This simple advent activity in December brings with it the desire to focus on Jesus’ first coming and His second coming. Advent is a special way to celebrate the birth of Jesus, Christmas, and our faith in His promises to come!

There are many different ways to celebrate Christmas and, we’ve tried a few over the years. But, again and again, there is always one outline that I go back to and it is the perfect activity for Busy Moms!

I enjoy studying the meaning of words and, I know studying God’s Word is the top priority. I also love finding new mediums of reading material to add to these two main ways that I learn & teach my children about Jesus.

Discover “A Simple Advent Journey (Back) To Jesus” – a guide through scripture reading and word studies during the Advent season that points you to Jesus the whole way!

Simple Advent For Busy Moms

We love using books to celebrate Christmas throughout December. The very act of gathering my children around to listen while I read out loud to them daily is bringing our family closer together physically and hopefully, spiritually/emotionally.

I am not a crafty mom by any means, though we try to add some hands-on activities. However, reading is more my style and intentionally giving my kids 15 minutes each day as I read to them is a welcome break in my busy life!

Quality time with my children is so important, but the busy season of planning, shopping, and preparing for Christmas can overshadow my children’s needs (and my own). That’s why I make the extra effort to have a daily read-together time, especially in December.

Christmas Books

Jotham’s Journey: A Storybook for Advent (Storybooks for Advent)Bartholomew’s Passage: A Family Story for Advent (Storybooks for Advent)Tabitha’s Travels: A Family Story for Advent (Storybooks for Advent)Ishtar’s Odyssey: A Family Story for Advent (Storybooks for Advent)Amon’s Secret: A Family Story of the First ChristiansTHE BIRDS’ CHRISTMAS CAROL

How To Have A Meaningful Advent With Children

1. Learn about & share with your children the meaning of Advent.
2. Choose a daily Bible reading plan or guide. My Scripture-reading guide or a Jesse Tree guide works great! I love that the point behind these methods is to share the story of Jesus starting at the very beginning of the Bible!
3. Choose a foundational Advent Book to read throughout the season with your children. Our favorite (so far) are the books by Arnold Ytreeide.
4. Choose several other short books centered around Jesus Christ that can be read in one 15-minute reading session. I have some of our favorites listed HERE.
5. On Christmas day, read the “Christmas Story” from the book of Luke in the Bible.

Daily Routine

This is how our daily reading usually takes place:

In the morning we have Bible Time which includes scripture reading.

At some point during the day, we read a short Christmas-related book of choice (this does not happen every day, but sprinkled throughout December).

In the evening, we read our daily chapter from the Advent storybook we have chosen for the year (Bartholomew’s Passage, etc.).

Cultivating a love for our Lord Jesus Christ while encouraging a love of reading in our children is a win-win this Christmas season! For some, this outline may seem too simple, but busy moms understand how creating a holiday season of rest that is focused on the true meaning of Christmas is not always easy.

I hope that the ideas and printable outline help you relax, slow down, and cherish this Christmas season with your children!

Get your FREE Printable to guide you through the season!