Many liturgical churches recognize the four weeks leading up to Christmas as “Advent.” It’s a time to remember our need for a Savior and the way that God fulfilled that need—by sending Jesus as a baby in a manger. It’s also a time to look forward to the second coming of Jesus. It’s a time of hope, peace, and joy found in our Lord, Jesus Christ.
You’ve probably heard of Advent wreaths and seen Advent calendars in the stores. Here are five other ways you can bring Advent celebrations into your classroom.
Study and learn the verses of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Pay attention to the Christmastime themes and draw connections between the New and Old Testaments.
Design an activity that the students can continue to build on throughout the four weeks of Advent. For little children, you may create a few nativity attendees each week and have a full nativity set to look upon once Christmas Day is here. For older children, study Jesus’ ancestry or look for Christian meanings in secular symbols (Christmas trees, lights, candy canes, etc.).
Throughout Advent, practice a Christmas play that you can present to the children’s parents or the entire church on Christmas Eve.
Before Advent begins, make a list of 28 simple gifts—one for each day of Advent—your students can give to others in order to share Jesus’ love. (The gifts can be very simple, such as opening a door, giving up a spot in line, or writing a note of encouragement to the bus driver.) If you have time, print the gift ideas on a calendar and invite students to check off each gift as they give it.
Every week of Advent, invite a few students to do a presentation about what Christmas means to them. They could put their thoughts into a speech, sing a Christmas hymn, create a display board, or think of another creative way to express the joy we find in Jesus at Christmastime.
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