Homegrown Catholics: November 2021

ADVENT & CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES FOR CATHOLIC FAMILIES

Last year's advent activity list was such a joy! I hope it helped you get a jumpstart to the season. I've updated the list for 2021 with a few changes, add ins, book recommendations, and photos. Here's a compilation of what we hope to do this Advent and Christmas 2021.

I listed every idea we've ever heard of, so don't feel like you have to do it all. You can highlight your favorites and come back to the list next year for the rest. There are a few activities you'll have to prepare or purchase supplies for, so be sure to review them before tucking them into your calendar system. There are so many ways to display these and ideas for winter fun, I'd love for you to comment what are your traditions.

* A list of Advent & Christmas book and gift recommendations for families is at the bottom of the post.

Traditional Advent Activities to Consider

Advent Calendar - Countdown {Pocket Calendar Link} {Nativity Box Calendar}

Jesse Tree

Jesse Tree Cards from Catholic Family Crate

Jesse Tea Party Ideas

Nativity Scene (move pieces in parts, see Sundays)

Straw for the Manger

Advent Candles

O Antiphons

Advent Journal or Devotional

Shepherd on the Search

Mary on the Mantle

Natalie the Nativity Angel

Advent Activity Paper Chain

12 Days of Christmas

2021 Advent Calendar

The following ideas can be printed and cut into strips to tuck into your Advent Calendar system. You could also glue into a paper ring garland to tear off each day. Otherwise, use as inspiration for activities during Advent.

Advent Prep Work

Create an Advent Music Playlist {Spotify Playlist comes with your Catholic Family Crate}

Setup Nativity Stable, or at least a Manger, with Container of Real or Paper Straw (Add a piece to manger with every good deed)

Setup Jesse Tree (any kind if display will work) and begin daily scripture readings on Day 1

Tuck all these ideas into your Advent Calendar drawers or pockets!

Sun Nov 28

Light 1^st (violet) Candle: Hope.

Add the Angel to your Nativity Scene to represent The Annunciation. Set the Magi (Wise Men) far off to begin their journey of Hope. You can move them closer each week.

Go to Mass, or if unable, watch online and make a Spiritual Communion.

Jesse Tree: World

Make a paper plate angel or other angel craft

Pray to your Guardian Angel and St. Gabriel

Hanukkah: Jewish Festival of Lights (Nov 28-Dec 6), read about this tradition and light your Christmas Tree!

*We bought Roll Your Own Advent Candles, and it was so much fun!

M Nov 29

Jesse Tree: Apple

Begin creating Christmas Cards, consider handwritten letters. Pray for these families.

Young children can color Christmas pictures to send.

Apples and Peanut Butter Snack

T Nov 30 St. Andrew (Patron Fishermen, Singers, Sore Throats and more)

Begin St. Andrew Novena* aka Christmas Anticipation Prayer

*St. Andrew Christmas Novena: It is piously believed that whoever recites the St. Andrew Christmas novena prayer 15 times each day from the feast of St. Andrew (November 30th) until Christmas Eve will obtain the favor requested. You could make a Prayer card with 15 counting beads.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen

Find this prayer in the Catholic Children's Prayer Book in my Etsy shop digital files. {link to file}

Jesse Tree: Ark

Snack: Seasoned Goldfish Crackers

Practice Christmas Carols

Noah's Ark Puzzle or toy set playtime

Plan an Ice Fishing Day

W Dec 1

Jesse Tree: Rainbow

Begin 25 day Countdown

Create Paper Snowflakes and tape to windows!

Winter STEM Project (such as Crystal Snowflakes)

Talk about being unique, like a snowflake.

Th Dec 2

Jesse Tree: Tent

Build a Christmas Lights & Blanket Fort

Holiday Dice Game: Roll-a-Snowman, Roll-a-Holiday Story

Create Your Own Holiday Song Mad-Lib or Joke

F Dec 3 St. Francis Xavier (Patron of Missionaries)

1^st Fri Mass - Sacred Heart of Jesus

Jesse Tree: Ram (Abraham and Isaac)

Discuss obedience and trust that God provides

Renew your consecration to the SHJ

Observe a day of Fasting and Abstinence for Souls

Donate to a Mission Fund, or Adopt a Family in need for Christmas.

Give a goat to a family in need. https://gifts.crs.org/support-food-and-farming/give-goat

Donate items to a shoebox missionary organization or church mission project.

Talk about your family’s mission for 2022.

Watch CCC of Americas St Francis Xavier movie

Sat Dec 4

1^st Sat Mass - Immaculate Heart of Mary

Jesse Tree: Jacobs Ladder

Renew your consecration to IHM

Make a Snow or Wood Grotto for your garden’s Mary Statue

Gather the family to work on a puzzle

Sun Dec 5

Light 2^nd (violet) Candle: Peace.

Add Drummer Boy, Trees, Manger, Misc to Nativity Set to prepare a place for the Christ Child. Don't forget to add straw to the empty manger for every good deed, suffering or sacrifice you offer.

Jesse Tree: Joseph's Colorful Robe

Attend Mass

Snuggle up in your Robe and pjs with a good book

SAINT NICHOLAS IDEAS

Our family leaves a letter in our stockings, asking St Nicholas to pray for us and the desires of our heart. He collects the letters and leaves a treat. Then on Christmas eve he may bring something from our list for under the tree.

Put out your shoes/slippers/stockings for St Nicholas in the evening on Dec 5th. (If he fills your stockings inside, leave a *special key* for him on the front door wreath.)

Leave a letter for Saint Nicholas with your prayer intentions, needs and wants.

>> HGC: St. Nicholas Day Ideas and Printable << click link

Traditional Gift: Coins, Oranges, Chocolates and Candy Canes. Some families give gifts of new shoes, slippers or books. Maybe gift a Catholic Family Crate {Referral Link}. A good time to include a Living with Christ Sunday Missal For Young Catholics: 2020-2021 for the new liturgical year.

Because we lost a child who's stocking still hangs from the mantle, St Nicholas will leave a little something in his stocking from their brother for the children to share. Usually an activity, game or movie.

M Dec 6 St. Nicholas Day

Jesse Tree: Moses Basket

Check your shoes/stockings. Celebrate with Chocolate & Oranges!

Have friends over for a cookie exchange or gingerbread house building

Watch Veggies Tales' story of Saint Nicholas

Watch CCC of America's Saint Nicholas movie

Donate to a food shelf or homeless shelter.

T Dec 7 St. Ambrose (Patron of Beekeepers, Beggars, Learning…)

Jesse Tree: Flaming Bush

Snack: Honey Graham Crackers w cream cheese, berries and honey

Make Homemade Lozenges: Honey Ginger Throat Drops

Designate someone as the Gingerbread Man and try to catch him!

Have a family campfire or fireplace time

Compete to build the strongest, highest Gumdrop and Toothpick Tower

W Dec 8 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the BVM (Mass)

Jesse Tree: Drum

Give time or gift to a New Mother/Baby, or a Women’s Pregnancy Center

Sing an Advent or Christmas song

Make Homemade Play Dough, with scents of the season oils or spices. Use cookie cutters.

We enjoyed these printable Holiday Playdough Mats we found online.

Th Dec 9 St. Juan Diego

Jesse Tree: 10 Commandment tablets

10 Commandment game, put in order

Make plans for an Advent Confession

Watch CCC of America's movie about Juan Diego

Make a Paper Bag Tilma

Read The Legend of the Pointsetta by Tommie DePaola

Draw or paint Pointsettas

Send Flowers (or card) to Someone who may be Lonely

Video Chat and Read a Story to a Nursing Home Community or Family Member

F Dec 10

Jesse Tree: Horn

Watch Narnia The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe

Drive to see Christmas Lights (bring blankets, hot cocoa and popcorn)

Watch a Classic Christmas Movie

S Dec 11

Jesse Tree: Wheat

Bake a homemade loaf of bread

Candy Cane Bomb a parking lot (hook on car doors)

Make Paper Chain decorations or Popcorn Garland

Paint a Winter or Nativity Scene on your Window (mix tempura paint and dish soap evenly). I've also seen great tissue paper window collages.

Sun Dec 12 Our Lady of Guadalupe (Patron of Americas, Mother of Mercy & Love)

Go to Mass: Gaudete Sunday (wear pink)

Light 3^rd (pink) Candle: Joy.

Add Shepherd, Sheep and Animals to your Nativity Set.

Jesse Tree: Shepherd Hook

Create cotton ball or pom-pom sheep for your Nativity set.

Snack: Shepherd Hooks (candy canes) and Cocoa

MakeTissue Paper Roses

Create an OL Guadelupe Sun Catcher (<as detailed in link).

M Dec 13 Feast of St Lucy

Jesse Tree: Sling Shot

Make a slingshot or have a nerfgun battle

Paint a St. Lucy Peg Doll

Oldest daughter (child) gets up early to make breakfast for everyone. Traditionally bake Saffron Buns or Cinnamon Roll Wreath and add candles.

Read a book about St Lucy/Lucia and Sweedish traditions on this day.

T Dec 14 St. John of the Cross

Jesse Tree: Scales

Read about St. John of the Cross

Make Cinnamon Ornaments for tree, cut in cross shape.

Send Greeting Card to a Priest to thank and encourage.

W Dec 15

Jesse Tree: Temple

Build a Magnatile Temple or Church

Visit a Living Nativity

Who is missing? Setup a toy nativity, remove a piece and let others guess who is missing

Build a Lego Holiday Village

Help someone in your “village,” such as shovel a driveway or take over a chore.

Th Dec 16

Jesse Tree: Crown

Create Homemade Gifts

Make Ornaments: Wood Burned, Shrinky Dink, Origami, Bird Treats, and so many ideas online!

Read the Legend of "The Spider who Saved Christmas" by Raymond Arroyo, and create a spider ornament and add gold tinsel to your tree.

Make “I Spy” Nativity Ornament or Jar.

F Dec 17

Jesse Tree: Root of Jesse/Stump

O Antiphons begin today

Decorate Bedroom Doors

Draw up your Family Tree

Design a Family Crest

Family Game Night

Sleep Under the Christmas Tree

Sat Dec 18

Jesse Tree: Sheep

Learn how to Crochet/Knit

Cookie Baking Day!

Practice Your Christmas Carols

Build a Gingerbread House out of cardboard, cookies or graham crackers

Sun Dec 19

Light 4^th (violet) Candle: Love. Add Mary & Joseph to the Nativity Set.

Attend Mass

Jesse Tree: Lion

Watch Narnia Prince Caspian

Read an Advent Devotional Aloud

Design Bookmarks to hide in Library Books.

*Great Book List at the end of this post

M Dec 20

Jesse Tree: Whale

Watch Veggies Tales Jonah

Tomorrow is the 1^st day of Winter: Go for a Winter Walk Outside

Build a Snowman, Snow Fort, Snow Painting…

Indoor fun: Pin the Carrot on the Snowman; Fling Marshmallows with a Spoon Trebuchet

Make Snow Slime, Snow Dough, or blend up some ice for sensory fun

T Dec 21 St. Peter Canisius (Known for Adding to the Hail Mary, Advocating for Adoration, and Writing a Catechism)

Jesse Tree: Flower

Read Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)#522-526 [longer #422-534]

Spend time in Adoration... with the children

Pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, each Hail Mary is a rose for Our Lady

W Dec 22

Jesse Tree: Carpenter's Tools

Make a wood gift for someone

Go Christmas Caroling door to door, video chat, or sing with your family.

Christmas Movie Marathon

Donate Movies to a Hospital

Tape a Popcorn Bag to a DVD rental box, or add a $1 bill in a return.

Th Dec 23

Jesse Tree: Dove

Decorate your Tree

Create a Christmas Music Play List and have a Dance Party!

Snuggle up with Cocoa/Tea/Nog by the fire or tree and Read Aloud

Make Birthday Cards for Jesus and leave them under the tree

F Dec 24 Christmas Eve

Light 5^th (white) Candle: Christ Light.

Jesse Tree: Baptism Shell

Attend the Vigil Mass

Don't forget the Family Photo!

Read the Christmas Story from the Bible

Have a family Nativity Play (record to share with family)

Oh the Anticipation! Clingwrap and Tissue Paper Prize Ball (everyone gets 10 seconds to open with mittens)

Sat Dec 25 Christmas Day

Jesse Tree: Donkey

Have a family procession, carrying in Baby Jesus for the Nativity Set.

Celebrate with a Birthday Party for Jesus! Cake anyone?

Sing Carols Together, visit or call up someone who couldn't leave home and sing to them

Focus on time with your family as a priority over all the chaos of the day.

Give donkey rides to younger children

Begin 12 Days of Christmas Celebrations and Traditions

- Light 12 Christmas Candles, adding one each day to your dining table or window sill.

- Some families wait until Christmas Eve to light their tree

- Hide your Wise Men (3 Kings), and/or a paper star, in a different spot each day to find

- Donate toys you no longer play with to make room for any new gifts.

- Spread the Good News:

*Send Your Christmas Cards

*Leave a Letter and Treat for your Mail Carrier

*Call a friend and family member you didn’t see during the holidays.

Sun Dec 26 The Holy Family

Go to Mass, or watch online and make a Spiritual Communion.

Have some down time focusing on family.

Build a Snowman for a loved one who passed away.

Tue Dec 28 The Holy Innocents

Pray for an end to abortion and a special grace for expectant mothers to chose life.

Make Homemade Playdough

Sat Jan 1 New Year's Day - Solemnity of Mary

Attend First Saturday Mass for Mary

Pick a Saint to pray with throughout 2021

Create a Family Mission Statement for 2021

May your resolutions be Spiritual first!

Jan 6/9 (Thu/Sun) Feast of the Epiphany

Add Wise Men to your Nativity Set.

Bake a Kings Cake with plastic baby hidden inside.

Hide your Wise Men (3 Kings), and/or a paper star, in a different spot each day to find

Epiphany Chalk Blessing on your door 20+C+M+B+21 (search prayer online)

Play a 3 Kings Race dice game

Have a race with family or friends to find a doll or star

Make a tissue paper Origami star

Feb 2 Candlemas

Presentation of the Lord Jesus and the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Learn about candlemaking

Candlelight dinner

Ideas from Catholic All Year

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS & BLESSED NEW YEAR!

BOOKS I RECOMMEND FOR YOUR ADVENT READING

{Referral (affiliated) links for each book are to support my time spent sharing these activities and keeping them free. Using the Amazon link doesn't cost you any more, but helps me. Thank you for your support.}