Advent for Kids Unwrapped: Clearing Up 3 Common Misbeliefs about Advent

If you’re a Christian parent wanting to make Christmastime about more than Santa and presents and wanting to explore an easy, Advent-for-kids, special family tradition, you’re in the right spot.

Introduction to Advent for Kids

The Advent season is a time often synonymous with Christmas, and to Christian parents, Advent for kids is a great opportunity to share about the Christian faith.

It’s never too early (or too late) to share Jesus’ story and Advent is a great way to do it.

Before we get started, let’s clear up 3 common Christian misbeliefs about Advent. Then we’ll talk about how you can share Advent for your kids. And lastly, we’ll explore how you can start your own Advent tradition to make Christmastime special and meaningful.

3 Common Misbeliefs about Advent held among Christians

Let’s get started with some quick Advent basics so you’ll have a jumping off place for sharing with your kids.

I want you to be able to share in a simple, kid-friendly way why the church celebrates Advent and Christmas the way it does. And to share with you how the Advent season is different from commercial mainstream Christmas holiday celebrations.

1. The Advent season is the same as Christmas

Some people mistakenly believe that the Advent season and Christmas are one and the same time. In reality, the Advent season is a time of preparation for Christmas. Advent begins 4 Sundays before Christmas Day and ends on Christmas Eve.

Advent 2024 begins on Sunday, December 1.

The Advent season focuses on the 1st and 2nd comings of Jesus. That means the Advent season is about remembering the waiting of Jesus’ birth or incarnation, God becoming man. But the Advent season is also about Jesus’ future return.

Christmas itself is a season of 12 Days beginning on December 25, Christmas Day, each year. The church’s Christmas season ends 12 days after Christmas Day on the day before Epiphany, January 6.

Epiphany is the day we celebrate the 3 wise men, or magi, seeing the star in the sky. The star represents the giving of God’s saving light to the Gentiles.

So the Advent season is a time of reflection and preparation for God becoming man, Jesus. Advent prepares us for the Christmas season.

2. The Advent season is a time for gift-giving

While gift-giving has traditionally been a common practice during the Christmas season, giving gifts is not the primary focus of Advent.

The Advent season is mainly about spiritual reflection, repentance, and preparation for the celebration of Christ’s birth. Advent is a time for Christians to examine their own lives and to reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ coming as a man and coming back as conqueror. Advent allows us to examine how we are living knowing that Jesus will return, like a thief in the night, at a time no one will know.

Celebrating Advent with kids allows us to share about Jesus’ birth, but also his return. Focusing on Advent allows us and our kids to grow in their faith.

Because the Christian Advent season has become confused or intermixed with the “holidays” or the “Christmas season” due to clever marketing, the time before Christmas has become a time of gift-giving, while traditionally this time was for after Christmas, during the 12 Days of Christmas.

3. The Advent wreath has one specific meaning, common to all Christians

Another common Christian misbelief is that the Advent wreath has a specific meaning and that all churches use it the same way.

In reality, different churches and denominations may use the Advent wreath in different ways and for different purposes.

The most common similar belief about the Advent wreath is that the 4 candles around the edge of the wreath represent each of the 4 Sundays of Advent. The center candle in the Advent wreath is the Christ candle. The middle candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, depending on when your church celebrates Christmas.

The colors and days of the Advent wreath’s candles have meanings that vary across churches, if used at all. The 3rd week’s candle is traditionally pink. The pink candle may either remind us to rejoice or to focus on Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The candles and weeks have often had themes associated with them: hope, peace, joy, and love. These themes vary greatly among Christians.

The Advent Bible passage readings may be the same on the 4 Sundays across some denominations. Some churches may choose their own Advent readings.

So if there are so many different ways to celebrate Advent for kids. You may feel overwhelmed at the options and feel tempted to stop reading right now. But there are simple, easy ways to make Advent accessible and fun for kids. Ways that don’t require any planning or effort on your part.

Keep reading to learn some easy ways to start an easy, new family tradition that makes the Advent season special and meaningful for kids.

Ways you can make the Advent season special for your kids

Starting an Advent season tradition can be a wonderful way to bring family togetherness and to help your kids build a faith that endures. Here are some steps to help you build a meaningful Advent for kids.

1. Explain the Purpose of Advent for your kids

Start this Advent season off by learning more about Advent and sharing what you’re learning with your kids. A great place to start is with explaining some of the misconceptions we’ve already discussed. I talk a lot with my kids about the difference in the commercial Santa-led Christmas season, which starts earlier and earlier each year, and in celebrating Advent.

We talk about how Advent means “coming.” We talk about how Advent means both Christ’s first coming as a baby in the manger to save us from our separation from God. And it also means his second coming in his final glory at the end of the age.

2. Use an Advent Calendar Together

Using a simple Advent calendar to count down the days to Christmas and Jesus’ first coming is a great tradition to start making memories and building your kids’ spiritual faith.

An Advent calendar can build excitement and anticipation for Christmas Day.

My kids love to get a chocolate Christian Advent calendar (#ad) from their grandparents every year. When they were too young for chocolate, we just got them a regular Christian Advent calendar (#ad) with Bible verses and windows to open that we would do together.

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Once they were old enough to have experienced the chocolate calendars, we really couldn’t go back.

The Advent calendars that have a Bible verse in them are preferable to a calendar that just has Santa and reindeers and snowmen. A Christian Advent calendar will remind you and your kids to share about the meaning of the season.

3. Light the Advent Wreath Candles Together

Another way to build spiritual family togetherness is to gather around the Advent wreath (#ad) together to light the candles (#ad).

There’s no best way to do this. You can make your own or buy one (we prefer the ones linked above). We’ve both made and bought wreaths. We currently have about 3 that we blend together each year to incorporate my kids’ growing tastes in how they want the wreath to look.

My children absolutely adore getting to blow out the candles on the wreath. It’s also an effective motivator for getting them to listen quietly (mostly!) to the scripture readings we do together when lighting the candles.

We light one candle around the edge each Sunday of Advent until all 4 candles are lit. On Christmas Eve, we light the center white candle called the Christ candle.

Each candle may represent a different theme: hope, peace, joy, and love, but feel free to keep it simple. You can read relevant Advent Bible passages or pray or have a family discussion about Advent when you light the candles.

4. Read Advent Bible Passages together

Reading special Advent Bible passages is a great way to grow spiritually as a family during Advent.

You can find an Advent devotional book or set of daily Advent readings 2024.

Reading scripture aloud can help guide you in knowing what to share about Jesus’ first and 2nd comings with your kids, and to guide you in prayer or any discussion.

You can take turns reading the passages, depending on the age of your kids, or learn to set realistic expectations and get your kids to listen when you read scripture and pray together.

5. Attend Church Together

Make a special commitment to go to church together as a family during the Advent season. This can be an essential part of your family’s Advent tradition. Going to church will help you connect the Advent season and what you’re doing at home to what your local church is also doing to celebrate Advent.

The repetition and reinforcement of celebrating Advent at church and at home, will really strengthen the connections in your child’s developing mind, which will set them up for knowing God’s amazing love for them as they grow.

If you struggle with getting to church on a regular basis, be sure to check out our Fast Action Faith Plan with activities to teach faith, strengthen the family, and raise godly children.

6. Attend Special Church Services Together

Be sure to attend your local church’s Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services so that your children will know that Christmas is about more than just Santa and presents. You want to connect in their mind that Christmas is about Jesus’ coming and that he will return again.

It is essential to teach your children to link the meaning of Christ’s birth to Christmas celebrations in the church.

7. Set Aside Quality Family Time

You can also use Advent as a time to spend quality family time together and to create special memories. Consider having special family dinners, game nights, or movie nights with a Christmas or Advent theme.

My kids love to make homemade iced cookies that we decorate. It’s a tradition I started when my oldest child was a baby. When I don’t have enough time to make them during Advent, they remind me to find time after Christmas Day when they’re still home from school and we’re in the 12 Days of Christmas. In fact, I prefer to do them after Christmas as a way to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas.

I’ve also found the movie Buck Denver Asks: Why Do We Call it Christmas? (#ad) to be a great movie to explain (in a hilarious way) some of the customs that make up Christmas.

8. Be Flexible

Whether you’re learning to light the Advent wreath together, eating too many day’s worth of chocolates from the Advent calendar, trying to read scripture aloud with your kids and they’re interrupting, not listening and driving you crazy, or you’re just trying to start something new, remember to be flexible.

You want your kids to enjoy the season and not remember you fussing at them the whole time and making them feel miserable. Be creative and open to new ideas as you go along. Be willing to listen to your kids and follow their lead on some of your traditions. Allow their creativity to spark how you celebrate Advent. Honor and cherish your child.

If you need help setting realistic expectations for you and your children, be sure to grab our Setting Realistic Expectations guide. It’ll truly help you relax, let go, and have fun in a way that will let your child’s faith blossom and grow into a beautiful faith that will endure.

Summary of Advent for Kids

To recap, we looked at ways to make Advent for your kids special and meaningful so they can grow spiritually and have fun learning about Jesus in the process!

We looked at 3 common Christian misconceptions about Advent. You’ll have some ready-made answers for your kids’ questions when you go about starting a new Advent tradition with your family.

And we looked at several ideas for starting your own Advent tradition with your kids. Focus on the real meaning of the season and celebrate Jesus’ birth rather than getting overly caught up in all the commercial marketing for Christmas.

Conclusion of Advent for Kids

Remember that the key to a successful family Advent tradition is consistency. Being consistent helps you make Advent a special and meaningful time for your family to grow together in your faith and love for one another.

There’s no right or wrong way to share Advent with your children. Just make sure you do something and don’t just rely on your church to teach your kids about Christmas. You don’t have to know all the answers or have a strong faith of your own to share Jesus in a fun and winsome way with your kids.

If you found this article helpful, please leave questions or comments down below. Share it on social media.

Or click on the orange “Shop Family Advent Devotional Now” button below to learn more about how to share Advent, use an Advent wreath, and read the Advent readings 2024 together with your family.

Other Helpful Resources:

• Mary, the Mother of Jesus: The Unexpected Ending (Bible study lesson)

Related Shop Content:

• 2024 Easy Advent Bible Time | Family Advent Devotional 2024
• Setting Realistic Expectations Guide | How to Get Your Child to Listen
• Fast Action Faith Plan: Activities to Teach Faith, Strengthen the Family, and Raise Godly Children

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