Years ago when my two daughters were preschool age, I was on the hunt for new holiday traditions with the intent of giving my children a deeper understanding of the true meaning of Christmas.

I didn’t celebrate Advent while growing up, so after learning about it from our church, decided this was a beautiful way for our family to honor Christ’s birth.

The word advent simply means ‘coming’. When we celebrate advent, we think about the time when Jesus came to earth as a baby, as well as when He will come again to take those who love Him to heaven.

Advent is observed the four weeks before Christmas, as well as Christmas Day. Each week a candle is lit and each candle represents a significant part of Advent.

1st week: The Prophecy candle. This candle symbolizes hope. It reminds us of the hope the Jewish people had as they were looking forward to the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. The Bible promised that He would come.

2^nd week: The Bethlehem candle. This candle represents the faith of Mary and Joseph as they were in Bethlehem, waiting for Jesus to be born. We too have faith in waiting for Jesus’ return.

3^rd week: The Shepherd’s candle. This candle represents the joy and excitement the shepherd’s must have felt when they heard the news that Jesus had been born!

4^th week: The Wise Men’s candle. This candle represents justice and peace, reminding us that Jesus came not only to the Jews but to ALL people of every nation, every color and every race.

Christmas Day: The Christ candle. This candle represents the purity of Jesus, as He is the light of salvation. We celebrate His birth, and also remember that he died on the cross to take our punishment, so we can be forgiven of our sins and spend an eternity with Him in heaven one day.

When I ask my children what their most favorite Christmas traditions are, all four of them agree that celebrating Advent is at the top of the list. We make it a cozy time of warmth while ensuring the true meaning of Christmas doesn’t get lost amidst the chaos and frenetic pace of the holiday season.

Tips for celebrating Advent:

• Turn off (or put away) all distractions.
• Turn on soft Christmas music.
• Dim the lights. (we love to have the Christmas lights and lit candles be the only light in the room).
• Gather together with soft pillows and cozy blankets around the Advent candle lighting.
• Parents and older kids can take turns each week reading about which candle is being lit and what it represents, as well as lighting the candle itself.

Click here for this free Advent read-aloud quick-reference guide . It will help guide you on what to say as each candle is being lit.

We keep the tradition very simple to ensure:

• There’s not much prep work.
• Small children as well as adults can participate.
• It doesn’t take up a large amount of time.

While our family uses four white candles and one red, there are many other colors you can use to identify the meaning of each week. See more about Advent Candle meanings here.

We also make Advent extra special each week by enjoying a homemade treat like warm cookies with hot chocolate. And while the candle is still lit, I read a heart-nourishing (but short) Christmas story aloud to my kids. (We are currently reading from the book, Stories of Faith for Christmas.)

If you have more time and would like to expand on your Advent celebrations with your kids, you could also do these activities:

• Create a Jesse Tree
• Read Advent devotions
• Keep an Advent calendar (or make one!)
• Replace bedtime stories with books about Jesus
• Make your own Advent candles

As we continue this meaningful tradition every Christmas season, my hope is that one day when my children are grown, the peace of Advent will be deeply embedded within their hearts, so much so that it stirs a longing in their souls to worship Jesus. We were created to rest in His love and peace – let’s soak up all that goodness during the time of Advent, as we wait with sweet anticipation of His coming!