Advent Activities

Even though we are well into Advent at this point I thought I would post our advent activities. To begin advent the girls made their own mini advent wreaths like the ones seen on Catholic Icing We combined her idea for making the wreath with her genius idea to "paint" the candles with melted crayon wax! All the supplies came from the dollar store and the cost was only $4 to make 2 wreaths. Both Flower Picker and Snow White are proud to light their wreaths each evening!





We read a prayer for advent each night when lighting our candles and then sing the appropriate verses of "Light the Advent Candle" Here are the lyrics to the song
(The tune is the same as "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" Thanks to Lacy for making me think about it!)

Advent Song


1. Light the Advent candle one
Now the waiting has begun
We have started on our way
Time to think of Christmas day.

Chorus:
Candle, candle burning bright
Shining in the cold winter night
Candle, candle burning bright
Fill our hearts with Christmas light.

2. Light the Advent candle two
Think of humble shepherds who
Filled with wonder at the sight
Of the child on Christmas night.

3. Light the Advent candle three
Think of heavenly harmony
Angels singing "Peace on Earth"
At the Blessed Savior's birth.

4. Light the Advent candle four
Think of Joy forever more
Christ child in a stable born
Gift of love that Christmas morn.

5. Light the Christmas candles now
Sing of Donkey, Sheep and cow
Birthday candles for the king
Let the Alleluias ring.

We also have been following Holy Heroes Advent Adventure this Advent and it has been wonderful. They have a video for each day of advent explaining some aspect of Advent or the feast of the day. They also post a video for the Jesse Tree ornament of the day. You can see our Jesse Tree below. It has many more ornaments on it now!



We have celebrated the feast of St Nicholas this year with a party in our home school co-op group complete with a visit from St. Nick himself. We also watched the CCC movie of St. Nicholas the boy who became Santa.

Yesterday we celebrated the feast of the Immaculate Conception with a trip into Pittsburgh to see the Vatican Splendors exhibit that is being held at the history museum there.




It was really neat and the children did very well. Snow White learned a lot and we made it through with no alarms sounding! ( a man told us if you touch the glass on some of the displays an alarm will sound!). We then went out to dinner and to Mass (which it seemed as if we didnt attend since we spent it all in the back with a very disagreeable Do-Do boy!). Overall it was a great day had by all some wonderful memories made on a special day!

Today we are celebrating the feast of Juan Diego. We read The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe Empress of the Americas by C. Lourdes Walsh this morning



and I have a dried bean Our Lady of Guadalupe craft planned for this afternoon! Be sure to check over at Catholic Icing and enter in the CCC giveaway to win a free copy of JUAN DIEGO - MESSENGER OF GUADALUPE! I am entered for sure! It is one of the CCC videos we do not own.

We have had a full Advent so far and look forward to continuing our preparations for Christs birth on Christmas!

Finally here is a picture of our prayer table this advent.