Ok. I already compiled Advent resources for the year here, but I found more. So I’m sharing again, an expanded version, especially since several of the books have digital formats available. 🙂
Expanded Advent Resources
Advent Calendars, December Countdowns, & Jesse Trees
(For Purchase from Lutherans)
- CPH’s Jesse Tree Family Activity Kit comes with an adult devotional, a 16-page children’s picture book, 26 Christmas ornaments to make, a tree for displaying the ornaments, and instructions to create the ornaments. It’s literally the package deal. Ha haa
- Stephanie Hovland has a book, Jesus’ Family Tree: Praying through Advent with the Jesse Tree.
- Want to use CPH Arch books as a Jesse Tree? Here’s a list so you can use to shop CPH.
- Pure Joy Creative has a great little Names of Jesus Advent Calendar. There are 24 Advent coloring cards that can be strung on a garland, made into ornaments, etc.
- Pure Joy Creative also has a weekly Advent Coloring Pages set for those who prefer weekly rather than daily.
- Lynne Weeks sells Jesus’ Genealogy PDF for Jesse Tree Ornaments (though I’m not sure how long her “short break” will last).
(Freebies)
- Book of Luke! Beginning December 1st, read one chapter from Luke each night and finish up on Christmas Eve. NICE!
- Here’s a link to a Names of Jesus Advent Countdown. (You need to sign up, but my kids liked slowly dismantling the chain.)
- Here is a neat set of coloring booklets, pictures, and nativity
Advent Wreaths & Toys for Children
I have also heard that the following (likely non-Lutheran) option is a clever Christian alternatives for Elf on the Shelf: The Christmas Star from Afar Advent Calendar or Shepherd on the Search.
There’s also an interesting tradition called a giving manger. You can read about that here, although, you know, don’t have Jesus wait to come until He’s been earned! Obviously!
Christmons & Ornaments
- Ad Crucem has fantastic christmons & ornaments. No joke: 100 christmons! Now they even have a book exploring & explaining Christmons: The Christian Christmas Tree: Symbols & Ornaments Confessing Christ Crucified for Us.
Devotions
The Brothers of John the Steadfast offers a theme with service plans and a devotional book. Advent 2021 is “For Whom the Lord Loves, He Chastens” – An Advent through Malachi.
Martin Luther College (WELS) also offers seasonal devotions, so go here for their latest, We Have Seen His Glory. Meanwhile, you can also see older collections including The Jesse Tree with Supplemental materials (Advent 2020), Christ is the World’s Light, Names of Jesus, etc. Plus, it looks like the current devotion is available in print, online, as a downloadable PDF, or as a daily email with the older ones available online or as a PDF. Awesome!
Lutheran Hour Ministries is offering Child of Promise in English and Spanish.
Lutheran Indian Ministries offers quite a few Advent options!
There are also books from years past, including:
- Hope for Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come: Daily Prayers for Advent by Lutheran author Stephenie Hovland.
- Light in the Darkness: A Hymn Journal for Advent & Christmas
O Antiphon Articles/Lessons
- Coloring page ornaments/kids book (I think it’s from a Roman Catholic blog)
- Robert Smith’s What Does This Mean blog post series on the O Antiphons
- Andy Richard’s free O Antiphons Devotional Booklet (find it from the list)
- Issues, Etc. episodes on the O Antiphons
- Here’s a Lutheran Witness article, “O Antiphons: What Are They” by Kevin Hildebrand, Kantor of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind. Great guy.
Yearly Devotions the Start in Advent
Happy almost new year! I always like it when yearly devotionals begin with Advent. After all, the point of the church year is application.
I found out that Rev. Guillaume Williams has been writing Through the Year in Christ’s Life: A Daily Devotional on the Sunday Lectionary! There are two books so far. His latest release is Three Year Series C Festival Part of the Year. AND rumor has it that he plans to do each part of the three year and the one year. 🙂
