When I first began searching for an Advent tradition that would create meaningful memories for my whole family, my oldest child was just four years old. That first simple Jesse Tree book served us well enough for the next few years.

But as our family grew larger and our time grew smaller–both time for planning and implementing, and time with our kids (they grow up!)–I sought something … more.

More meaningful, more easy to use, more engaging for the varied ages of our kids. Before I knew it, we had a handful of Jesse Tree and other devotionals, and a handful of children spanning newborn to preteen.

I still hadn’t found that perfect devotional.

I wanted something meaningful enough for adults, simple enough for kids, and yet engaging for the whole family.

So I set out to create it. Joy of Advent (yes, this site!) was a labor of love created over the next decade. Each year it grew, starting out with brief poems and scripture readings and growing into what I have now: a robust devotional with daily insights, inspiring art, beautiful carols, and a simplified lesson for younger children.

I’ll be the first to confess: there’s no “Whole Family” solution that will engage everyone from teen and adult to tiny tot. But I’ve attempted to give parallel paths–food rich enough for grown-up teeth, and gentle bites for littles, while making both theologically sound and enriching!

So how do I use Joy of Advent with the Whole Family?

I’m going to walk you through what we do, and share new resources we’re excited to add this year!

1st: Gather the Family

The youngest children get a coloring page or craft to keep their hands busy, and the small candy treat from our Advent calendar to keep their mouths busy! 

2nd: Light the Advent Wreath

For many years we didn’t use an Advent wreath, but it’s now one of the favorite aspects of our evening together. The gentle candle glow sets a tone of mystery and reverence. Our only challenge: deciding who gets to light them each night! (We rotate, starting with the youngest.)

3rd: Look at the Jesse Tree Symbol or Ornament

We ask the younger children to describe what they see. Now that we’ve done this several years, they’re delighted to share what they remember of the Bible story.

4th: Read the Scripture

We read from the Joy of Advent page if the teens and young adults are home or read the associated Bible story from our favorite Children’s Bible if the older children are away.

5th: Read the Meditation or Family Celebration

Again, if the older kids are home, we will often read the longer meditation (this is where a craft: coloring page, pipe cleaners to bend and shape, etc.) comes in very handy! If the teens aren’t home, then we will skip to the Family Celebration.

If you’ve printed our new Illustrated Jesse Tree Ornaments, the Family Celebration meditation is on the back side of the ornament.

6th Let a Child Hang the Jesse Tree Ornament

Again, we take turns beginning with the youngest child able to hang an ornament.

7th: Enjoy a Favorite Carol

Hands down our children’s favorite element (apart from the candy!) is the Christmas carol! Even the teens stop sighing in impatience to watch and listen. Some years we stream to our TV, but most often we play the carol from a laptop at the kitchen table. What carols do we have in the Joy of Advent Daily Readings? Try the one below!

8th: Extinguish the Candles & Close in Prayer

Again, we take turns using our antique candle snuffer (who knew putting out candles could be as fun as lighting them?).

Our evening celebration usually takes about fifteen minutes, depending on how much debate goes into the candle lighting, ornament hanging, etc. 

To enhance your celebration, I created printable resources designed to accompany Joy of Advent’s daily readings.

New Jesse Tree Ornament Printables

Both the Illustrated and Stained Glass designs carry all the way through the 12 Days of Christmas and correspond to the Joy of Advent Daily Readings.

I hope you enjoy these resources and find that they help simplify and enhance the meaning of your Advent and Christmas seasons!