Guide for Celebrating Advent as a Family

See also “Guide for Celebrating Advent as a Church.”

The Season

The Church Year begins with the season of Advent (from the Latin adventus, which means “coming”). Advent always begins four Sundays before Christmas Day. The Church delays and deepens its celebration of Christmas by joining ancient Israel with the cry of “Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!” While reading the Old Testament Messianic prophecies, reflecting on the darkness of sin, and lighting candles in hopeful anticipation of the coming Light, the Church simultaneously looks forward to the Messiah’s second advent. Most traditions mark Advent with purple, the color of royalty, to signify the coming of the Davidic King. The use of a pink or rose-colored candle in most Advent candlesticks marks a transition towards joy as Christmas draws nearer.

Devotional Outline for Families

During Advent, follow or adapt this outline each evening as a family.

1. Dim the lights and light the appropriate candle(s) in your Advent wreath (see below).
2. Sing a verse of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” or another Advent hymn. (Consider singing the same hymn every night and try to memorize it.)
3. Open a door in your Advent calendar (see below). You may include candy and a Bible verse for children.
4. Read an entry in your Advent devotional book(s) (see below for recommendations). We read something for our little ones and then something for the whole family.
5. Pray (some devotionals have prayers included).
6. Conclude with the Lord’s Prayer and Gloria Patri: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Advent Wreath

Buy an Advent wreath and light it as a family (see here for lighting instructions).

• Fioretti Advent Wreath (candles sold separately)
• Advent Candles (set of 4)
• White Christ candle

Advent Calendar

Buy an Advent calendar to count down the days to Christmas. Since it’s hard to find one that is distinctively Christian, we use a generic calendar and fill each door with candy and a folded-up Bible verse:

• Byers’ Choice Christmas House Advent Calendar
• 24 Bible verses for Advent Calendar

Scripture Reading

• See the daily readings in the Revised Common Lectionary or Book of Common Prayer (“Table of Contents” → “Daily Office Lectionary” → “Advent”).
• For a special book study, see Tony Reinke’s Isaiah Christmas.

Daily Readings/Devotionals

• Paul Wesley Chilcote, Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Advent and Christmas with Charles Wesley (Morehouse Publishing, 2017).
• Jonathan Gibson, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel: A Liturgy for Daily Worship from Advent to Epiphany (Crossway, 2023). A 40-day devotional with seasonal Scripture readings, hymns, prayers, and creeds, as well as time for meditation, petition, and confession.
• Mitchell L. Chase, There Shone a Holy Light: Beholding Christ and Christmas in the Old Testament (Christian Focus Publications, 2025).
• John Piper, The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent (Crossway, 2014).
• “The Promised One,” Christianity Today. Daily devotional readings from Christianity Today.
• “Prayers for Advent: A Free Reflection Guide,” Lexham Press.
• Augustine, Advent Homilies (Davenant Press, 2024), edited by S. Mark Hamilton and Rhys Laverty, foreword by Fred Sanders.
• John Newton, Advent Homilies (Davenant Press, 2025), edited by S. Mark Hamilton and Rhys Laverty, foreword by Kyle Strobel.

Books for Children

• Todd R. Hains, The King of Christmas: All God’s Children Search for Jesus (A FatCat Book) (Lexham Press, 2022).

Books on Advent and the Incarnation

Make it a tradition to read one book on the incarnation each year during Advent. E.g.,

• Fleming Rutledge, Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ (Eerdmans, 2018).
• Köstenberger and Stewart, The First Days of Jesus: The Story of the Incarnation (Crossway, 2015).
• Athanasius, On the Incarnation. Use the translation by John Behr from SVS Press.
• Anselm, Cur Deus Homo.
• Ambrose of Milan, The Sacrament of the Incarnation of Our Lord.
• Thomas F. Torrance, Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ (IVP Academic, 2015).
• Graham Cole, The God Who Became Human (IVP Academic, 2013).

Music

Play Advent music in your home throughout the Advent season.

• Holy Joys Advent Playlist (Spotify)

Good Works During Advent

• Put together a “Service Plan” with a few good works each week (e.g., baking bread for your neighbors, carrying them a meal, or visiting a shut-in).
• Get a group together to go Christmas caroling and leave behind small gifts in the name of Christ (e.g., a few baked goods and an Advent devotional or ESV Economy Bible with the Gospels bookmarked using a Christmas gospel tract).
• Find someone who will be alone for Christmas and invite them to join your family for Christmas or at least for a special meal.
• Set a limit on how much you will spend on gifts and, if needed, cut back your regular spending so that you can make a donation to a ministry or charity. As a gift, you can make a donation to a ministry or charity in someone’s name.

Preparation for Christmas Day

• Remember that Christmas is a holy day. Make it a joyful and spiritual one. On Christmas morning, set aside time for family worship before opening gifts. Read the Christmas story, pray, sing a carol, etc. Talk about Christ.
• Go to a Christmas or Christmas Eve service if your church (or one in your community) has one.