Advent is a season of preparation and waiting for the coming Nativity of Christ. It is a time where we reflect on peace and promise. We fill our homes with nativity scenes, wrap presents and place them under the tree, sing carols, tell stories, and rest in the promise of the coming Savior.

This post is sponsored by Family Christian.

Saturday, I shared with you the book Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp and how it set a tone of peace in my own heart. The staff at First Presbyterian Church are working hard at drawing the children into the peace of Christ. We use the curriculum Godly Play and are encouraging the children to draw closer to the wonder and mystery of our Savior. This year we are drawing closer to the mystery of the nativity through Advent Boxes. Each week a new component is added and the children are encouraged to walk their families through the nativity story before lighting their candle.

Vanessa Williams, our Children’s Director, has shared with us how to make these boxes at home.

How to Make an Advent Box

What you will need

1. A box 6”x9” (dollar tree)
2. Blue felt sheet 14”x16” (craft store
3. White felt sheet 14”x16” (craft store)
4. Green craft sticks 4 (dollar tree)
5. Wooden rectangles 5 (saveoncrafts.com)
6. Rubber stamps 5 (craft store)
7. Gold ink 1 pad (craft store)
8. Tea lights 5 (dollar tree)
9. Greenery 5 (craft store)

This craft can be assembled all at once, or the underlay can be prepared and a card and candle made each week of Advent. My 4-year-old loves to tell the whole story throughout Advent, but we only light the candles that apply to our particular week of Advent at the time.

To assemble, start by cutting the blue felt down the middle (hot dog fold). Most of the underlay will be blue. Then cut the white felt into 6 equal parts. Hot glue one piece of white felt to the end of our blue felt. Divide the underlay into 5 equal sections by using the green craft sticks and hot glue. It should look like this.

Each wooden rectangle represents one week of Advent and the final one is Christmas. The images or symbols should match the celebrated characters for each week.

1. The Prophets
2. The Holy Family
3. The Shepherds
4. The Magi
5. The Christ Child

The symbols that I chose follow those used in the “Godly Play” story of Advent. They look like this.

The candles are simply prepared by wrapping them with wired greenery. The final piece should be the story or readings. We print these out on card stock, so that they can be added to the box each week. We use abbreviated sections of the Advent story from the “Godly Play, Winter Lessons.” You can also use short readings from the Bible, and even add a song for each week’s celebration. We also use a nativity set, and set characters on the cards that correlate the story. A dollhouse Nativity set is about the scale that works with these boxes.

For our family celebration each week, I tell the story first, using our nativity set and a larger version of the Advent Box. Then the boys get to open their small boxes, which contain their own story set and a treat. They tell the story, light the candles with help, and we also practice “changing the light”, a beautiful practice taught in “Godly Play”. This has taught us to wait and anticipate the coming of Jesus, and gain a sense of mystery for what this season truly represents, the incarnation.

To learn more about the Children’s Ministry at First Presbyterian Church visit www.FPCEP.org/children

A Nativity Set would be a great addition to the Advent Box. The Willow Tree Nativity is my absolute favorite. Last year it was my Christmas gift from my husband and will remain one of my most cherished gifts for years to come. The simplicity of colors and lines speaks to the peace that is present through our coming Savior’s birth. Another favorite, one that is a little more kid friendly, is the Little People Nativity set. Right now the Little People Nativity set is on sale for only $19.99 at Family Christian. Be sure to enter the giveaway on yesterday’s post for a $25 Gift Certificate to Family Christian. The addition of the Advent Boxes and Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp has added moments of peace to our busy Christmas season. I hope it does the same for you.