Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

4 Ways to Keep Christmas Simple and Christ-Centered

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Contrary to popular (or, secular) opinion, the days leading up to Christmas do not need to be stressful! If the hustle, bustle, and stress of the holiday season is starting to get to you, read on for 4 simple ways to slow down and re-center on Christ for the upcoming Christmas season.

1. Observe Advent Slowly, Prayerfully, and Meaningfully

We just celebrated Gaudete Sunday which means Christmas is almost here! Are you looking forward with eager anticipation or dread? Good preparation for Christmas starts with observing Advent.

I found this video very helpful in prioritizing what really matters during Advent and Christmas. Prayer and Liturgy come first! Holy Mother Church has already planned it all out for us. We just have to follow Her lead. Definitely worth a watch from this wise educator and father of 10. Focus on what gives grace.

2. Keep a Nativity at the center of your home

The halls do not need to be decked out (unless it brings you joy!!). We are currently finishing up a renovation of our home, and our space is limited and a little out of order. I cleared away precious space for our Nativity in the main space of our home, and it has really helped us focus on what matters. I find myself (and my family) stopping to ponder the coming of Christ, and feeling true longing for His coming. Keeping decor simple has kept my stress level low, and our joy and anticipation high.

3. Serve Others (Works of Mercy)

Use Advent as a time to practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy to the best of your ability. Pair any sufferings that you encounter with prayer. Serve the poor. Volunteer at a local Life Center, soup kitchen, or your own parish. Donate money, time, or talents to a worthwhile organization or cause (again, your parish may need your help!) Visit the sick or elderly. Bring a meal to a new mom. Comfort someone going through a difficult situation.

4. Keep Gifts Simple

The consumerism of our culture can truly get out of control. Resist! Keep gifts simple.

Mr. Michael gives a great suggestion in the video above for how he and his wife handle gifts for their large family. We keep gifts simple, affordable, and meaningful in our family. My children and I enjoy using Advent to make handmade gifts for each other, family, and friends. Crafting is our thing, and if it’s not your thing – that’s ok! Determine what your talents are and how you can offer your valuable time to others as a gift.

I love this “Analog Gift Guide” from Mary Ellen Barrett.

How is your Advent going? Do you have any other tips for keeping Christmas simple and Christ-centered?

Advent JOY Lesson for Gaudete Sunday

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The third Sunday of Advent is Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means joy. Gather with your faith formation groups or your family on December 14, 2025 for Gaudete Sunday and celebrate with JOY!  Here is the outline and activities for a lesson for Gaudete Sunday:

Opening Prayer:

Use the 3rd Sunday of Advent prayers for lighting an Advent wreath. Include a song if you’d like.

Short Teaching:

Explain the purpose of the Advent wreath and the colors and why we use the pink candle today for joy. I also include an explanation of JOY as an acronym for Jesus, Others, You.

Craft:

A set of 3 votive candles wrapped in colored paper with the letters “J” “O” “Y” on each to spell out JOY. You can use letter stickers or handwrite them. (I would do one set per family.)

Imaginative Prayer:

Read Luke 2:1-20 slowly, asking everyone to close their eyes and visualize what is being read. Ask the group what they noticed, how they felt.

Closing: A birthday cake for Jesus.

You’ll need to bake the cake ahead of time and then add the other elements when you are with the group. Here is an outline for the cake:

1. Make it round — like the never-ending circle of His love for all of us.
2. Make it chocolate — like the darkness our sins brings to us and others.
3. Make it covered with white frosting — like His purity covering our weakness.
4. Top it with a yellow star and put an angel —bearer of the first glad tidings.
5. Put twelve red candles on top — like the twelve months of the year that Christ is our light; red for the blood He willingly shed for us.
6. Encircle this loving cake with evergreens — the symbol of everlasting life.

I hope you can use this lesson or some parts of it to bring some Advent JOY into the season!

This post was updated on November 13, 2024 by Alex Resch to include updated dates and relevant links.

Having a Holier Advent as we Honor the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th) All Month Long

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Here we are in Advent, in the month of December which is dedicated to the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception. And so, we are reminded that despite the busy-ness around us, we are called to keep vigil with the sacred. May this Advent, which is meant to be, in some ways, a kind of mini-Lent: a time of waiting and preparation (anticipating Christmas joy)… be our holiest yet.

Did you know that the Immaculate Conception is actually the Patroness of the United States? This declaration was made official by the United States bishops during the sixth provincial Council of Baltimore in 1846.

The Church taught of the Immaculate Conception for ages, but it was in 1854 that Pope Pius IX officially proclaimed that the Blessed Virgin Mary “in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin.”

This teaching refers to the conception of Mary in the womb of St. Anne, her mother. And so in December while we contemplate the pre-born and newborn Lord… we also contemplate the pre-born Blessed Mother, from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception, on December 8th, which is exactly nine months before her birthday on September 8th.

Redemption was applied to our Blessed Mother from conception, by the merits of Jesus Christ, her son — a truly awe-inspiring reality. Preserved from original sin, Mary has been called “our tainted nature’s solitary boast,” in the words of the great poet William Wordsworth.

Mary remained free of sin for her entire life. Honoring her purity is a calming antidote to the sometimes garish bustle of December, and a complementary devotion to our usual Advent activities culminating in the festive splendor of Christmas. We turn to Our Lady this Advent and ask that she will guide the ways we wait for, plan for, and celebrate the birth of her Son, Our Lord.

Here are some ways to honor the Immaculate Conception of Mary this December:

1) Bake a cake and frost it white for Mary’s purity

Bake a cake and frost it white for Mary’s purity (or purchase a cake with white icing) and share with your children, family or friends. Before cutting and sharing this cake, pray this as part of Grace before meals:

“O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, didst prepare a worthy dwelling place for thy Son, we beseech thee that, as by the foreseen death of this, thy Son, thou didst preserve her from all stain, so too thou wouldst permit us, purified through her intercession, to come unto thee. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who livest and reignest with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.”

2)Mary is Patroness of the United States

Since Mary is Patroness of the United States, why not place a small American flag near a statue of Our Lady this month, as a reminder to regularly ask Our Lady to intercede for the country.

3) Give Miraculous Medals out as Christmas gifts

Give Miraculous Medals out as Christmas gifts to family, friends and acquaintances. These medals may be obtained inexpensively, but their protection, beauty and graces are unmatched. Upon the Miraculous Medal is inscribed, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” The Miraculous Medal is just that…miraculous… and is even famous for creating conversions, as St. Maximilian Kolbe taught. Best of all, giving this medal as a stocking stuffer or gift this Christmas is a wonderful way to honor Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception this December.

4) Pray the Chaplet of the Immaculate Conception

Pray the Chaplet of the Immaculate Conception, which was created by St. John Berchmans, as a way to obtain greater purity, so it is a wonderful way to purify Advent, ensuring we keep Christ in Christmas. Begin by making the Sign of the Cross.

During each of 4 sets of prayers, you pray the following:
“Blessed be the Holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
Then… Say 1 Our Father,
4 Hail Marys
and one Glory be, each.

Blessed Advent! Immaculate Conception, pray for us!

This article was originally published on Nov 30, 2024 on www.amazingcatechists.com.

Seven Ways to Observe Advent with Children

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Photo by Stefan Schweihofer (2018) via Pixabay, CCO Creative Commons

Perhaps you too have had the experience of preparing for Christmas, only to realize that amongst the candy-making, the letter-writing, the present-purchasing, the tree-trimming, and more, you never got around to spiritual preparation, even though you really meant to this year.

If you would like to add a more reflective or penitential note to your family’s Advent observance, check out the seven ideas below to get you started.  Choose one (or two), gather what you will need, and start a new family tradition!

Jesse tree

The idea:

Recall salvation history.  Use ornaments decorated with symbols to represent the events and stories leading up to the birth of Jesus and hang them on a tree of some kind (the tree is so named after Jesse, father of King David–see Isaiah 11:1).

What you will need:   

  • You can order a kit.  Check out Etsy for some beautiful ones.
  • You can do it yourself…you need something to be the tree, something to make ornaments, and a Bible or knowledge of Bible stories.  I use a book that has reproducible ornaments.  Each year I photocopy one set of ornaments for each child.  I cut out a large Christmas tree shape from wrapping paper and tape it on the wall.  Each day (when all goes well), the kids color their ornaments while I read to them the passage from the Bible corresponding to the symbol they are coloring.  They then cut out their ornaments and tape them on the tree.
  • The tree can also be a bare branch set into a mason jar full of stones or sand, and the ornaments can be hung on it with loops of ribbon.

Advent stockings: good works

The idea:

The family does a spiritual or corporal work of mercy (or other charitable act) each day of advent.  For example, we might give away a piece of clothing; pray for an end to abortion; pray for our priests; call someone who might be lonely, etc.

You need:

  • Slips of paper listing the good works you will do (see the end of this post for ideas).
  • Something to put them in.  I have mini stockings with numbers on them, which we hang up.  Every evening I put a slip of paper in the next day’s stocking, choosing the activity based on what can fit into our family calendar.  But you could easily do the same with numbered envelopes or, if you are really adventurous, just put them all in a mason jar and see what you pull out!

Making soft Baby Jesus’ Bed

The idea:

Family members make sacrifices and do good acts throughout Advent.  For each one, they lay a piece of straw or hay in an empty manger, trying to get the bed as soft as possible before Baby Jesus will be born on Christmas morning.

You need:

  • Raffia, hay, straw, grass, or strips of yellow construction paper.
  • Some sort of manger.
  • Baby Jesus statue.

Advent wreath

The idea:

Four candles represent the four Sundays of Advent.  Three are purple to represent penance; the fourth is pink for Gaudete Sunday (the 3rd Sunday of Advent.  Gaudete means “joy,” and the priest will wear rose-colored vestments).  On the first Sunday of Advent, light the purple candle that is diagonal from the pink one.  Say a prayer of longing for Our Savior.  Every evening light this candle, accompanied by a prayer, and each successive Sunday light an additional candle.

You need:

  • An advent wreath/candle holder
  • Candles

Salvation history candle

The idea:

Similar to a Jesse tree but for the artistic.  You will draw on a large candle (about 2 feet tall) the scenes from salvation history, starting with Adam and Eve at the top and Baby Jesus at the bottom.  You will burn the candle throughout Advent.

You need:

  • A church-style large candle, 51% beeswax, about 2’ tall.  Can be found at stjudeshop.com
  • Drawing implements

Planned read-alouds

The idea:

Read advent and nativity books during Advent: either one story per day in a book of collected Advent stories or separate books.

You need:

  • A book with a collection of 22-28 Advent stories (here is the one we have); or
  • 22-28 picture books that are Advent-related, about saints whose feast day falls in Advent, or about salvation history.  If you choose this option, you might want to wrap them in wrapping paper and number them, opening up one on each day.

Piece-by-piece nativity set

The idea:

Rather than give a little piece of candy in an Advent calendar, each day brings another object or person to add to the nativity scene, starting with the stable/cave and ending with Baby Jesus.

You need:

  • You can buy a set online that has the requisite number of pieces; or
  • You can make one yourself out of felt, bringing out one piece each day; or
  • Your children make their own paper nativity set, coloring a piece every day using free printables online.

____________________

Resources:

Here is a list of good works you might use for your family’s Advent stockings.

Download this free printable of Amanda’s good works (listed below) for your Advent stockings! Simply print, cut, and insert into your Advent stockings. 30+ ideas to choose from!

Click here to download

  • Do something nice for someone in secret today.
  • Look around your room.  Is there anything you can give away to the poor?
  • Do an extra chore today.
  • Try hard to be cheerful in everything you do today.
  • Draw a picture of the nativity.
  • Read about a saint today.
  • Pray for your priest today.  Could you offer up a sacrifice for the Church today?
  • Pray for an end to abortion today and give away something to moms in need.
  • Pray for the deceased today.  Could you make a sacrifice for the souls in purgatory?
  • Pray for persecuted Christians today and learn about a country where they do not have freedom of religion.
  • Pray for people who do not know Jesus.  Is there something you could do extra as an offering for them?
  • Pray for your family today.  What can you do to help your family be more like the Holy Family?
  • Pray a Rosary today.
  • Pray the Chaplet of Divine mercy.
  • Do an examination of conscience tonight, and if possible, schedule Confession sometime soon.
  • Take a meal to someone in need.
  • Make a card to send to someone who lives far away.
  • Call or invite someone over who might be lonely.
  • Read the Nativity story from the Bible.
  • Make ornaments to send to the nursing home.
  • Do something for someone else that you normally don’t want to do (such as offer to play a game you know he likes).
  • Eat all of your food with a good attitude (even if you don’t like it) and be grateful you have it.
  • Sing a song to baby Jesus or make up a poem for Him.
  • Act out the nativity or part of the salvation story or do a puppet show.
  • Give money to the poor.  You may do an extra chore and give away any money you earn.
  • Bake something and give away half.
  • Write or draw a thank-you card for someone.
  • Make a gift for your priest or staff at your parish church.
  • Give away food to the food pantry.
  • Give away a piece of warm clothing.
  • Work on memorizing a Bible verse.
  • Go to morning Mass.
  • Give up something you like to do or eat today and offer it up as a prayer for someone in need.
  • Wrap up something you have and give it to someone.

 

Copyright 2018 Amanda Woodiel.  This post first appeared at www.inaplaceofgrace.com.

This post was originally published on Amazing Catechists on 11/14/2022, and was updated by Alex Resch on 11/20/2024 to include a free Advent Stocking list printable download.

Being Present in the Advent Season Through Mary and Elizabeth

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In this article I would like to offer material for Advent to be used for faith formation classes, retreat days, and/or prayer services. The first two Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary provide a beautiful framework to dive deeper into the meaning and experience of Advent. There is some material that lends itself into the Christmas season too.

The Annunciation

The Angel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary to announce that she had been chosen by God to conceive and bear His Son, Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Refer to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, verses 26-38.

Reflections

  • God is reaching down to humanity to become one of us. The Incarnation brings us right into the meaning of Christmas in which heaven and earth, Creator and creatures, are united through the pure love of the Father.
  • Through Mary’s “Yes” we have the Incarnation by the means of the Son of God taking on flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. Mary is carrying the Temple of the Word. This divine event sets the world on fire! The Incarnation was not fully understood by the people of the Old Testament but it was proclaimed by the prophets, most especially by the prophet Isaiah.
  • Faith comes from hearing Christ preached (Romans 10:17) and the Angel Gabriel is the first messenger to preach Christ for the angel proclaims: “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus”. (Luke 1:31) The angel spoke God’s Word to Mary.
  • As we meditate on this mystery, the writings that will become the New Testament, are unfolding here.
  • Though our first parents turned their back on God, God did not leave us abandoned to perish but rather has sent his Son to redeem us. We have been chosen. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer!
  • Mary is a model of humility and trust for us. Every day God gives us many opportunities to say “Yes”. Our responses can be little steps over and over again. These can become holy moments and each day we can look forward to seize them!
  • How pure and without blemish is the womb of Mary, full of grace, that God chose it for the first home on earth of his dearly beloved Son. Our Lord chose to take on human form in the womb of the holiest of woman; a woman conceived without sin. In the most fundamental stage of the human life cycle God chose to become one with us. The beloved womb is a sacred dwelling for life; it is a most holy place.
  • This mystery encourages us to be bearer of good news, especially that of Jesus Christ. Like the lights on the Christmas tree, we need to be bearers of light joined together to spread the joy and peace of the Christmas message of hope and redemption.

Biblical Prophecies of Jesus Christ Fulfilled

  • Old Testament: Isaiah 7:14; 40:3, Zechariah 9:9, Micah 5:2, Jeremiah 23:5-6
  • New Testament: Luke 1:35, John 1:22-23, Matthew 2:2, Hebrews 1:6

Icons of Mary as Mother of the Son of God

  • The Pieta by Michelangelo
  • Descent from the Cross by Peter Check Van Aelst
  • The Jerusalem Icon of the Mother by holy Evangelist Luke

Reflection Questions for Catechists Before a Lesson 

  • When did someone give you important, life changing, or surprising news? How did you react? Did you welcome it? Can you relate to Mary’s experience?
  • Who do you trust most in your life? What are his/her qualities that lead you to this trust? Do you recognize these qualities as special gifts to you from others?
  • When have you been the bearer of good or encouraging news that has helped someone on their faith journey?
  • Have any of the saints been bearers of good news to you?
  • When have you trusted God in a time of great uncertainty?

Questions for Students

  • What do you think the scene of the Annunciation looked like?
  • What do you think was on Mary’s mind when the Angel left her?
  • How was Mary feeling the next few days after the angel appeared to her? What would you say to Mary?
  • What did Mary’s “Yes” mean? What does a “Yes” to God sound like?
  • What does it mean that Mary was “full of grace”?
  • Do you think Mary had any friends? What were they like? Do you seek out certain types of friends?

Activities for Children

  • Draw/write/discuss this scene of the Annunciation. Think of Mary and where she lived and the appearance of the beautiful angel, Gabriel. Share.
  • Design an Advent Good News poster on construction paper (or cardstock) and/or an Advent bookmark. Advent themes: hope, peace, joy, love and Advent symbols: candles, wreath, holly, prayer, Advent calendar, Jesse Tree, creche
  • Write a prayer of devotion to your Guardian Angel.
  • Visit a church(es) and notice the Advent wreath and any statues, pictures or other religious items that remind you of the seasons of Advent and Christmas? Light a candle with a prayer for someone.
  • Discuss what the Hail Mary prayer means for this season of Advent.
  • Look at different religious Christmas scenes on Christmas cards that come into the house (catechist can bring some into the class for a lesson) and observe and discuss what you see in each one and how they speak to the season. Religious art can be emphasized here.
  • Paste a nativity scene from a card onto construction paper or cardstock and then draw a stained glass window design around it. You can do this by tracing lines with a marker using a ruler and then color in the spaces with crayon or colored pencils. Watercolor painting is beautiful too.
  • As a family or a group, work on a Nativity Scene puzzle (search Hobby Lobby and Amazon).

The Visitation

The Virgin Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth who is carrying in her womb John the Baptist. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:39-42)  Refer to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, verses 39-56.

Reflections

  • John the Baptist and his mother Elizabeth are in the presence of the first tabernacle, Mary’s womb. The Word of Christ is in the Womb. There is rejoicing in the womb!
  • How beautiful a visit is! How delighted Elizabeth must have been to see her cousin at her door, especially in this special time of need. We are called like Mary, to bring Jesus to others.
  • In this mystery we see the young and the old uniting in an embrace. This sends a message of the importance of unity between the young and the old as we are all one Church.
  • In this visit there is a deep spiritual communion between Mary and Elizabeth. This communion we desire deeply within our souls. Christ comes to us every day in our ordinary lives through the faces of ordinary people.
  • This is not a visit to the public but rather a private one. It reminds us of the good of doing things for the glory of God.
  • With this mystery we can think of what this holy visit is challenging and inviting us to do. Joseph sacrifices his time with Mary for someone in greater need. With Mary gone, Joseph is a little out of his comfort zone but he trusts in God and the message of the Angel Gabriel.
  • God sends us out in different ways. We can all think of times we have been sent out on a mission to help another. Do we seize the holiness in it? We are the hands and feet of Christ. We are called to do holy work. We are called out of the darkness into the light. May we all be bearers of light!

Biblical References for the Birth of John the Baptist

  • Old Testament: Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1
  • New Testament: Luke 1:5-25; 76  Matthew 11:9-10

Icons of the Visitation

  • The Visitation by Mariotto Albertini
  • The Visitation of the Theotokos and St. Elizabeth by Roman and Anna Davidoskiy
  • The Visitation by Brother Simeon Davis
  • Carmignano Visitation by Pontormo

Questions for Catechists Before a Lesson

  • Who in your life do you enjoy a visit with?
  • God calls us to visit and be with others in many settings. Which settings have been most meaningful to you?
  • Recall a time God sent you out to visit someone who needed you. What were the fruits of this visit for you and the other?
  • Think about your family tree and your place in it. Spend some time thinking of the relatives who came before you. When did you sense God in the midst of your family?
  • How do you like to support others?
  • How can we lessen the challenges of the generation gap in our Church and homes?
  • Do you allow Jesus to visit with you often?

Questions for Students

  • When has someone special visited you? How did you feel?
  • Have you visited someone special? What made the visit special?
  • How can you let Jesus visit you and keep you company?
  • How can you turn to Mary in your life? Can you be friends?
  • Discuss how we don’t live alone but in a community.
  • What special role did St. John the Baptist have for the future of all generations?
  • Who do the missionaries visit?
  • Can you invite a saint into your prayers and to join you in your day?
  • What are two God-given gifts of yours you can share with others?

Activities for Students

  • Recognize a special gift in a classmate/family member and write a thank you note or a prayer for him/her. Hand it to the person as if it were a visitor.
  • Create a small poster on the importance of SHARING your time and talents.
  • Share your faith with someone this week. Some suggestions are talking about what you learned in class, offering to say a prayer for a person and let the person know that. Offer encouraging words during Advent such as: “God bless you, I am glad God gave you to me, God loves you, How can I help?” Brainstorm for more ideas.
  • Look at an image of the Visitation and then on a piece of paper folded in half  label one side MARY and one side ELIZABETH. Write a list of words to describe the visit for each one.
  • When we visit, we often use our legs and feet to get there and our arms and hands to hug and help out. Discuss what it means to be the “the hands and feet of Christ”.
  • Pray the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). What image comes to mind? A copy of this hymn of praise can be copied, pasted on paper, and decorated.

 “The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior,

  Who will rejoice with gladness, and renew you in his love,

  Who will sing joyfully because of you.”  Zephaniah 3:17

Advent and Christmas Activities from Holy Heroes

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Be sure to use code ALEXANDRA at check out for 10% off your entire order!

Holy Heroes is an amazing resource for Catholic families and catechists. They provide many faithful, high quality, and unique books, gifts, games, and more for Catholic children.

I love this brand because the family behind Holy Heroes leads by example by serving others in their community. They recently took up a tremendous effort to collect tens of thousands of dollars for hurricane victims in the southeast. They personally purchased supplies for the families in need and delivered them to the drop sites themselves. What a beautiful example to follow and to expose our children to!

Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Clara Davison – the brand manager of Holy Heroes. Clara gave me the scoop on all of the free resources and beautiful Advent and Christmas activities from Holy Heroes this year. I am sure you will find something on this list for everyone on YOUR list to help prepare and celebrate for the birth of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Photo Credit: Holy Heroes

Free Advent Adventure with Daily Jesse Tree videos and more!

The first thing Clara told me about was their FREE Advent Adventure! Throughout the year, Holy Heroes offers free liturgical adventures to help children and families enter into the season. This is a free program to guide you and your children through Advent with very low prep for the parents or teacher. Upon sign up, you will be registered to receive daily emails with the following videos, printables, and activities:

  • Free Daily Jesse Tree Videos and Free Printable Jesse Tree Ornaments
  • Additional Videos Teaching About Advent Traditions and Feast Days
  • Free Advent Printables and Activities
  • Free Weekly Sunday Mass Prep Videos and Resources
  • Pray Along Advent Videos

Photo Credit: Holy Heroes

Free Daily Jesse Tree Videos, Free Printable Jesse Tree Ornaments, and O Antiphons

The most popular aspect of Advent Adventure is the daily Jesse Tree videos. If you have always wanted to start the Jesse Tree devotion, but needed accountability or extra guidance then this is for you! These videos can be used at home with your family, and the videos have something to engage children of all ages. Also, Catholic school teachers and catechists often sign up to lead their classes in daily Jesse Tree prayers.

These videos are awesome because they are completely free and you do not need any extra books or papers to complete this devotion. Just open the email and watch the video with your children to learn about Salvation History from Adam and Eve through the birth of Jesus! The videos are engaging and fun with the Holy Heroes kids acting out the bible stories with props, felt boards, and even legos. The Holy Heroes version of the Jesse Tree also includes the O Antiphons leading up to Christmas at the end of Advent.

Photo Credit: Holy Heroes

If you wish to further engage your children with a hands-on activity, Holy Heroes also offers free Jesse Tree ornaments for you to decorate with your children. Simply print them (they come in color or black and white), have your children decorate them, add a string, and hang up to count down the days to Christmas in a meaningful and Christ-centered way! A Jesse Tree schedule is also included to guide you along the way.

Additional Videos Teaching About Advent Traditions and Feast Days

Videos about different feasts and Advent traditions are also included in Advent Adventure. These videos are great for teaching kids about the Advent season as well as celebrating the various feast days that occur during Advent. Feast days that are included in Advent Adventure are the Immaculate Conception (a Holy Day of Obligation!), St. Lucy’s Feast Day, St. Nicholas’ Feast Day, and Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Feast Day.

Free Advent Printables and Activities

Tons of Advent printables for each day will be emailed to your inbox. These could be puzzles, coloring pages, word searches, mazes, crafts, recipes, and more. There is something geared for kids of all ages. Some are related to the Jesse tree story of the day and others are related to the feast days and traditions mentioned above.

Photo Credit: Holy Heroes

Free Weekly Sunday Mass Prep Videos and Resources

If you are familiar with the Holy Heroes weekly Mass prep, then you will be happy to know that you will also receive these during the Advent as part of Advent Adventure. These videos feature the weekly gospel that will be read at Mass. These emails will also include printable coloring pages, quizzes, and activities for children to complete on each Sunday of Advent. They are all based on each Sunday’s Mass readings.

These are perfect for families participate in before Mass on Sunday. They can also be printed in your parish bulletin, used in your religious education class, or emailed right to your faith formation families.

If you are interested in continuing to receive the Sunday Mass prep videos and activities throughout the year, you can sign up for the weekly Mass prep series here.

Pray Along Advent Videos

In addition to the information Advent video and daily Jesse Tree video, a daily pray-along Advent video is also included. This video will lead you and your children in a decade of the rosary, the Angelus, and other daily prayers.

How to Use Advent Adventure in your Parish Religious Education Classes or Catholic School Classrooms

Religious Education Directors and Catholic school teachers can sign up for Advent Adventure to use in your classrooms! You can sign up and have all of the videos and printables available to you for classroom use.

Advent Adventure is used by tons of parishes and schools to help children enter into the Advent season and learn about our beautiful Catholic faith.

In addition, as Christmas approaches and Advent ends, you can send your families a link to Advent Adventure so that they can finish the final days, prayers, and Jesse tree devotions at home as a family.

Photo Credit: Holy Heroes

Advent Prayers and Devotions

Another free resource that you can download right away is the Blessing of the Christmas Tree. 

Be sure to bless your Christmas tree this Advent with this special blessing approved by the Church!

Also, check out these printable cards with blessings for your Advent wreath and Nativity Scene. Prayers are usually led by Dad or the head of the house who has been baptized.

Photo Credit: Holy Heroes

Make Your Own Advent Candles Kit

Advent will be starting this Sunday, but you still have a little time to grab their popular Make Your Own Advent Candles Kit. These 100% beeswax candles look so fun and beautiful! Grab some candle holders and greenery to complete a simple and meaningful family decoration for Advent.

Nativity Manger Printable Craft

Here is a link to a 17 page instant Nativity download that starts December 17th. It is a daily color and cut out activity for kids that gives you something to do in the final days of Advent. When it is complete, your child will create a full pop out Nativity scene!

Advent Picture Book List

It truly is a great time to be a Catholic kid! Besides the Advent resources mentioned above, Holy Heroes offers some wonderful Advent picture books! Be sure to check out their entire list here.

Christmas and Epiphany

Here are a couple of cool Epiphany resources that Clara told me about. Keep enjoying and celebrating Christmas all the way through Epiphany!

Epiphany Home Blessing and Protection Kit

The Epiphany Home Blessing and Protection kit includes step-by-step instructions for the head of the household, an empty Holy Water Bottle (to fill at your parish), chalk (ask you priest to bless it some time before Epiphany!), a standing St. Benedict medal, and Official St. Benedict Medal Blessing (in English and Latin). Please note: the St. Benedict medal blessing MUST be done by a priest since it includes and exorcism prayer, so plan to bring the medal to a priest along with the Official Medal Blessing card.
If you don’t know what to get your priest or pastor for Christmas, consider inviting him over to celebrate Christmas with a special dinner some time on or around Epiphany! We have done this in the past, and we also asked our priest to bless the chalk and our home with the special Epiphany blessing during his visit. It was such a fun and beautiful way to celebrate Christmas with our priest and children.
Blessing your home during Epiphany is a great yearly practice and an excellent way to celebrate Christmas!

Photo Credit: Holy Heroes

Three Kings Mysterious Magi Maps

This is an awesome and unique Epiphany-focused activity. This resource will help you teach your children or students about the 3 Kings who visited Baby Jesus. Read all about this cool geography, history, and astronomy lesson here!

First Confession Novena

Clara also shared with me that a good number of parishes celebrate children’s First Sacrament of Reconciliation in January or February. They have a special nine day Novena that families can pray in preparation for First Penance. This instant download includes coloring pages to guide the children through the novena leading up to their First Confession. This is great to complete in your parish or send home with your Religious Education families to do together.

We wanted to include this resource in case your child will be receiving this Sacrament early in the new year.

Even More Holy Heroes Advent Resources

Advent is such an important time to prayerfully direct our gaze and hearts to Jesus. It is truly a gift that Holy Mother Church holds out this season of joyful anticipation to us! Hopefully, you have found some meaningful resources within this post to enhance this time of Advent with your family or students.

Also, for your convenience, here is a link to their entire collection of Advent resources, gifts, stocking stuffers, activities, devotions and more!

Pin it for later!

This article was originally published on November 28, 2024, and was updated on November 3, 2025

Preparing the Way with Beautiful Advent Music

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While the secular world gears up for Christmas earlier and earlier each year (only to desert it long before January 1st), we are also witnessing a robust contrast in the increasing conviction on the part of Catholic families and communities to reclaim the Advent season. Without too much additional effort, Advent music can accompany the many traditions we observe in our homes and classrooms, creating a seasonally appropriate atmosphere of worship that prepares the heart and mind for the coming of the Christ Child!

As there has already been much written (and written well) on the topic, I’ve attempted to catalogue meaningful resources that I pray can be of assistance to you as you journey through this precious season.

For those arranging a Caroling event:

If you are looking for the lyrics to some of the most popular Advent hymns in the public domain, you can find them readily in printable format at:

https://www.liturgytools.net/2022/11/free-advent-songsheet.html

These hymns, such as On Jordan’s Bank and Come Now Long Expected Jesus are as beautiful as they are rhythmically accessible. (Liturgytools.net is also so good as to provide additional links to websites that make these hymns available modern notation.)

For the enthusiastic listener:

The below article published by ClassicFM magazine is a veritable treasury of video performances, among them, melodies well-known stateside as well as those we might be less familiar with that are part of the English choral repertoire:

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/occasions/christmas/advent-carols-hymns/

For the reticent practicer of musical instruments who needs a good carrot-and-stick this holiday season:

https://www.christmasmusicsongs.com/ supplies O Come, O Come Emmanuel in just about every possible commonplace transcription. With free arrangements for piano, standard band and orchestral instruments, guitar, and voice, there is something for everyone. (After Advent, you can keep the practice momentum going with their sizable –and also free– collection of Christmas and traditional wintertime melodies).

For the aficionado of Latin and chant:

Veni, Veni Emmanuel & Alma Redemptoris Mater

Two beloved staples of the Advent season are generously made available at The Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki) in modern typeset PDFs for those who might find traditional chant notation intimidating. https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/ Veni, Veni Emmanuel can serve as an opportunity to familiarize oneself with the treasures that are the O Antiphons and deepen one’s appreciation for Latin, as the syllables in the language of the Church are gorgeously conducive to the singing of the melody. Alma Redemptoris Mater is the traditional Marian hymn associated with Vespers I during Advent until Vespers II of the Feast of the Purification. For those who simply want to enjoy these glorious pieces, the internet has no shortage of exemplar recordings available to the public.

What is Advent, anyway?

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The season of Advent begins on Sunday, November 27, 2022.  For some of our readers, especially RCIA candidates, the meaning and traditions of this Season may be a brand-new experience. For others, you may not fully realize the meaning behind the beautiful things we do at this time of year.  Here is a mini Advent lesson.  Hopefully, you can find 10 minutes of “quiet time” to review the information and gain the most from this Season.

LESSON ON THE SEASON OF ADVENT

At this time, we are “waiting for the Messiah” and “preparing Him room” in our hearts.

We are to be open to what He wants to change in us in order to for us to become more of who we are intended to be.

 

 

This second link gives you a fairly complete look at the meaning and practices during this season.

https://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/Advent.htm

 

Wishing you and your families a very blessed Advent Season!

 

Peggy

 

Puppet Script: Jesus, the Greatest Gift of All!

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This week, I offer you another Advent-themed script about a grumpy kid frustrated with all the busyness and distraction of the adults during Advent.

Jesus the Greatest Gift of All-Advent

Feel free to change the names, add or subtract from the content, and share my free script in any way that helps you catechize and enjoy the season with your family, your students, or your parish. I recommend it be used as a puppet show for little ones or a skit to be performed by your confident readers!

NOTE: The only thing I ask is that you not sell the scripts. I own the copyrights and I’d like to keep them free for everyone. If you charge for performances, that’s fine. I know your ministries can use all the help they can get!

p.s.

Some of my scripts, you will notice, were inspired (many years ago) by a Christian script writer by the name of Louise Ferry. I believe this is where you can currently find her wonderful work: https://puppetscripts.tripod.com/puppet.htm

Advent Puppet Script

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My Friends!

Today, to mark the beginning of this holy Advent season, I’m sharing a sweet Advent puppet script, which I wrote years ago. It can be performed easily by any adult or teen. In fact, any child who reads well can perform them!

I have dozens of such scripts, some connected with the liturgical year, others with articles of our faith, others with virtues (which I created for our local YMCA nursery school), some created for VBS programs (for free, by request), and so on. I’ll be sharing them here at AmazingCatechists.com, in the coming weeks and months, and may eventually create an ebook, so you can acquire the whole “collection.”

How to perform the show

Simply sit with the script pages laid out on a desk or story rug and gather the children around you, or hand out copies and use it as a skit for older students to act out together in front of the class.

Use a different “voice” for each of the two characters, moving the one that is speaking, to make it clear for the children.

Some of them are wacky and silly, while others are more reverent. Be sensitive to mood, and have fun!

Please read my “Note on Reverence” before using any of my scripts. It’s important, truly.

A note from the author about reverence

And, without further ado, here is The Empty Manger, to start off your Advent season with the children:

The Empty Manger

A little history, if you have a minute more…

Between 2003 and 2008, I wrote dozens of puppet scripts for use in a YMCA nursery-school (virtue) program, then for Catholic and Christian children’s events, library programs, parties, scout troops, and finally my own religious education classroom. I was a volunteer mom teaching elementary-aged kids, but I was also a writer and a former actress, so–along with the Holy Rosary and our parish curriculum–I incorporated singing and creative dramatics, every week.

I almost always capped my lessons with a puppet show (hastily created beforehand), and the children adored them. It was a reward for good behavior, I told the children, but it was also a way to emphasize a point from that day’s lesson, break open a difficult concept, or make a dry subject fun and intriguing. If we had time and the children were clamoring to see it again, I would do an encore performance. Each lasts only a few minutes, and I figured, “Hey, they’re asking for another lesson in their faith. How can I say no?” They wanted to touch and talk with the puppets, so I often held a brief, extremely silly, improvised Q&A with the characters, after the show.

My religious education credo

To ignite their imaginations is extremely important to me, and I sincerely believe that it is a crying shame, if not actually sinful because it’s so dishonest, to make our amazing, transformative Catholic faith a dull and ordinary business. So I gave it my all, each week, begging the Holy Spirit to “light me up” and make the lessons impactful. He never let me down.

A little more about how to use them…

At the end of the day’s teaching, using whatever hand puppets I had at the time, I sat on the story rug, placed the scripts on the floor in front of me, and gathered the eager children around me. I started out using some old, neglected puppets they had at the YMCA, when I volunteered for a summer program with nursery-school-aged children. I also incorporated sock puppets, which were a scream and easy to make (and I am the least crafty person I know). But eventually, I bought an adorable, racially-diverse collection of “kid” puppets that Oriental Trading used to sell cheap. I added some animal puppets my daughter had been given (and never used), and a few oddball ones I borrowed from some enthusiastic neighbor kids (who were not using their’s, either).

A couple of important insights

As I branched out into children’s parties and library programs, I noticed a couple of amazing things:

  • all kids enjoyed the shows–even kids as old as 14 wanted to try them on after the show and make up their own stories,
  • and special needs children who normally could not attend long to a regular lesson were spell-bound by the puppets.

The puppets excited them like nothing else–like animated characters sprung into 3-D before their eyes!

CatholicMom.com…

Then, in 2007 (or thereabouts), I was on a Catholic writers’ email group, and offered to share my scripts for free to anyone who wanted them. Another member, the lovely Lisa Hendey, invited me to share them with the world at her popular site, CatholicMom.com. They had a home there, as a “puppet ministry” until 2019, when the site went through an overhaul and all PDF content was lost. (I just found out about it because someone tracked me down, asking for the scripts, and I made inquiries.)

The upshot is that I’m now sharing them here, so stay tuned!

Next up will be a Christmas show about a disgruntled kid feeling lost in the busyness of the season, who learns a lesson about service and sacrifice. Coming soon!

I pray these little lessons bless you and the children you care about, pray for, and teach. I would love to hear from you about how you use them, and I pray they will inspire you to create and share scripts of your own! I’d be happy to post them, here.

Feel free to write to me: lisa@wonderfullymade139.com

A very sweet and holy Advent to you and yours!

Lisa

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