there are so many Advent ideas out there...

Our Advent tradition has been the same for the past 3 years. We've used this tool from FamilyLife. This year I was in the mood to try something new (I think our oldest would appreciate something new too).

I've asked a few friends and searched the web and there are a lot of great ideas out there!

Advent ideas:

• List of Christmas readings (#1-#25) :: this is from a neighbor from our seminary days and it helped me. I put one reading in each of out 25 "mittens". I also love her idea to pray as a family for other loved ones by using the Christmas cards they get that day (so sweet).
• I printed some sheet music from this church's Advent guide. I loved that they wove in a worship song that applied to the lesson for that day. Adam has said that he will try to lead us in worship with his guitar. I love it when he does!
• For the little ones, I thought this video was a neat idea. It's a storybook style presentation of the Christmas story.
• I appreciated reading a little history on Saint Nicholas.
• My friend, Mary, sent me this link that is full of Advent ideas. I was happy to see a long list of ideas of activites that we can do as a family. I didn't want the whole Advent activity turn into a "25 presents until we get to the big day of presents" ritual. Her ideas were the perfect example of what I was going for.
• Some of the ideas that Mary had already helped me brainstorm were: smores, hot cocoa dessert, living room picnic/Christmas movie night, a Christmas craft...I had a list last year of family activities that I looked back on too.

Wow! Those are a bunch of links. It helps me to get them all written down in one place. Hope it helps you too.

We have already enjoyed 2 new Christmas outings for us -

Bethlehem in Burnet with my parents

& Marble Fall's Walkway of Lights

We had fun doing a little spinning under their tall tree of lights...and getting very dizzy.