Advent
is a time of spiritual preparation. Using an Advent [Calendar] gives children
and families a visible symbol of "waiting for Christmas."
Advent
begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. (The
structure of this blog is for the first 24 days of December.) It is
the time of year that Christian parents prepare for the rigors of teaching
their children the true meaning of Christmas. All this amid the deluge of
commercial and promotions that would tell the kids that Christmas simply means
getting presents! But rather than fighting the child’s natural excitement for
Christmas morning, parents can channel it into a deeper understanding of the
holiday.
Advent is designed to encourage participants to reflect on the experience of Christ being born into one’s life. This does not mean that the individual, family or community is pretending that Jesus has not been born yet or that Christ is not present already but, instead, provides a time for religious individuals to discover ways to experience the relationship with Jesus more deeply.
Words used to describe the Advent season are “waiting,” “expectation,” “hope,” and “longing.” These words describe the feelings of people who are in relationship with one another and, most decidedly, describe children’s experience in the weeks before Christmas!
Read more at Suite101: Advent Wreath with Children: Take Advantage of the
Anticipation of Christmas | Suite101.com
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