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What do Barbie, Peppa Pig and Thor have in common? They all have their own Advent Calendars.
Should this make us groan, or maybe have a rant about the commercialisation of Christmas? I don’t think so.
I used to work in over 20 local schools, ranging from Christian schools to the totally secular. But whatever their view on Christian beliefs, they had one thing in common. During December, the children got more and more excited as they looked forward to Christmas. By the last week of term, each school would feel like it was fizzing with anticipation.
Most of these children came from non-Christian homes. Increasingly, I found they didn’t know even the simplest basics of the Christmas story. But they didn’t need to be told that December was the time to get excited about Christmas—they did it naturally.
And that’s what Advent is all about. It’s about waiting for, and getting excited about, the coming of Christ. It’s a wonderful time to remember his coming as the baby in a manger, as well as looking ahead to his return as our glorious King.
Advent Calendars can be one way to help us do that, whether they are “right” or “wrong”…
If you are buying a calendar for your own family, or giving one as a present, have a think about what you want children to get excited about this year.
If they are very young, or don’t know the real Christmas story well, then find something that will go over the basics for them. An example would be The Christmas Promise Advent Calendar. This has a simple retelling of the Christmas story on the back of it, and a full-colour sticker for a child to add to the picture each day. It would also make a great dual gift alongside the matching storybook.
If a child is older, or already has good Bible knowledge, then use a calendar to stretch their understanding of how God kept his promise to send the Rescuing King. One great way to do this is by making a Jesse Tree, which traces Jesus’ family tree through all the Old Testament promises and then shows how these were fulfilled in the coming of Christ. You can find Jesse Tree suggestions online. Or an easy way to do this is with The Littlest Watchman Advent Calendar. This calendar comes with a booklet of family devotions that trace the way God kept his promises through Old and New Testament. And the doors on the calendar are designed to tear off to create your own Jesse Tree. And if you want to pick up on the excitement of waiting for Christmas, The Little Watchman storybook is an imaginative way of helping children understand what it was like to wait for God’s promised King.
Choosing a good calendar that unpacks the real Bible story can be a great way to help children get even more excited about the coming of Jesus. But what if a well-meaning family member or friend also gives you the Peppa Pig calendar this year? I think that’s fine. Let it add to the fun and build the excitement. Just use it alongside one that celebrates the real meaning of Christmas, and help your child to remember that while there are lots of things about Christmas that are fun and exciting, the most exciting thing of all is remembering the coming of the Lord Jesus.
And if the Christian calendar you choose doesn’t include chocolate, that’s fine too. Why not simply keep a tin of chocolates next to the calendar, and allow your child to choose one each day. It can add to the fun without taking anything away from our celebration of Christ—and you’ll probably get nicer chocolate too!
Alison Mitchell is a senior editor at The Good Book Company, where she has worked on a range of products including Bible-reading notes for children and families, and the Christianity Explored range of resources. She is the best-selling author of The Christmas Promise and the award-winning Jesus and the Lions' Den.
