Six Months ‘till Christmas!
Happy Advent!
This week we celebrated the Solemnity of the birth of St. John the Baptist. As we celebrated, we remembered his words: that he must decrease, as Christ increases. And so fittingly in the liturgical calendar, his birth is marked on the longest day of the year. From now until Christ’s coming nativity, the hours of sunlight will ever-so-gradually decrease, only increasing again when the true Light brings his Light to the World!
While we’re not in the liturgical season of Advent quite yet, now begins our season of preparing this website for your (and our) 2026-27 celebration.
This year the date that marks six months until Christmas has special significance for us. It also marks the birthday of Stephen’s mother, Joan, who has shared our home since Thanksgiving as we have provided care for mid-late stage dementia.
Early in her stay, we celebrated Advent with Joan. Many evenings we gathered for The Joy of Advent readings and carols, and I remembered how, two years earlier, we had carried those same readings and carols into the nursing home to share with my own mother who’d just suffered a life-altering stroke. In both cases, three generations were joined by a simple celebration. Even in Joan’s forgetfulness, and in my mother’s fight for recovery, one thing remained constant: the joy of Christ’s birth.
Advent is a time of preparation, of joyful waiting, reflection, of quiet and stillness. Most of us, amidst the business of December, do experience a moment or two of stillness—watching gently falling snow, gazing at holiday lights, listening to a favorite carol. I believe that is what we crave in midsummer’s endless sunlight. We long for the early dark, the magic of a glowing candle. We long for stillness, togetherness, remembering. We long for the return of the Light.
As I work through each devotional and add sections to our website, I long for stillness. In part because of the busy days of caretaking, meals, kids in and out of the house, but also because it is in stillness that I most clearly hear God’s voice.
We have six months until Christmas. Let’s take a moment. Turn off devices, set aside the paint cans, the golf clubs, the bag full of beach gear. Let’s be still for five minutes, ten, more, and listen for what our Lord might have to say, and let us carry his Light into the world.
Helping You Prepare
I (Rebecca) am a planner. I love lists and planners and organizers. Sometimes I overcomplicate life by over-planning (what’s that maxim? The surest way to make God laugh is to tell Him your plans? I must make God laugh a lot!), but I’ve found that even a partially completed plan accomplishes more than no plan at all. So it will be no surprise that the Joy of Advent site has several posts with tips on holiday planning, including a downloadable Advent and Christmas Planning Workbook. We also have a full blog series in the works, which is currently being written by one of our contributing authors. Look for that soon, and you can check out the current posts below.
We structured our book, The Joy of Advent, around the Jesse Tree. With 25 symbols, and another 12 for the Twelve Days of Christmas, how do you display them beautifully, memorably, and meaningfully? Read on for inspiration and for a printable list of all the Jesse Tree figures!
Have you ever wanted your Christmas to be MORE? More meaningful, more simple, more engaging for the varied ages of your kids? Use Joy of Advent to enrich your Advent and Christmas season! Plus find out about our new printable Jesse Tree Ornaments!
Walk through Lent with Joy with this printable Lent calendar for kids and adults.
Those of you who are familiar with Lent and what it’s all about will understand why the title: Walk Through Lent with Joy, is surprising.
Lent is a time of penance and repentance, of fasting, of giving up joy … isn’t it?
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
—James 1:2-3
As a highly sensitive person, I feel the joy and the overwhelm of the Christmas season intensely. My children do too. Between endless shopping, Santa visits, and light displays, it seems like there are so many great opportunities to prepare for Christmas. But with so many wonderful options, it can be hard to figure out what to say no to.
Are you ready to experience Advent as you never have before? If so, subscribe here. Or freely explore our website.
We’re also always updating our Christmas Shop. We offer signed book packages and printable downloads. The downloads have been designed to accompany our book and the Joy of Advent daily celebration on the website. Our hope is to help you simplify your Advent preparation!
In the gift package, you will receive a gift-ready signed copy of The Joy of Advent with a ribbon marker AND a signed copy of One Star, Three Kings, an exclusive Joy of Advent ornament (color and design will vary), and other special gifts! Personalization is available.
Purchase of a signed copy of The Joy of Advent (no ribbon marker) and One Star, Three Kings is also available.
In the gift package, you or a loved one will receive a gift-ready signed copy of One Star, Three Kings: The Journey of Epiphany.
Personalize the signature to a loved one for no extra fee!
In the gift package, you or a loved one will receive a gift-ready signed copy of The Joy of Advent with a ribbon marker, an exclusive Joy of Advent ornament (color and design will vary), and other special gifts! Personalization is available.
Purchase of a signed copy of The Joy of Advent (no ribbon marker) is also available.
Enhance your celebration of Christmas and Epiphany with this combined download of the Magi’s Journey Packet and Educator’s Guide. These resources accompany the book, One Star, Three Kings (the Magi’s Journey Packet is free to those who have purchased the book here).
How can these resources help you celebrate Christmas and Epiphany?
The Educator’s Guide includes lesson plans for five sessions of educational activities using resources in the Journey Packet and other, online resources. Celebrate Epiphany with focussed, hands-on activities, sing and study the song, We Three Kings of Orient Are, and dive into topics of Epiphany like:
Who were the magi?
Where did they come from and what prophecies foretold their journey?
What star guided them?
Why were their gifts meaningful?
How is Epiphany celebrated today?
Included in the Journey Packet are printable cut-outs to decorate and use to retell the story, a printable journal with a drawing or writing prompt for each day, and activity pages for all age levels from toddler to middle school.
Educator’s Guide: five days of lesson plans, song printable, resource sheet.
Magi’s Journey Packet: Cutout crafts for all three magi, angel, Holy Family, Mary, backdrop of Bethlehem, two star craft options, treasure box activity, treasure fillers, four crown options, five activity page options (maze, matching, coloring and more), Magi’s Travel Journal drawing or writing pages with prompts, answer key.
Don’t forget to add the book, One Star, Three Kings, to your holiday planning!
Find full instructions to create a stunning display of O Antiphon Luminaries. Print the stylized text in the included PDF, decoupage on a collection of glass jars or a large vase, decorate, and celebrate the O Antiphon prayers in the days leading up to Christmas. For best results, print in color with waterproof ink.
The season of Christmastide ends in most Western liturgical traditions with the start of Epiphany on January 6. Epiphany is a celebration of Christ’s revelation to the Gentiles with the visit of the Magi, and his baptism and first miracle. 12th Night, the night before Epiphany, has traditionally been a night of revelry, feasting, and good-natured pranks. Share the holiday by hosting a party, and include a White Elephant Gift Exchange!
You’ll find two styles of invitation to print and send or share digitally as well as simple instructions for hosting your event. Find a full guide to celebrating Epiphany here!
This printable will provide you with a quick, easy way to track the progression of your Advent and Christmas seasons. Print double sided, laminate (optional), and cut out. Punch holes using a small paper punch, and hang with hooks or ribbon. Store in a treasure box made from upcycled Christmas cards! Each ornament, once cut out, is about 1.5 x 1.75."
Host an evening of caroling with this Carols by Candlelight* printable booklet. Print as a booklet via your printer’s settings, or print double sided and staple. Enjoy the following Christmas favorites, and find sing-along videos in our resource library!
Carols included are:
O Come O Come Emmanuel
The First Nöel
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Silent Night
Away in a Manger
Joy to the World
O Come, All Ye Faithful
*This resource is included in the Full Printable Pack, free for everyone who purchases our book!
Revised and updated! Everything you need to create your most meaningful Advent and Christmas season ever. These pages will guide you through brainstorming, setting intentions, and planning step-by-step. Focus pages for project planning, weekly planning sheets, lists, and more!
Deliver a hand-written letter from St. Nicholas to each child on St. Nicholas day for a memorable and meaningful keepsake! This download includes full instructions, sample text, two letter template options, and a double-sided postcard option. Inspire joy and celebration for the whole family with this sweet St. Nicholas Day tradition!
Find out more about how to celebrate St. Nicholas Day here!
This resource is part of our Fully Printable Pack for everyone who buys our book.
Celebrate the Jesse Tree with these stunning ornaments featuring classic stained glass windows. They accompany the Joy of Advent daily readings, carrying you through Advent and the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Print double-sided to enjoy an excerpt from the day’s Scripture passage. Feast days are also listed on the reverse side.
Illustrated Jesse Tree Ornaments Printable: Print these double-sided ornaments for a meaningful educational tool to use year after year. The front has a fun, kid-friendly illustration of the daily Jesse Tree symbol while the back has the Scripture reference and a brief devotional. Make the Jesse Tree part of your Advent celebration with this tool!
The ornaments cover all 25 days from December first to Christmas day and the 12 Days of Christmas (which begin on Christmas day)!
Print and display in a classroom or at home to share the meanings of the five candles in a traditional Advent wreath. Why is one candle pink? When do you light each candle? Poster prints 8.5 x 11. Learn more about how to use an Advent wreath to enhance your celebration here!
Count Up to Christmas Advent Calendar: Decorate a Jesse Tree using our printable stickers (listed separately) or count your way through the 12 Days of Christmas with these holiday printables.
Stained Glass Jesse Tree Ornament Sticker Printable: These stunning graphics are designed to print on Avery Templates 4227, 22205, 22807, 22817, 22825, 22921, 22923, 22923, 22933, 22961, 41464, 41494, 80510, 92111, 92807, Presta™ 94501 (2”) or 94505 (1.25”), but can be cut out easily with appropriately sized paper punches. Each image shows a character from the Jesse Tree and accompany the Joy of Advent Daily Readings. Along with the Jesse Tree character, you will also find the Scripture reference and title.
Use the small stickers to accompany our Advent Calendar, or use either size to craft your own Jesse Tree ornaments!
Illustrated Jesse Tree Ornament Sticker Printable in 2" and 1.25" Round: Download and print these on Avery Stickers, Template 4227, 22205, 22807, 22817, 22825, 22921, 22923, 22923, 22933, 22961, 41464, 41494, 80510, 92111, 92807, Presta™ 94501 (2”) or 94505 (1.25”), or on any paper of your choice. Use to make Jesse Tree ornaments and crafts, mark the days on our Advent Calendar, or for anything your creative soul desires!
Each icon has been created to accompany our Joy of Advent Daily Readings. These pair perfectly with the Family Celebration each day during Advent.
Personalize your DIY decorations with holiday-designed paper chains. Cut, join in links, and add to your tree, mantle, door frame, or bulletin board. For smaller chains, print two pages to a sheet, or print double sided for a cohesive look.
Count down (or up) to Christmas with this DIY paper chain! Each link has a different Christmas-themed pattern to compliment any decor.
Print, assemble, and as you come a day nearer to Christmas, remove a link. Or, print and build your chain one link at a time. Also included are extra blank links and links for the 12 Days of Christmas!!
A perfect holiday craft for all ages! The instructions will guide you through up cycling holiday cards into gift boxes. If you don't have cards on hand, use the included designs to make coordinated, stylish boxes, or use a blank template to design your own!
You will find:
Printable instruction sheet
Design-your-own box template
Chevron and swirls template
Gingerbread and Christmas stars template
Textured teal ornaments template
Gray and pink Christmas trees template
Moravian star template
Classical religious art template
40 Day Lent Countdown Calendar From Ash Wednesday to Easter.
Did you know Lent *actually* has 46 days? Sundays aren’t included in the 40 days of fasting and prayer (because Sundays always celebrate the resurrection!). This Lent calendar is accurate!
Two versions of the Road Through Lent are included:
Version 1: Path beginning with Ash Wednesday has one stepping stone to color each day. Days are numbered, Sundays in Lent and Holy Week are labeled, and Fridays are marked with a small fish symbol. Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter have additional decorations. Perfect for children to track the passage of days through Lent!
Version 2: Uses the same base as Version 1 but also includes an Activity Tracker! Each day’s stepping stone has small icons to mark off or color as reminders for daily: Bible Reading, Prayer, Journaling/Reflection, and Acts of Service. Great to enhance personal devotions for upper elementary, teens, or adults.
Will You Help Us?
First…
We ask you to join us in prayer. Please add us to your prayer list, as well as our wonderful contributors.
Second…
We ask that you share our website and our books! If you’ve read the book Stephen and I wrote together, The Joy of Advent, or the my Epiphany book, One Star, Three Kings, please review them on Amazon. These reviews have a huge impact on how the algorithms showcase the books to buyers.
Finally…
As we continue to create resources to encourage families to move closer to Christ, we welcome your contributions, which go directly to the costs of running a website without pop-ups or paid promotional posts!
Resources
If you’re looking for summer activities, consider making Jesse Tree ornaments to accompany your readings! Find tutorials and ideas from simple to advanced at our Jesse Tree Ornaments Pinterest board. Find more resources below:
Most believe the O Antiphons were first used in the 500s (that’s more than 1,500 years ago!). The hymn, first written in Latin, was in use as early as 800 AD. If you take the first letter of each name for Christ (in the original Latin), starting with Emmanuel, they spell ERO CRAS, which means, “Tomorrow, I will be there.” Bring the O Antiphons to life with DIY luminaries!
The 12 Days of Christmas, which begin on Christmas Day, end on 12th Night, the eve of Epiphany. Epiphany is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. The celebration principally commemorates the visit of the Magi to Baby Jesus, which is Jesus' physical manifestation to the Gentiles. Use this guide to discover Epiphany and to celebrate with a 12th Night Party complete with a menu and White Elephant Gift Exchange!
Find the meaning behind the Advent wreath including traditional colors and symbolism. Also included find readings and music for each Sunday of Advent in this Family Liturgy for Sundays in Advent. Use this guide with your Advent Wreath to create a celebration rich with meaning and memories!
I’m going to share with you the plan I use to simplify and “meaningfulify” (that’s a real word, as of right now) your holiday. Our holidays don’t need to be complicated, full of stress, or non-stop activity to be meaningful. They simply need to be intentional. The free PDF you’ll find at the end of this post will help you work through these steps. So let’s get planning!
We structured our book, The Joy of Advent, around the Jesse Tree. With 25 symbols, and another 12 for the Twelve Days of Christmas, how do you display them beautifully, memorably, and meaningfully? Read on for inspiration and for a printable list of all the Jesse Tree figures!
We created six delightful holiday themes that would make the perfect gift to accompany a copy of our book, The Joy of Advent! We have a playdough option for every member of the family. Rose of Sharon for our pink-loving daughter, green Christmas Tree for our very literal “color must match the thing being made” son, Vanilla cookie because … COOKIES! Read on for some tips for your playdough preparation!
Bring the family together for an event of celebration and song by hosting a Carols by Candlelight event. Invite friends and extended family, or round up the household. Print the Carols by Candlelight Booklet (easy booklet printing instructions in the file), bind with staples or ribbon, or write down the titles of your favorite carols.
St. Nicholas Day, observed on December 6th, celebrates the life of Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian saint known for his acts of generosity. St. Nicholas Day is celebrated worldwide, but is most popular in Western Europe. Many of our beloved traditions originated in Germany and surrounding countries. Read on to discover recipes, activities and more.
I’ve had roast lamb with all the trimmings at the Harris home in England several times and each meal was an absolute treat. After eating Andy’s fresh mint sauce as an accompaniment to his roast lamb, I’ve found none better. Lillie, Andy’s wife, was a marvel with onion gravy. And I’ve become a big fan of roasted veg since dining at their table. Andy has kindly agreed to share his recipes with me and all of you.
Walter Troyan, a teenage sailor aboard the USS Denver in December, 1944, thanked God he and his fellow sailors had come out alive after enduring 140 mph winds from Typhoon Cobra. His heart lightened, however, when his ship returned to Manus Island in New Guinea for replenishments, including a Christmas Day celebration. Sitting down at his table with a tray full of food, he asked his buddies, “Did you fellows see our Christmas tree?”
Joy of Advent
We want you to have the most magical and most meaningful Advent Season you possibly can.
I’m going to share with you the plan I use to simplify and “meaningfulify” (that’s a real word, as of right now) your holiday. Our holidays don’t need to be complicated, full of stress, or non-stop activity to be meaningful. They simply need to be intentional. The free PDF you’ll find at the end of this post will help you work through these steps. So let’s get planning!