Advent Ideas Keeping Cost Down

[tuzor]

I am considering going through the activities of Advent. But I have a question if this is my first time and I don't do all the activities associated with Advent will that be bad? Originally it was planned that we would have the month of Dec. off so I thought I would have more time to prepare and plan activities. However things happen and we are behind so we will continue our studies through the month of Dec. which means less time to prepare. So if you could give any advice to someone just beginning this journey sharing it with her family what advice would you give? What direction could you point me in. How do you keep cost down? If I were to only do some things this first time around which activities should they be.

[Alice]

The most meaningful thing we do is a Jesse Tree. It’s easy to do and you can find free printables online to color for the ornaments. I made ours out of construction paper, they are kind of goofy and a little shabby now but it works for us. Here is a post I wrote about our Jesse Tree with links to some online resources.http://supratentorial.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/advent-jesse-tree/ We also do an Advent wreath at night, which is very easy to make on your own. I’m not particularly crafty so I just use the candles without an actual wreath. We have done various kinds of readings/devotionals with the wreath.

 

The favorite thing of my kids is that we have a book basket. I wrap all of our Christmas books and they pick one a day and we read it. I use books we already have and I also wrap library books. It’s more about the surprise than it being new books. They LOVE this and fight over who gets to open the book of the day.

 

Two years ago I made an Advent calendar. I found a stocking in the dollar bin somewhere that has little pockets in it for each day. You could easily make your own. I’ve seen people do the same idea by stringing up envelopes on a piece of string. In each pocket I put an activity for the day. Some are special activities, but a lot are free or inexpensive like watch a Christmas movie, drink peppermint hot chocolate, make cookies, drive around and look at Christmas lights etc. I’ll put in a couple of game nights and some things we’d do anyway like our co-op Christmas concert.

 

I usually don’t like to respond by linking to my blog but last year I wrote a long Advent post...if you are interested here is the link.http://supratentorial.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/advent-2/

[FairProspects]

What kinds of activities are you looking to do?

 

The wreath can be made pretty inexpensively with materials from a craft store (my Mom has made lots of them) and the candles can be purchased from Amazon for about $6. You may be able to find the weekly materials online for free, if not, you may need to purchase a book with all the scriptures & readings.

 

We sometimes make an advent wreath cake to celebrate the first Sunday of Advent - if you have a bundt pan that should be pretty easy to do inexpensively.

 

Baby Jesus' birthday present is just an empty shoe-box wrapped in wrapping paper with a hole cut in the top for our loose change.

 

We are going to an Advent Service, so that is free. There are lots of inexpensive ways to celebrate Advent!

[FairProspects]

Double post

[chiguirre]

We always get Geraldine Macaughrean's Jesse Tree from the library. I made felt ornaments years ago and they're still holding up. We read a story and hang an ornament on a miniature Christmas tree I bought in the Target dollar section a couple of years ago. It only 2 ft tall, but it holds the 24 ornaments perfectly and only cost $2 or $3. The felt to make the ornaments was only a couple of bucks too, so the whole project wouldn't be more than about $5. I'm not very crafty and I put the ornaments together in less than 15 minutes a day the first time we did this years and years ago. I store them in a baggie and they've held up well over the years. Now my kids can take turns reading the story, but they still fight over who gets to hang the ornament on the tree.

[tuzor]

Thanks to Pintrest, I have a list of simple ideas like make hot chocolate, watch a movie etc. now I need to make my calander. Looks like I will be very busy this week prepping. FairProspects, I found a homemade wreath made from childrens hand prints and toilet paper rolls that looks great.

[milovany]

Cheapest/easiest way is to go to church for all the services (assuming your tradition has extra services this time of year?). In our tradition, we have a few additional services in the weeks leading up to Nativity, and then several extra services in the days before Nativity, including the 3-hour midnight service heading in to Christmas. Does your church do anything like that? We get oh, so much out of attending the services and praying the prayers and singing the songs. If nothing else, I try to take my kids to church more during advent. Hope you've received some ideas that will work for you! :)

[tuzor]

Cheapest/easiest way is to go to church for all the services (assuming your tradition has extra services this time of year?). In our tradition, we have a few additional services in the weeks leading up to Nativity, and then several extra services in the days before Nativity, including the 3-hour midnight service heading in to Christmas. Does your church do anything like that? We get oh, so much out of attending the services and praying the prayers and singing the songs. If nothing else, I try to take my kids to church more during advent. Hope you've received some ideas that will work for you! :)

No unfortunately my church does not offer additional services but I am taking the time to incorporate scriptures to help keep them focused on the reason for the season. And we will be attending a live nativity scene.

[Delirium]

I *just* made a paper chain one today. I put Christmas jokes on it.

Here's mine.

Here's where I got the jokes.

 

Do it however it fits you and your family.