I have a white, three-ring binder that has the words “Christmas Countdown Planner” running down the spine. Its pages include a calendar which starts counting down with all the things to do to get ready for Christmas, beginning the last week of October.
I printed this out in 2008. It is now 2024 and I have never started getting ready for Christmas at the end of October. With fall birthdays and Thanksgiving, it is usually the second week of December when the Christmas countdown actually begins around our house. Long after Advent devotionals have begun, I am finally ready to start preparing my and my children’s hearts to celebrate the coming of Christ.
For many years, I struggled with guilt about trying to get it all done: the Advent devotions, the Jesse Tree, the Christmas countdowns. I struggled until I realized that my own family’s rhythms are just as good to prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus. When Jesus says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30), I would like to think that applies to traditions as well.
December 15 has been what usually works for our family to start devotions that help us focus on the birth of Jesus. We have many Christmas-themed picture books that we have collected over the years, and I like to spread those out under our tree. I have collected different Advent devotionals, and those get mixed in there as well. Each day I attempt to read something that helps us slow down and think about the gift we have received: our Savior in the flesh. There are days this does not happen, and it’s okay.
I was sad that we only got to spend a couple of weeks in great books and thoughts about Christmas. Then I had an epiphany…Epiphany! In the church liturgical calendar, Epiphany, a celebration of the day the magi visited Jesus, is January 6. In our family we continue our devotional readings until then. In the stillness of the days after December 25, we keep our house decorated and Christmas lights on and continue to enjoy rich words of worship of Christ our King.
Though we don’t always follow all the goals of the words on the spine of the binder, we do slow down and proclaim what is on the front of the binder: that Jesus is the “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).
A couple good Advent devotionals are The Advent of the Lamb of God by Russ Ramsey and Come Let Us Adore Him by Paul David Tripp. One of my favorite resources is an online devotional from Biola that includes art, music, poetry, prayer, and Scripture. Choose one that looks appealing for your family from a reputable list and read it with them as often as it works out, taking time afterward to sit in awe of the gift God gave us of Himself living among us.
Stacy is the mother of five and loves teaching, learning and reading great books!
View Resources by Stacy Ott
This is a book you can judge by the cover (which is attention grabbing and beautiful). With every page, it gets better and better. The images are strong, dynamic, and thought provoking. But even more beautiful is the story of our King from the cre...
