The Advent Box
Our family is trying something new this year in preparation for Christmas. We are celebrating advent with an advent box. Each day leading up to Christmas starting with December 1st, the kids open the box which reveals a clue for something special.
Sometimes the special is simple and sometimes it’s elaborate. Sometimes it’s short and sometimes it takes a longer period of time.
The main focus of the advent box and the daily advent clue is to help us be more intentional in our family time as we go through this season. Generally, our family is on the go all the time with different activities and responsibilities. In some ways, the Christmas season can make it worse as we add holiday concerts, parties, and other responsibilities to our already hectic schedule.
The advent box has forced us to slow down. There are times when ten intentional minutes in the evening can make all the difference in the day. So what are some of the things we’ve been doing as part of the advent box? Here’s a list of what we’ve done so far:
- December 1st – Evening in Philadelphia (dinner at Marrakesh and The Music Man at the Walnut Street Theater)
- December 2nd – Hot Cocoa and Tea with Christmas Memories
- December 3rd – Just Dance
- December 4th – Candy Canes
- December 5th – Dinner with Jim Brickman
- December 6th – Dessert following Isaac’s Winter Concert
- December 7th – A Christmas Movie – It’s A Wonderful Life
- December 8th – A visit to the Christmas Tree farm to pick out a tree
- December 9th – Putting ornaments up on the tree
- December 10th – Setting up our family’s nativity
(I can’t tell you the other items yet as I don’t want to give they away to my daughter who has become a regular reader of The Stretched Blog.)
The Advent Box is a chance to be intentional. It’s an opportunity to help put our holiday into perspective. And it’s a time to spend with family. May you find time to be intentional, to gain perspective, and to be with family through this Christmas season.
How are you preparing for Christmas? Do you have any fun and intentional family traditions that help bring perspective and meaning to the Christmas season? Share them with The Stretched Community by leaving a comment.