How To Explain Advent To Your Kids
What is Advent?
Advent comes from a word that means “coming” or “arrival.” It’s a season that starts four Sundays before Christmas and goes all the way to Christmas Eve. It’s like a countdown to Christmas, but it’s more than just counting the days. Advent helps us remember how God promised to send a Savior, and how we can wait with excitement, just like the people in the Bible did long ago.
The Meaning of the Advent Wreath:
The Advent wreath is very special because it helps us countdown to Christmas. There are four candles on the wreath, one for each Sunday of Advent. Each candle has a special meaning that helps us focus on what Advent is all about.
The first candle symbolizes hope and is called the "Prophet’s Candle." The prophets of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, waited in hope for the Messiah’s arrival. The purple color symbolizes royalty, repentance, and fasting.
The second candle represents faith and is called "Bethlehem’s Candle." Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, which is also the birthplace of King David. The second candle is also purple to symbolize preparation for the coming king.
The third candle symbolizes joy and is called the "Shepherd’s Candle." To the shepherd’s great joy, the angels announced that Jesus came for humble, unimportant people like them, too. In liturgy, the color rose signifies joy. This candle is colored pink to represent joyfulness and rejoicing.
The fourth candle represents peace and is called the "Angel’s Candle." The angels announced that Jesus came to bring peace--He came to bring people close to God and to each other again. This color is also purple to represent the culmination of love through the Messiah.
The fifth candle represents light and purity and is called "Christ’s candle." It is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day. This candle is white to represent pure light and victory.
What Does Advent Teach Us?
Advent teaches us about waiting and expecting with joy. Just like when we wait for something special like Christmas, Advent helps us remember that the best gift is Jesus. We can get ready for Christmas by thinking about what Jesus means in our lives and sharing His love with others.
How Can We Celebrate Advent at home:
Light a candle on the Advent wreath each week and talk about its meaning.
Read Bible stories about Jesus’ birth and the promises God made.
Pray and thank God for sending Jesus to be our Savior.
Be kind and help others as a way of showing Jesus’ love.
Advent is all about waiting for Jesus and getting our hearts ready to celebrate His birth. It's a time of hope, peace, joy, and love. Let’s remember that Advent helps us prepare not just for Christmas Day, but for Jesus to be with us every day.
Prayer:
Thank You, God, for this time of Advent. Help us to wait with joy and excitement for the birth of Your Son, Jesus. May we always remember that He is the greatest gift of all. Amen.