Christmas Countdown: Advent Calendars for All Ages
The countdown to Christmas begins soon! Prepare the hearts and minds of all ages to celebrate the birth of Jesus with an Advent calendar. Store bought or homemade, Advent calendars can be a great way to focus the holiday on faith.
When my eldest son came home from college for Christmas break his freshman year, he and his brother opened the little door on our Advent calendar together. There was the traditional verse and a clue for a treat hidden in the house. He looked at me, smiled, and said, “Now it feels like Christmas.” When I realized how meaningful this family tradition was for him, I was sad and mad at myself that I hadn’t planned ahead to prepare an Advent calendar for him to take back to school when he was home for Thanksgiving. The next year, I was prepared with a box of individual envelopes for each day until he arrived home for the holidays.
Advent calendars are intentional tools to prepare children of all ages to look forward to the birth of Jesus. Try these ideas for all ages, even college kids and grandkids.
Advent Calendar Ideas for Toddlers to Teens
• Fill the doors in a free-standing calendar or small envelopes in a hanging calendar with clues for elementary-age to high schoolers to find small gifts and treats around the house. Add scripture to the clues or attach to the surprise they find.
• Make or buy a felt calendar for littles to create the nativity scene, adding an animal, background, or character each day. For felt ideas, check out this post for one grandma’s felt art for her grands: Fanciful Food for Playtime.
• For your kids and grandkids with cell phones, use this guide, 2024 Text Advent Calendar, to send a meaningful text message as an Advent calendar.
• Store bought calendars with a picture related to the holiday or a chocolate treat is always fun. Look for nativity scenes rather than Santa.
Be wary of glitter and chocolate for littles. My mom and Scott’s mom bought one of each for the kids. There’s nothing like starting the day with glittery, sugar-buzzed toddlers, but they did have fun!
Prepare your own heart for Advent with a daily devotional. My go-to is the YouVersion Bible App. There’s a wide variety of plans to choose. Above all, lean into the joy of the season… Jesus.
© 2024 Becky Danielson. All rights reserved.
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Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash