Advent informative website for children and their families

The Season of Advent, which begins on a Sunday about four weeks before Christmas Day, is celebrated by most Christian Churches, as well as some other Christian communities.

It is a time for Christians to prepare themselves for two different things: the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas and for the Second Coming of Jesus, when he shall rule over all the Earth in peace.

Some people use it as a time of fasting, study, meditation and prayer.

Special Advent Calendars are made for children, with pictures or treats for each day of Advent.

In a lot of countries it is very common to have an advent wreath with 4 candles. In many Catholic churches, the most popular colours for the candles are violet and rose.

Every Advent Sunday one more candle will be lit so that by the 4th week 4 candles are burning, which is a symbol for Jesus as the light of the world who is coming at Christmas. Sometimes there is a fifth white candle in the middle of the wreath.

So how can we celebrate Advent? One way is to buy or make an Advent wreath to lay on your table. An Advent wreath typically consists of greenery with four beeswax candles, three purple and one pink. Each candle on the Advent Wreath has a specific meaning:

• Candle one (purple) represents hope. It is often called the prophets’ candle.
• Candle two (purple) represents peace. It is often called the angels’ candle.
• Candle three (pink) represents joy. It is often called the shepherds’ candle.
• Candle four (purple) represents love. It is often called the Bethlehem candle.

Many advent wreaths also include a Christ candle in the middle of the wreath.

To celebrate with an Advent wreath, you light a candle on each Sunday of Advent. The first Sunday, you light candle one; the second Sunday you light candles one and two, etc. You can often find readings to go along with the candle lightings on the internet or at Christian bookstores. Or find a Christmas book that represents the theme of the week and read it with your children.

In general, Advent is a time when many people are very busy in preparation for Christmas Day, cleaning and decorating, buying food and gifts, writing cards and letters, and cooking the Christmas feast.

As we are now in the second week of Advent, I thought this website was very child friendly in helping the children to prepare for Christmas.
https://catchat.ca/advent-activities/second-sunday-advent-for-kids

See the following websites for advent activities:

https://nrich.maths.org/advent-primary

https://www.wmi.ie/advent-resources-2020