Thanksgiving is over...

Thanksgiving is over...
so something big must be coming...

No, it is not Black Friday.
Or Shop Local Saturday.
Definitely not Cyber Monday.

And I am not talking about Christmas.

I am talking about Advent.

My family couldn't even get through our Thanksgivings without being inundated with Rockin-Around-the-Christmas-Tree on the radio, gift ads galore, and enough outdoor lights to land a space shuttle.  I still have my fall wreath on my outside door 'gasp'- but you should remember that it is only November 25th.  I want to celebrate one season at a time, thank you very much, and the next season I plan to celebrate is Advent.  I am honored to have been asked to add to Bonnie's Advent line up at A Knotted Life, which was perfect, because I already have a stash of Advent things to share with you.

First up, a couple of cute printables focusing on waiting for Christ.

We coupled this gift tag and ornament with the book A Stocking for Jesus at an Advent Family Night for our CCD program (ages 5-13 with parents and other siblings in attendance).

We read the book, and then each family made a giant stocking by lacing together two posterboard stocking cutouts.  The tag above was attached, with Jesus in the "to" section and something like The Smith Family in the "from." 

Each family then filled the stocking by writing things they would be giving Jesus- acts of service, love, and time, which were all written on Christmas themed die cuts.  They took home the stocking to hang during Advent to remind them of what we are preparing for. Here are the instructions they were given:

Click on the three printable to be linked to the actual documents.

Stay tuned for more Advent ideas!