Read an Advent book with your family to focus on the season together. Many churches offer special devotional books during the Advent season to help its congregants focus on the season before Christmas. Pick one up from church or visit your local Christian bookstore and plan to read through the daily or weekly lessons with your family.[1] X Research source Find a special time of the day that you can always gather together to read the devotional. You could try after dinner, before bed, or even at breakfast in the morning before everyone heads off to work or school. Complete daily scripture readings to study the Bible. As well as providing a devotional, many churches also offer day-by-day scripture readings to bring you through the weeks of Advent with a more focused mind. Set aside 10 to 15 minutes each day to read these scriptures and reflect on them.[2] X Research source You can also find Advent lessons online. Just search for “Advent scripture readings.” Pray and reflect on Advent for 10 to 20 minutes every day. If you can, coordinate your scripture readings with your prayer time. Take this time to think on what Christ’s birth means for you and how your life has meaning

because of Him.[3] X Research source Anytime you can fit in prayer is great! If you can’t do it when you read the scriptures or the devotional, just try to fit it in at some other time. Before you go to bed or when you first wake up in the morning is a great time to get into the habit of daily prayer. Attend regular Advent services at your church. Many churches will offer special Sunday services during the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. They may also offer weeknight services for additional reflection. Check out what is available in your area and pick a few services to attend this Advent season.[4] X Research source This can be a great way to focus your mind in the midst of the busy holiday season. Listen to Advent hymns to focus on the reason for the season. Make a special Advent playlist that you can listen to in the car or when you’re at home. You could even play this music while you’re eating meals with your family or while you’re exercising.[5] X Research source Some music services have Advent-specific stations that you can tune into. O Come O Come Emmanuel, O Come Divine Messiah, Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, Come Thou Fount, Hark! A Thrilling Voice is

Sounding, and Gabriel’s Message are some great Advent hymns to add to your playlist. Put up a nativity scene with your family to focus on Christ’s birth. A nativity scene usually includes a stable or barn, a manger, Mary, Joseph, the three wise men, sheep, angels, and the infant Jesus. Set the nativity scene up all at once, or do it piece by piece, adding one new character each day until finally adding infant Jesus at the end of Advent.[6] X Research source This can be a great way to teach young children about Advent and about Jesus’ birth story. Light Advent candles to mark the passing of time until Christmas. Use five candles in total, three of which should be purple. One candle should be pink, which signifies joy. The final candle should be white. It’s customary to place the candles in an evergreen wreath. Each Sunday of Advent, light the following candles:[7] X Research source The first Sunday, light one purple candle, to symbolize hope. The second Sunday, light the first purple candle and an additional purple candle. This second purple candle reflects the faith of the season. The third Sunday, light the first two purple candles and the pink candle, which signifies joy.

The fourth Sunday, light the first two purple candles, the pink candle, and the remaining purple candle, which signifies the last week before Christmas, which is marked by prayer and expectation. On Christmas Eve, light all the candles, including the white one. This is the “Christ candle,” and its color reflects the purity of Jesus Christ. Use an advent calendar to count down the days to Christmas. Advent calendars are great ways to get everyone involved in the season. There are plenty of different options you can buy (some of which come with a daily devotional, or even candy), but you could also create your own Advent calendar if you’d like to be a little more hands-on with the activity.[8] X Research source With an Advent calendar, you usually get to lift a small flap or door every day, which then reveals a message, picture, or small gift. Decorate a Jesse tree to reflect on the genealogy of Jesus. Use a small, artificial tree, get a live one, or you could even draw a tree on a piece of poster board. Make ornaments based off of 24 different scripture passages (1 ornament for each day of Advent). Focus on passages that surround Jesus’ birth. Decorate each ornament to

reflect the meaning of that day’s scripture reading. Add one ornament to the Jesse tree every day until Christmas.[9] X Research source Search online for “Jesse tree scriptures” to find some pre-planned readings, or make up your own plan. You could make 1 ornament per day if you have the time, or make them all at once. If you make them all at once, just take a few minutes to reread the corresponding scripture each day when you hang the next ornament. To make the ornaments, you can get as creative as you’d like! Use paper, repurposed ornaments, felt, scraps of fabric, clay, or even different found objects that you feel you could mold to represent the scriptures. Reach out to neighbors and friends who might be lonely. The holidays can be a really hard time for people, for many different reasons. If you know of someone in your neighborhood or community who might be struggling, take some time to connect with them. Ask them out for coffee, have them over for a meal, or include them in some of your Advent plans.[10] X Research source This is a great way to express Christ’s love for others. Be sensitive to those around you, and try to have a servant’s heart. Pack up toys and

clothes to donate in the weeks before Christmas. In a season that is often marked by consumerism and gifts, go against the flow by giving of yourself and your belongings to other people who are in need. Get a cardboard box and fill it with clothes, toys, and household goods that are still in good shape but that you don’t use anymore. Drop them off at a local charity in the weeks preceding Christmas.[11] X Research source If you’re going to donate clothes, make sure they’re clean and in good shape. Sign up for a volunteer activity during the Advent season. Another great way to serve others and give back to your community is to find a way to volunteer your time and services. You could work at a food bank, help run a toy drive, collect coats, gloves, and scarves for people in need, participate in Christmas-specific charities, or do anything else that you feel passionate about.[12] X Research source You may even discover that you want to keep volunteering, even after the Advent season is over. Adopt a family and give gifts to families in need for Christmas. If you’re interested in focusing on serving others, consider skipping buying gifts for yourself and your own family this

year, and instead get everyone involved in adopting a family for the Christmas season. Check with your local charities to find a program. Most of the time, you’ll be given a list of needed items and can shop for and wrap the items yourself, which will then be delivered to the family in time for Christmas.[13] X Research source This is a cool way to focus on what you’ve been given and to then give back to others.