the Max’s painted wooden set
- A magnetic set
- Sophia Institute’s set with book of related meditations and prayers
- Catholic Family Crate’s color-your-own ornaments and corresponding cards
There are so many sweet Advent and Christmas traditions, and no way to do them all! Each year, I choose one or two that sound fun to me and freely let the others go.
Faith-filled Advent Calendars
The Little Lamb at the Manger Advent Calendar: Each day, children can open windows revealing characters that correspond to a story about a lamb who witnesses Jesus’ birth. The set ncludes a 32-page story booklet with a cut-out figure of the lamb.
Shining Light Dolls 3-D Puzzle Nativity Advent Calendar: Countdown to Christmas with this “pop, assemble and display” Nativity scene! Each day from December 1st to the 24th, place a figure into the Nativity scene, and by Christmas morning you’ll have a full Nativity scene to display and enjoy.
Ignatius Nativity Advent Calendar: This Advent Calendar and Companion Booklet introduces each character or item to add to the scene each day of Advent.
Advent Books
24 Christmas Stories to Welcome Jesus: Starting December 1, each day has a new story leading up to Christmas. The illustrated collection includes stories based on the Gospel and about Advent and Christmas customs, plus original tales about living the Christmas message.
24 Christmas Stories for Little Ones: Another collection of stories for each day of December, specifically for younger children ages 2-6.
Peace Has A Name For Kids: Blessed Is She’s 2022 Advent Devotional for kids is designed to prepare kids’ hearts for Jesus to come at Christmas through fun and interactive pages.
Welcome Baby Jesus: Advent And Christmas Reflections For Families: Lead up to Christmas with these kid-friendly devotional reflections. Each day has a Scripture quote from the Sunday Gospel readings, a brief reflection, and an action to complete.
A Catholic Family Advent: Prayers and Activities: This book can be used for Catholic families to pray, reflect on Scripture, and do a simple activity together every day of Advent.
And today we celebrate...