What Is Advent? And How to Start Advent Traditions With Your Family

For many of us, the month of December moves at lightning speed — the class parties, the matching pajamas, the sugar, the Target runs, the wrapping, the chaos. But long before Christmas became busy and glittery, it was preceded by something much quieter — Advent. And this year? You don’t need more pressure. You need permission to slow down, light a candle, and remember what it’s all about.

So… What Is Advent?

Advent is the four-week season leading up to Christmas on the Christian calendar. It’s a time of expectation, reflection, and preparation as we wait for the celebration of Christ’s birth. The word Advent comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming” or “arrival.” In other words — Advent is about waiting. Waiting in the dark for the light to come. Waiting for rescue. Waiting for promises to be fulfilled. It’s a season that holds both hope and quiet tension — and it’s a beautiful way to help your kids grasp the deeper meaning of Christmas.

The Traditional Symbols of Advent

If you grew up in a liturgical church (or even if you didn’t), you might remember the Advent wreath — a circle of evergreen with four candles and, sometimes, a fifth candle in the center for Christmas Day.

Each candle represents a theme for the week:

1. Hope (Prophecy)

2. Peace (Bethlehem)

3. Joy (Shepherds)

4. Love (Angels)

5. Christ Candle (Christmas Day)

Lighting one candle each week reminds us that the Light of the World is drawing near — and gives families a chance to pause and reflect, one Sunday at a time.

Why Advent Matters for Moms and Kids

We live in a loud world — and December might be the loudest of all. Advent gives us a framework to intentionally pause, reflect, and re-center on Christ — even in the mess and motion of family life. For kids, it offers a way to participate in the “waiting” of Christmas — not just the countdown to presents, but the story of God’s faithfulness throughout history.

And for us as moms? Advent is a reminder that we don’t have to manufacture joy — we’re simply invited to make space for it.

Advent Traditions to Try (Even If You're Starting Small)

You don’t need a Pinterest-perfect setup or a seminary degree to begin Advent traditions at home. Here are a few ideas that work for real families with real toddlers, schedules, and snack breaks:

1. Light Candles Weekly as a Family

This can be as simple as four candles in mason jars on the kitchen table. Light one each Sunday leading up to Christmas and talk about what it represents — hope, peace, joy, and love. Even if your kids are too young to understand the theology, they’ll love the rhythm and the wonder of candlelight.

2. Read a Short Advent Devotional Together

Look for a family-friendly Advent devotional (or let me know — we can write one!). Keep it super short — one verse, a thought, and a question is plenty for little hearts and busy moms. Ideas include:

• The Jesus Storybook Bible Advent plan

• Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp

• Truth in the Tinsel (for ages 3–7)

Make it part of breakfast or bedtime, even if it only happens a few nights a week.

3. Use a Christ-Centered Advent Calendar

You can DIY this with envelopes and scriptures, buy a reusable one with pockets, or find printable versions online. Instead of chocolate or trinkets, focus on daily verses, simple prayers, or acts of kindness. Try mixing spiritual and seasonal prompts:

• Read Luke 1:26–38

• Bake cookies for a neighbor

• Watch a movie about Jesus’ birth

• Sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”

• Donate a toy

• Thank God for sending His Son

4. Practice Giving Instead of Just Getting

Advent is a great time to start gently shifting your kids' focus from “What do I want?” to “How can we give?” You can:

• Choose a family to bless with a gift basket

• Deliver treats to neighbors with a Bible verse

• Have your kids pick one toy to give away

• Decorate cards for a local nursing home

• Participate in Operation Christmas Child or Angel Tree

5. Make Advent Visual and Tangible

Kids engage best when they can see and touch what they're learning. Try:

• Creating a paper chain countdown with verses

• Coloring Advent candles each week

• Setting up a Nativity and adding one piece per day

• Using stickers or stamps to track Acts of Kindness

• Hanging “names of Jesus” ornaments on a mini tree

6. Build in Stillness — Even if It’s Only a Minute

Turn on soft music. Light a candle. Sit with your kids and say, “Let’s take one minute to remember how much we need Jesus.” They might squirm. That’s okay. Stillness is a skill — and Advent is the practice.

Final Thought: You Don’t Have to Do It All

If all you do is light a candle and whisper “Come, Lord Jesus,” that’s enough. If you skip three days in a row and then read five verses while your toddler throws applesauce on the floor — that’s okay too. Advent isn’t about performance. It’s about preparation — in our homes, and in our hearts.

So this year, let go of the pressure. Embrace the pause. Make room for joy. And point your family — in the simplest ways — to the Light that came into the world, and still comes for us today.