More Advent Ideas

Here is a summary of the remainder of advent ideas/projects that we currently have under way....

We have a Jesse Tree which involves a dead tree branch and 24 homemade ornaments symbolizing the lineage of Jesus. My husband talked me out of making crafty ornaments symbolizing the people or events for the tree. Instead he suggested I let the kids draw the pictures....and I'm really glad I did. It was a fun project for them that involved some hands-on-learning. While it took a minute to get over the "it doesn't look the way I would have done it" mentality, they came out really cute. It will be fun over the years to remember their cute stick figure drawings. (I had them laminated, in order to make sure they'll be around years from now). For more info on a Jesse Tree or to get the scripture verses to read when hanging the ornaments daily see
http://www.catholicculture.org/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=545&repos=3&subrepos=1&searchid=139777

We also have a crib for baby Jesus that I bought online last year. Whenever the kids do a good deed, they can grab a piece of "hay" (ie yellow construction paper) and write the deed on it. They then put the "hay" in the manger so that on Christmas baby Jesus will have somewhere soft to lay his head. See a sample
http://www.catholiccompany.com/product_detail.cfm?ID=3724&category=1272

We also celebrated St. Lucy's feast day in style, but that is a post all its own.