Thursday, December 2, 2010
What God Wants For CHRISTmas and Kid-Sized Advent Wreath
Tomorrow our homeschool group will meet for our monthly activity where we separate the children in age groups, read a children's book pertaining to our faith, then do a craft and have a snack. We will also have each of the age groups visit the church and pray for some time of Adoration before the tabernacle, which holds the Blessed Sacrament.
I will be leading the Pre-K through 2nd graders for our activity. I will be reading the book What God Wants for Christmas.
This is a beautiful story that is written in rhyme on each page. For example, the first page tells of the angel Gabriel from Luke 1:26. After each page the book directs the children to open one of 7 boxes which contain pieces to make the interactive nativity set. So in box number 1, they will find a little angel Gabriel figurine to place in the manger scene. The 7th box is when the children discover the best surprise...which is what God wants for CHRISTmas!
My children love this book and interactive nativity set and I look forward to sharing this with our homeschool group.
Each child will get a ball of clay so they can form it into a wreath shape.
I will give them 4 yellow/orange circle stickers and have them wrap one sticker around one purple candle. Then this Sunday when the second week of Advent begins, the children can "light" another candle by placing a sticker on another purple candle. So they can count down the weeks until CHRISTmas day with their own handmade wreath.
Here is what the wreath will look like when complete
Be sure to visit Lacy's blog at Catholic Icing for more homemade Advent wreath ideas for children. I especially like Lacy's wreath idea with the Styrofoam green circle and birthday candles.
Here is a beautiful paragraph I found about the Advent wreath from "The History of the Advent Wreath" by Father William Saunders:
The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. A tradition is that each week represents one thousand years, to sum to the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the Birth of the Savior. Three candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles in particular symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to CHRISTmas. The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living and the dead.
I give Joy to the World when I share great CHRISTmas books and do fun Advent crafts with the children in our homeschool group!
{Also, join Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet to Celebrate Christ.}
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Hello! Thank you for your Visit!
I'm Tracy. I love my faith, family and on most days, homeschooling my 5 blessings. When I'm not busy baking cakes for my family or making memories in real life or dreaming I had a housekeeper or professional chef, I enjoy documenting a slice of Smith life in blog land.
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31 comments:
Oh, I just posted our Advent Wreath (unfinished) and this one is so much better...lol! I'll have to check out that other link to the wreath ideas for kids. Oh and I linked to your page about the Advent Adventure site. We love it!
How much fun is that! I especially like how you spend time in church. That is amazingly special!
What a great project. I love the kid-sized advent wreath. You are so much fun. I voted for you today.
Great post and great project. My little one made a wreath too with mommy's assistance. You can visit the post at http://inspirationsbyd.blogspot.com/2010/12/diy-advent-table-wreath.html
We'll make a paper one for his playroom, for now this one remains at the kitchen table.
Hi Tracy,
Great idea, will be adding this one to our list next year We just colored a paper one. Yours is much more creative. I will be looking out for that book as well as it sound fab:) Voted for you:)
I'm your newest follower from the Friday blog hops! Come check out my blog at: http://adventuresofathriftymommy.blogspot.com/
Have a great day!
I love this idea Tracy. It looks great and is simple enough for children of all ages.
I'd love you to link it it up to my Christmas fun link up!
This looks like a fun idea. We read What God Wants for Christmas last year over 7 nights and really liked it.
Hey! Super cute blog you have here! We homeschool our 5, but we are novices only beginning our 2nd year. I hope to learn tons from you! :)
I'm now following you through the Boost My Blog Friday Blog Hop! I hope you'll do the same! You can find me @ http://sofiasideas.com/
Sofia's Ideas
Hi Christine!
I commented on your blog and saw you linked to my blog post! Thanks! Have a blessed weekend!
Hi Patty,
Before each homeschool gathering on the First Friday of each month, families attend Mass together,then we have our activity, adoration, then snack. It's a blessed time for all even if I struggle trying to keep my patience to get my kids out the door by 8 AM on these mornings! :)
Hi Lynda!
I'm glad you liked the idea :) Thanks always for your support for my blog :)
Have a blessed weekend!
Hi "Simplegirl"
I just stopped by your Advent wreath post and loved your beautiful wreath! Thanks for sharing :)
I left a comment on your post :)
Have a blessed weekend!
Hi Anna-Marie,
Paper Advent wreaths are just as creative and beautiful as other ones :) Hope you like the book/nativity set if you get it :)
Thanks for the vote!
Hi Shanee,
Thanks for your visit, comment and follow! I just left a comment on your blog hop post and am now following you! Have a blessed weekend!
I am following you back. Thanks for linking up with us on Hop Along Friday. Have a wonderful weekend.
Hi BabyDealsDujour!
Thanks for your visit, comment and follow!
I "Like" your FB page now :)
Have a blessed weekend!
HI Kylie!
Thanks for your visit and comment! I just linked up to your Christmas Fun 2010 with a couple of posts! Thanks for the invite!
Have a blessed Advent!
HI Angela!
Thanks for your visit and comment :) We enjoy What God wants for Christmas each year too!
HI Sofia!
Thanks for your visit, comment,and follow! Congrats on your fairly new homeschool journey! I left a comment on your latest post and I'm now following you!
Have a blessed weekend!
Hi Sonya at Belly Charms!
Thanks for stopping by and following! I read your sister, Sandi's story fight for life! She seems like a fighter with all that she has been through! She is blessed with a caring sister! Thank you for sharing her story!
Have a blessed weekend!
Stopping by today and voting. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend:)
Thanks Anna-Marie :) I hope you are having a great weekend also! I'm about to go to my son's 3 vs. 3 soccer tournament game! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Hi Tracy! Stopped by yesterday and late tonight to vote for you. Thank you for the wonderful comments on my posts. It is hard coming up with new stuff sometimes, but the song and the CBH Ministries sale fell in my lap today. CBH published the Key for Kids and Down Gilead Lane radio program. They don't produce Gilead Lane programs anymore, but you can still hear the older stories on Christian radio. I absolutely love what they offer children. Have a wonderful day tomorrow.
Hi Tracy hope you didn't get too cold watching your son's soccer game yesterday. I voted for you today
Hi Tracy~ I have seen so many Christmas and Advent books but not this one! Thank you for sharing this great idea. I just love it. Thank you for the bucket downloads too. I will be printing those out this weekend:-) And finally, thank you for the encouragement and loving support that you offered over at my place. God bless your Advent and may it be full of peace and light.
Hi Anna-Marie!
It was cold and raining last night and then today the wind was brutal and very cold! But all worth it as my son's team won the championship game in his age group! :)
Hi Tiffany!
Thanks for stopping by! I'm glad you got the downloads! Have a blessed 2nd week of Advent!
Hi Lynda!
Thanks for your visit and comment and votes :) Thanks for the information on CBH too :)
I'm hopping over from the HIp Homeschool Hop! I'm LOVING your blog and blog design (reminds me a little of my own, color-wise)! <3
Hi "The Mommy"
Thanks for your visit and comment! I just hopped over to your blog, I'm your newest follower and I love your blog designs and colors :)