Advent Activities and Blessings for The Home

Advent Activities and Blessings for The Home

Advent Wreath
A member of the family lights one or more candles depending on the Sunday in Advent being observed. (On First Sunday, Leader asks God's blessing on the Wreath)
Advent Wreath blessing
O God, by your word all things are made holy. We offer to you this Advent Wreath, which we ask you to bless. Help us to use it to prepare our hearts for the great coming of your Son, and help us to receive him into our hearts with Joy. Amen.
Each Day
Leader: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
All: Thanks he to God.
Leader: Rejoice: The Lord is at hand.
All: Come, Lord Jesus!
Leader: (Reads Bible passage suggested for the day)
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son; and to the Holy Spirit as in the beginning, so now, and forever. Amen.
Leader: The peace of the Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Leader: Let us pray. (The prayer for the week is said in unison. Additional prayers may be said for the Church, the family, those in trouble, etc.)
All: Lord's Prayer
Leader: The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us. Amen.
Family member extinguishes candles

Prayers for the weeks in Advent
First week in Advent
Almighty God, be in our midst to cast away all works of darkness, which separate us from you. In your great mercy, forgive all the things we have done that we should not have done; and all things we failed to do that we should have done; and teach us to live as children of God. This we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Second week in Advent
Our Father, pour your love into our hearts so that we may love more fully all those whom you love. Help us to be understanding of the needs of others, as you were understanding of (lie needs of all men and sent your Son Jesus Christ to redeem us. This we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Third week in Advent
Oh God, who sent prophets to prepare the way for the coming of your Son: help us to hear their warning and their message of great joy which was given for all people; so that at the Birthday of your Son, our Redeemer, we may receive Him more joyfully into our hearts. This we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Fourth week in Advent
Blessed God, we await the coming of your Son our Savior. In this last week of our waiting, bring us to greater love of our family by learning to give to one another greater respect and honor; that our homes may be happy, joyful places into which thy Son, Jesus Christ may come. Amen.
Advent Wreath blessing
O God, by your word all things are made holy. We offer to you this Advent Wreath, which we ask you to bless. Help us to use it to prepare our hearts for the great coming of your Son , and help us to receive him into our hearts with Joy. Amen.
Other Advent Activities and Blessings
Advent Calendars
Christian Advent calendars help us prepare for Christmas.
The Christmas Manger
A family advent project can be building a Christmas Manger scene. Some materials that may be used are pictures glued on plywood and cut out, cookie, soap or plaster-of-paris nativity figures, or a felt board nativity scene. We can encourage our children’s efforts by placing their work where it can be admired.
The Empty Manger
During Advent, a wooden manger is placed beside each child's bed or one for household. At bedtime, children receive a piece of straw for
each kind deed they did in Jesus’ honor. On Christmas morning the children find they have prepared a place for the infant Jesus.
Hearts for Jesus
Large hearts are cut out of construction paper and children receive small star stickers for each good deed done for Jesus. On Christmas Eve the children wrap the hearts for Jesus and place them under the manger scene at mass to give Jesus the gift of their hearts.
Stir up Sunday
A British tradition of stirring up a batch of Christmas cake (fruit cake or plum pudding) filled with good things because Christ will bring good things of heaven to us.  The cake is prepared ahead of time and each person takes a turn stirring the batter as the following prayer of the church is read:
“Stir up thy might, we beg Thee, Oh Lord, and come so that we may
escape through thy protection and be saved by thy help from the dangers that threaten us because of our sins. Who lives and reigns forever and ever”, Amen. The cake is baked and saved until Christmas.

Advent Family Prayer
Come, Lord Jesus! Open our minds
and hearts and souls
as we wait for You to be born
anew in our lives
and in our family. Help us to
experience Your love in our family today.
As we prepare for the coming
of your Son, O God,
we give you thanks for the
love of Your Son, Jesus,
which we have welcomed
into our home today.
We give You thanks
for this food and drink,
signs of your gracious love.
May this meal strengthen us
to share Your gifts with
the hungry and all who look for
Your justice and mercy.
Grant this through Christ