Advent Activities at Our House

Each December we have multiple advent activities going on at our house.

(1)

You've seen our "Counting Down to Christmas with Books" here.

(2)

We also do the cotton balls on Santa's Beard (Found from Pinterest here).

(3)

We love doing our advent tree that Nick's Mom made many years ago.

(4)

But my favorite is our advent house.

(one of my favorite pics ever- last year)

I got this house from Pottery Barn a few years ago.

I found the idea of a doing an advent with ornaments from a blog (I can't recall which one- it's been so long ago). I searched online and through the Bible for verses I thought would be good ones for each door. I typed them up and bought little ornaments that would match the verse.  Each night Reagan gets to open a door.  I read the verse to him and we talk about it.  He then gets to add the ornament to the tree. It takes a bit of prep work getting all the ornaments initially, but once you've done it- you're good.

In case you want to add this advent activity to your house,

I thought I'd save you a few steps by giving you the verses we use! 

1. Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given. (Baby Jesus ornament)

2. Matthew 5 : 14-16 You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Christmas light ornaments)

3.Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Peace ornament)

4.Psalm 126:3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. (Joy ornament)

5. Psalm 150:3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre. (Trumpet and Harp ornaments)

6.Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. ( Candy cane ornaments)

7. Psalm 147:4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. ( Star ornaments)

8. Psalm 150:4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute. (Musical instrument ornaments)

9. Psalm 100:3 Know that the Lord is good. It is he who made us, and we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Sheep ornament)

10.Psalm 122:1 Let us go to the house of the Lord. (Gingerbread house)

11. Romans 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Believe ornament) 

12. Deuteronomy 15: 10 Give generously to him and without a grudging heart then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. (heart ornament)

13. Psalm 119:103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. (candy cane ornament)

14. Philippians 2:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, in which you shine like stars. (star ornaments)

15. Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (key ornament)

16. Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn away from it. (train ornament)

17. Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Hope ornament)

18. Mark 9:23 Everything is possible for him who believes. (Faith ornament)

19. Matthew 2:2 We saw the star in the East and we have come to worship him. (Star tree topper)

20. Matthew 2:11 When they saw the star they were overjoyed.  On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother, and they bowed down and worshiped him (3 Wise Men ornaments)

21. Matthew 2:11 Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, and incense and of myrrh. (treasure chest ornament)

22. 1 John 4:7-12 Let us love one another, for love comes from God.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. Since God loved us, we also out to love one another. (Love ornament)

23. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (present ornaments)

24. Luke 2:9-10 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people". (angel ornament)

25.Luke 2:11-12 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph ornament)