Advent Chain Tradition

We had a tradition in our family to make an Advent chain with things on each of the links to do. Acts of kindness to prepare us for Christmas. In our house, once we finished our task we got to put a straw in a manger. Then on Christmas day baby Jesus would appear in the manger and a gift from baby Jesus was sitting by the manger for us usually thanking us for the nice deeds we did during the holiday season, (I do remember a few not so go reports). The gift was usually something the 3 of us could share, a movie, a game, etc. I was wondering when to start this tradition with Zack so when our Sunday school sent home the links with things to do already on them we decided now was the time.

I asked my Dad if he might be able to make me a manger like we had and now we have an even more special holiday tradition. Thanks Dad! Zack is also very eager in helping me to find the perfect baby Jesus and "cloth" to swaddle him in, (that word must be in one of our stories because he won't let me call it fabric). Instead of straw we are using the actual chains he takes off and completes and then Mom and I had the same idea of adding more pieces of straw by writing down on a piece of paper additional things he's done that are note worthy.

One of the things on his chain was to make an ornament. I had a hard time figuring out what to do for a while because I wanted it to be something that lasted. Then Meg's blog reminded me of the beaded candy canes made with pipe cleaners that we made when we were little. Zack loved this activity. He really concentrated hard and made not only one, but two. The second one was specifically for Daddy. Awe!

I truly do love this tradition we have. It helps kids understand that there is more to Christmas than presents and brings Jesus into the picture a little more.

The other benefit to the chain... you don't have to constantly answer the question of when Christmas is. He hasn't asked once. He counts the rings himself and tells us how many days.