A few years ago I bought an advent wreath and candles from my local Christian book store, and my family started celebrating advent together. My wife and I figured that this would be one way to focus our family on Jesus at Christmas.
When we bought the wreath, I wasn’t too sure what to do with it, since I come from a Pentecostal tradition that doesn’t typically incorporate this ritual into its services. I searched the internet for advent readings, but I was frustrated to find that nothing seemed appropriate for my family, which includes children. So, I mashed together some of what I found and edited it so it is suitable for families.
Our children love gathering around the advent wreath. And they each anticipate having their turn at reading and lighting a candle.
As our family gets ready to celebrate advent again this Christmas season, I thought that some other Christian parents out there might benefit from the readings that I put together. For some families who have already considered adding this tradition to their family, perhaps this might even serve as a gentle push in that direction.
We typically aim to light one candle each Sunday. Sometimes Sunday don’t work so well, so we do it on Monday or Tuesday instead. And the first year we did it, we got started late, after Advent was already underway. Just do whatever works best for your family! I know some people are now using these readings at their church as well.
(Starting late does have its advantages—we got our wreath on sale 🙂 ).
Each advent reading includes readings, a song, Scripture readings, prayer, the lighting of a candle, and a couple discussion questions. I printed of a few copies of each reading for our family to share.
You are welcome to edit the files as you need to. For our family, “Child 1” = a young child who needs help reading. For every parent reading part, I tried to include at least 2 readings for each child. I think each reading took about 5 minutes.
Download the word files by clicking the links below:
Feel free to share this with others who might find these readings helpful!
P.S. This year, advent officially begins on Sunday, December 1, 2024.
Question: How does your family celebrate advent? Leave a comment below by clicking here.
Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D., is the author of Simply Spirit-Filled: Experiencing God in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit as well as three academic books, including The Lord is the Spirit. He is a theology professor at Horizon College and Seminary and serves on the Theological Study Commission for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. You can follow him on Facebook or on Twitter.
Hi Andrew, thanks so much for the advent readings. WE are ready to go with the candles and wreath and I was just about to search for a new devotional for this year so your timing is perfect. I also have found that a tradition for Kaleb and I has been to read one of the Arnold Ytreeide family stories for advent. There are about 5 stories that you can alternate through. I have friends that their teenagers still beg for these stories to be read as part of their advent traditions.Excellent storytelling with provoking questions for the family to answer at the end.
Yes, I believe we have a couple of those. Thanks for sharing the idea!
Thanks for making these available. Using Week One tonight. 🙂
Like your readings and downloaded them for my church, Was able to copy all but week 4 when my computer gave me the message that the file had a bad image. Perhaps not meant to run on Windows ????
Hmmm… Not sure what the problem is there. I just tried to download it and it worked fine. I’ll email it to you.
Thank you for this! I grew up doing advent at church and have missed it since my churches since then never do it. We just used this tonight with our family and the kids really enjoyed it.
I’m so glad to hear this. God bless you and your family as you anticipate Christmas.
Thank you Andrew for sharing these Advent readings for Christian families. I had also been frustrated by the lack of suitable devotionals out there for families to read together while lighting the candle. We started this tradition in our family two years ago to help our boys focus on Jesus and what His coming means. It has been a time we look forward to and has spiritually enriched the Christmas season for us. This year we are doing an Advent Wreath making event at our church in Cambridge, Ontario (Central Presbyterian) where we will share your readings with close to 20 families. We hope to make this an annual event at our church. I love how you mixed the song, with Scripture, and also discussion questions. God bless you this Christmas!
That’s great! And thanks.
Thank you! We do advent readings with our kids in Sunday School each week. I’ve been using the same reading for the past few years and have been looking for something new. This will be easy to adapt for our teachers!
I really like the way you have put this all together. I have downloaded them for use with my children’s Sunday school lessons as we start each week by lighting the Advent Wreath. Thank you!
Thanks so much for the Advent readings! I adaped them for our Sunday morning worship services.
Pastor Steve
Manteo First Assembly
Manteo, NC
I made up my own advent last year as it was the first time we celebrated with the kids. But this year I’m behind and came across these work documents and they are perfect!!! Why aren’t there more materials available like this! Finally something that is straight and to the point and encompasses the true meaning of advent! My kids will love being able to do their own reading, and I don’t have to figure out what to have them read! Thank you, thank you!!
Hello my brother and sage of Christ’s love =)
Thank-you so very much for posting and permitting the usage of your Advent devotionals.
I have used them in our church (I only changed the readers from Mommy & Daddy; Child one, two etc. to “Reader” and “Candle Lighters”
It has been received very well (and emotionally) Thank-you Andrew.
Tonight we will be reading the Christ Candle =)
Also, after a bit of digging, I found that there was 3 other stanza’s for Silent Night
Silent Night {all 6 verses}
Words: Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht! Rev. Joseph Mohr (1792-1848), 1816.
Music: “Stille Nacht,” Franz Xaver Gruber (1787-1863), 1818
1. Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright,
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child!
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace! [falls a Heavenly peace]
Sleep in heavenly peace! [falls a Heavenly peace]
2. Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from Heaven afar,
Heavenly Hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour, is born!
Christ, the Saviour, is born!
3. Silent night! Holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy Holy Face
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy Birth!
Jesus, Lord, at Thy Birth!
4. Silent Night, Holy Night! Here at last, healing light
From the heavenly kingdom sent,
Abundant grace for our intent.
Jesus, salvation for all.
Jesus, salvation for all.
5. Silent Night! Holy Night”! Sleeps the world in peace tonight.
God sends his Son to earth below
A Child from whom all blessings flow
Jesus, embraces mankind.
Jesus, embraces mankind.
6. Silent Night, Holy Night! Mindful of humanity’s plight
The Lord in Heav’n on high decreed
From earthly woes we would be freed
Jesus, God’s promise for peace.
Jesus, God’s promise for peace.
…and we will be singing them after I read the 2014 Time magazine’s article of the “Christmas Miracle” that occured during Christmas day in WW1 (if you’re interested here is that link)
https://time.com/3643889/christmas-truce-1914/
Merry Christmas Andrew to you and your family
And Thanks for gifting me with your love for Jesus teaching and helping me grow my heart and mind and character…Truly, God has gifted you and you are bearing the fruits of His grace
Brad
Thank you for sharing the Advent Candle Readings for Families with Children. Because we are not meeting in the church, we are preparing Advent Activities Bags for our families with children. One of the projects is making an Advent Wreath. The Readings will be perfect as families light their Advent Candles.
Wonderful idea!
Thank you for sharing these Advent litanies–they’re perfect to go in our Advent at Home Kits we’re sharing this year. I adapted them a bit by changing the order to match our tradition, but otherwise they are just right for all ages. Thank you!!
Excellent! I’m so glad these worked for you. Thanks for letting me know.
Thank you for sharing your Advent Readings.
Hi Andrew, I downloaded 3rd week of Advent to have the kids do in our online worship. It is very simply and beatifully written! May God Bless Your Family and Your Ministry! Mary from Rolling Fork UMC
Hi Andrew, Thanks so much for making these devotionals available! We used them this year with our children and it transformed their experience of lighting the advent candles (and, I believe, the season itself).
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad you found it helpful.
I’ve used your advent readings with my grandchildren for 3 years. I was so happy to find such a great resource that simply states the meaning of Advent. Also appreciate the hymns for each week.
I’m so glad to hear that. I’m not sure if you looked at them or not, but I actually updated them slightly this year, primarily by adding some song options for each week. I also changed some of the discussion questions, as our family found the old ones a little repetitive. Thanks again for the encouragement, and Advent blessings to you and your family.
Thank you! This advent reading plan is just right for our families.
Thank you! This is just what I needed for our family.
Thank you! Excited to use this year.
Thank you so much! I think this will be really helpful in starting a tradition to focus on the reason for Christmas.