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Week One of Advent: Wins, Mishaps, and Why It's Not Too Late to Start

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It's Not Too Late

We're one week into Advent, and I want to encourage you: if you haven't started yet, it's not too late.

The beautiful thing about Advent is that any day you begin is the right day. The books and resources we're using this year have become instant heirloom status in our home, which means you'll be perfectly set up for Day 1 next year, and your kids will treasure these for years to come.

Week One Wins

The Candle Ritual

We had a bit of a mishap right at the start. Our Advent candles didn't fit in our candle holder. A quick trip to Goodwill saved the day, and we got that covered for just a few dollars.

Turns out, those candles have become a huge hit with the kids. They absolutely love lighting them and blowing them out each day. We created a simple chant that we say together each time they're lit:

We light the candle of hope, remembering God keeps his promises. Jesus is coming!

It's amazing how something so simple has become such a meaningful moment for our family.

Advent S'mores (Kid Innovation at Its Finest)

Here's something I never expected: the kids invented what they call "advent s'mores." They used the chocolate from their advent calendars, added graham crackers and marshmallows, and actually roasted them over the Advent candles!

Is this theologically sound? I'm not sure. Is it a fire hazard? Possibly. Is it a memory they'll cherish forever? Absolutely.

Our Advent Resources

We ended up with a rhythm that works beautifully for mornings and evenings:

Evening: The Biggest Story Advent

For evenings, we're using The Biggest Story Advent from @crossway. This has been perfect for the kids because:

  • Each night covers a different prophecy
  • There's a fun door for the kids to open
  • The readings are engaging and age-appropriate
  • It connects the Old Testament promises to Jesus

Highly recommend.

Morning: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

In the mornings, we're using O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: A Liturgy for Daily Worship from Advent to Epiphany, also from @crossway.

This one has been wonderful because you can pick and choose from the liturgy based on your family's attention span and schedule. It includes:

  • Beautiful poems
  • Relevant Scripture passages
  • Prayers and responsive readings
  • Content that works from Advent all the way to Epiphany

Also highly recommend.

Bible Project Advent Resources

Bible Project also released an Advent podcast this year that we've been enjoying, along with a bunch of other resources. We've particularly been using their simple Advent guide, which has:

  • A verse the kids can look up themselves
  • A couple of reflection questions
  • Beautiful design

Three Advent Guides We Love

  1. Bible Project - https://bibleproject.com/advent/
  2. Justin Whitmel Earley - https://linktr.ee/justinwhitmelearley
  3. Veil Church - https://bit.ly/m/veil

Each of these offers a different approach, so you can mix and match based on what works for your family.

What We're Learning

One week in, here's what we're already seeing:

  • Simple rituals matter. That daily candle lighting has become the anchor of our day
  • Kids love tangible elements. The doors to open, the candles to light, the verses to look up
  • Flexibility is key. Some days we do the full liturgy, some days just a quick reading
  • It's already worth it. Even if we stopped today, this week has shaped how our kids think about Christmas

Start Where You Are

Don't feel like you need to do everything we're doing. Maybe you just:

  • Light a candle and read one verse each day
  • Use one of the free guides linked above
  • Play the Bible Project Advent podcast during breakfast
  • Pick one book and start there

The goal isn't to have a Pinterest-perfect Advent. The goal is to help our kids see that Christmas is about Jesus coming, God keeping His promises.

Know, Love, Serve

Know God as the Promise Keeper who sent His Son. Love God through daily rhythms of remembrance and worship. Serve God by teaching the next generation that Jesus is the point of Christmas.

What Advent traditions is your family loving this year? Any mishaps turned memories?

Book Links