Advent Made Easy: How To Prepare Your Heart & Home For A Peaceful Advent Season
As a Catholic convert, the Advent season holds a special place in my heart. It’s a time of joyful anticipation, a period of reflection and preparation for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. But amidst all the excitement, it’s essential to stay centered on peace and avoid the hustle and bustle that everyone often pushes this time of year.
To experience the joy of the season, we must prepare our hearts.
That requires quiet, stillness, and peace.
If you want to be intentional about preparing for Advent, do it now so you won’t have to rush to pull things together at the last minute, causing yourself unneeded stress.
Sales to shop, presents to buy, gifts to wrap, parties to host, cookies to bake – all the hustle and bustle can easily distract us from the real meaning of Christmas and definitely steal our peace!!
Instead of panicking about having “one more thing” to plan, as if Advent is an extra burden, START with planning a peaceful Advent and work down your list from there!
How To Plan for Advent
Take time to decide which advent traditions you’d like to start, what worked or didn’t work last year, and which Feast Days you want to celebrate during this most joyful of Seasons!
Consider using a planner or calendar to help organize your Advent activities. Plot out the specific dates for lighting the Advent candles, reading scripture passages, and engaging in charitable acts. By writing down your plans, you’ll ensure that you don’t forget any important traditions, and it will help you manage your time more efficiently, reducing stress and allowing you to fully embrace the spirit of Advent. A well-organized Advent season will leave more room for peace, reflection, and the true joy of awaiting the birth of our Lord.
Download our FREE December 2023 Advent Calendar below, print it out and plan out your Advent!
CLICK HERE to download for FREE
Don’t Overwhelm Yourself
While these traditions are meaningful, it’s important not to stress yourself out by trying to do everything. Remember that your vocation as a mom is your primary focus. You don’t need to take on every tradition or add more tasks to your already full plate. Choose what works best for your family, and prioritize meaningful activities over quantity.
Here are the top 5 ways to prepare for Advent in a calm and meaningful way:
- Start Early: Begin your preparations before Advent begins. This means organizing your resources, gathering materials for traditions, and setting a prayerful mindset in advance. Start NOW, don’t wait!
- Set Realistic Expectations: Recognize your limitations as a mom, and don’t aim for perfection. The goal is to create a spirit of anticipation and reflection, not to overwhelm yourself.
- Simplify: Choose a few traditions that resonate with your family and simplify your decorations. Focus on creating a peaceful and prayerful atmosphere in your home.
- Prayerful Planning: Plan your Advent activities and prayers. Schedule them in a way that fits your daily routine, so you don’t feel rushed or stressed.
- Involve Your Family: Encourage your children to actively participate in choosing your Advent traditions. Their involvement will make the season more meaningful for them and less of a burden for you.
Catholic Homeschooling for Advent
I encourage you to embrace the beautiful traditions of Advent in your homeschooling journey this Advent & Christmas season.
Advent is a sacred and joyous time when we prepare our hearts for the arrival of Christ. It’s perfectly acceptable to set aside regular lessons and subjects during this most Holy season to focus on the spiritual growth of your children. In fact, this is a powerful way to instill in them the true essence of Homeschooling for Heaven.
Incorporate the lighting of the Advent wreath, daily scripture readings and related copywork, and prayers to guide your family in anticipation of the birth of Jesus is a great way to make Advent a part of your homeschooling.
Engage in acts of kindness and charity to reflect the spirit of giving that Christ’s coming represents. By doing so, you not only nurture academic growth but also help your children develop a strong foundation in faith and values, ultimately preparing them for a lifetime of service to others and a deep connection with God. You can
This is the heart of Catholic homeschooling: shaping young minds and hearts to be Christ-centered, compassionate, and ready to share the love of Jesus with the world.
Some of the resources we use during this season:
Resources we haven’t tried:
Our Favorite Time-Honored Traditions
One of the beautiful aspects of being a Catholic mom during Advent is the wealth of traditions that can be passed down through generations. Some of our favorite traditions include:
Advent Wreaths:
Each Sunday, we light a candle on the wreath, representing hope, peace, joy, and love, leading up to the Christ Candle on Christmas Eve. Last year we made our own Advent beeswax candles with a kit from Holy Heroes and that is definitely going to be one of our favorite yearly traditions now. My kids are now obsessed with beeswax candles and we got them blessed by our priest!
- Beeswax Advent Candle Kit (every order gets a FREE Advent & Christmas calendar.)
- Double-sided Advent to Christmas Wooden Wreath Set (raisingsaints for 10% off)
- 12″ Tapered Soy Advent Candles Set (raisingsaints for 10% off)
- Ceramic Advent Wreath w/ Greens Waterer (raisingsaints for 10% off)
Making Beeswax Advent Candles:
Advent Calendars:
As you’ve seen, Advent Calendars are the most popular, mainstream way to celebrate advent. But rather than simply grabbing a chocolate Advent calendar or pricey LEGO Advent Calendar, try something different this year!
- Liturgical Sticker Advent Calendar (use code raisingsaints for 10% off)
- Gathre Advent Calendar (Faith-centered ideas on what to put inside coming soon!)
- Holy Heroes Advent & Christmas Calendars with daily stickers (FREE with every order of other items)
Grab this FREE Advent Calendar Printable coloring page from Shining Light Dolls for your kids to color each day.
all our favorite
B O O K S
For Liturgical Living
Living The Seasons
All About Advent
Sacred Seasons
Advent Books for Children:
An Advent Hope – A Children’s Book About Family Advent Traditions is an excellent picture book to add to your Christmas book collection! When you order this book from Holy Heroes, be sure to grab a copy of their Advent & Christmas Coloring Book too! Every order comes with a FREE Advent & Christmas calendar too! Plus you’ll get an automatic 10% off when you use our links to purchase items from Holy Heroes!
Also, be sure to check out our other Favorite Christmas Books in my Amazon storefront.
Daily Scripture Reading:
Consider reading and reflecting on the daily Advent scriptures with your family. It’s a beautiful way to prepare your hearts together.
Jesse Tree:
Create or purchase a Jesse Tree with ornaments that represent key stories from the Bible. Hang an ornament on the tree each day, sharing the associated story with your children. There are tons of Jesse Tree resources to help you with this tradition. Some are really involved and some are quick and simple. Choose one that works best for your family at the stage of life you are in and feel free to change it up as the years go by.
Feeling crafty and want a fun family project? Our Families Jesse Tree has 25 ornament templates to sew your own ornaments you can use year after year!
Want to incorporate the Jesse Tree tradition but have lots of young kids and very little time? The Jesse Tree Poster with Stickers is the perfect solution!
Here are some of my favorite Jesse Tree Resources to consider:
Involved:
- The Jesse Tree for Families Book by Colleen Pressprich ($22)
- Our Families Jesse Tree Book with 25 Ornament Templates, Devotions, & Activities ($12)
Easy:
- Jesse Tree Advent Sticker Calendar – Use code wildsaints10 for 10% off ($10)
- Jesse Tree Cards Simple, easy to follow, one-and-done solution! ($10)
- Jesse Tree Poster with Stickers ($7)
Acts of Charity:
Encourage your family to perform acts of kindness and charity throughout the season, focusing on helping those in need. Most churches have a donation program that connect with local food pantry. Be sure to ask your parish if you don’t see anything in your weekly bulletin.
Mary On The Mantel:
Want a faith-focused alternative to Elf On The Shelf? Start a new tradition with Mary On The Mantel! If you only have time to implement one new tradition this year, this one is hands-down our favorite one. Investing in this kit is one of the best things you can do for Advent because you can keep reusing it year after year and it’s an excellent alternative to sugary treat-based Advent Calendars or more tiny toys to clutter your house and toss later.
Stay Centered on Peace
Above all, Advent is a season of peace and preparation. The birth of Jesus is the source of our hope, and the anticipation of His coming should fill our hearts with joy. Don’t let the busyness of the season overshadow the true purpose of Advent. Prioritize quiet moments for prayer, reflection, and quality family time, and let peace be the guiding light in your home.
In conclusion, celebrating Advent as a Catholic homeschooling mom can be a beautiful and enriching experience for your family. Embrace new traditions, but don’t overburden yourself with too many activities, projects, and commitments. Instead, focus on simplifying and creating a peaceful atmosphere in your home.
Remember, the essence of Advent is peace, hope, and the anticipation of the Savior’s birth. Stay centered on these core values, and you’ll create a meaningful and joyful Advent experience for your family.
Don’t forget…
St. Nicholas Day – Dec 6th
If you want to teach children about the real Santa Claus, St. Nicholas Day is a great day to do that!
Use code RAISINGSAINTS for 10% off
- St. Nicholas Day Sticker Pack ($3)
- Saint Nicholas – The Real Story of the Christmas Legend book ($8)
- Chocolate St. Nicholas Day Coins
- Our Favorite Christmas Books
St. Andrew Christmas Novena
St. Andrew
Christmas Novena
The single prayer of the St. Andrew Christmas Novena is traditionally prayed fifteen times each day, beginning on the feast of St. Andrew (November 30) and concluding on Christmas Eve. In 2023, Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday.
pray with hallow
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The Christmas Season
Did you know the Christmas season lasts 17 days this year? Come back in a couple weeks and I will link my blog post with all our favorite Christmas traditions, books, and more right here.