How can we truly bring Christ back to the center of our celebrations?

For us? Daily spending time reflecting on His works throughout history, praising and praying and making these habits routine for our hearts and our children’s.

Over the past 8 years we feel we have created some new familiar traditions that focus on the faith that is now inseparable from my husband and me. And the kids are begging the other 11 months of the year for them to return.

Adopting Advent is one way we’ve found best to take the season’s opportunity to teach and yet slow down together and infuse it with more meaning. Meaning we hope they will grasp and pass on.

With just a little bit of preparation, we read the story of the day, unveil one ornament, and progressively decorate our tree. Counting on being together every evening for this helps us to weed out activity and plan on being home in the evenings as much as we can. We decorate only with lights and our Advent ornaments, so the focus of our main Christmas tree has become about our Biblical heritage. It stands tall as a reminder that we are among those descendants promised to Abraham. Our tree lights represent those stars. (Genesis 15:5-6) At any time the kids can be called on to point to the ornaments and tell them in the Biblical order. And after years of repetition, they can do this easily. Throughout December we will detail how this has shaped our celebrating.

 

Our love for these traditions have spilled over into many conversations, play-dates, and church lessons and for years I have been hand-making felt ornaments for one or two family friends a year. It is a laborsome process but I love it; fitting a symbol or theological meaning onto 3 inches of felt.

This year we are happy to announce that we’ve been able to transfer my designs into a product I hope will bless many homes and transform the way that others celebrate as well. I excited at the chance to share more than my hands could make!

 

 

We have a limited supply and are offering them in our Etsy shop:

1. Intentional Traditions Jesse Tree Advent Gift Set with Reading Guide
2. Intentional Traditions Complete Year Set Christmas and Easter Jesse Tree Advent

 

Each set comes with 25 days of ornaments, a daily Bible reading guide bookmark, and a 25 day devotional, written by my husband who is a New Testament Professor. It will lay out the significance of each story and suggest family activities and songs.

This would make a thoughtful Christmas gift to be given for future years of use!

Give them a gift that endures this year!