How to Pick an Advent Calendar for Children
Select the Best Product to Use to Count Down to Christmas Day
Nov 15, 2008
In December, families use Advent calendars to count down the days until Christmas arrives. To pick the perfect Advent calendar for a family, parents must first consider why they are getting an Advent calendar and how they will be using it.
Why Get an Advent Calendar?
Households both secular and religious pick up Advent calendars often without thinking about their meaning. A family looking for an Advent calendar must ask themselves if they plan to use the Advent calendar just to keep track of the days until Christmas, or if they plan to use the Advent season as a time to take a spiritual journey of penance to prepare themselves day by day for the arrival of Jesus on Christmas Day.
Families planning to pray and learn together may prefer to purchase nativity and religious Advent calendars. Secular households that just plan to keep track of how many days are left until Christmas may prefer Santa, holiday, and winter-themed Advent calendars; those associated with brand-name toys such as LEGO or Playmobil; or those that are visually appealing and match the family's holiday decorations.
How Can an Advent Calendar be Used?
There are two main types of Advent calendars: those that only count down the days and probably consist of a holiday or religious-themed picture printed on glitter paper with numbered perforated doors that open to reveal other smaller images, and those with compartments that contain a treat, prize, note, or other item for each day.
Children can create fun holiday memories and build up excitement for Christmas day by collecting treats each day from an Advent calendar. That said, some religious families believe that receiving treats each day undermines the purpose of the Advent season: doing penance and practicing waiting for the birth of Christ. Parents concerned about good nutrition may also not want their children eating chocolate every day. Such families can use simple paper calendars or stuff calendar compartments with religious-themed treats or suggestions for religious-themed activities and deeds. There are many ideas for how to fill an Advent calendar
A secondary issue families should consider is whether they want to throw away their Advent calendar once Christmas is over and get a new one each year, or whether they would rather invest in a quality family heirloom Advent calendar that can be refilled with different items over and over and will become part of the family's Christmas celebration and decorations for years to come.
What are Some Kinds of Advent Calendars?
- paper Advent calendar
- traditional or fair trade chocolate Advent calendar
- three-dimensional pop-up paper Advent calendar
- soft sculpture fabric Advent calendar with cloth pockets for each day
- three-dimensional wooden house Advent calendar with drawers for each day
- wooden and magnetic Advent calendar with a magnetic scene in the middle to which magnet figures from wooden drawers can be stuck
- Waldorf Advent spiral with 24 holes into which 24 candles can be placed or across which one candle can travel from day to day
- clothesline Advent calendar hung with mittens, stockings, hats, or other knit item for each day
- recommendations for quality kid-friendly Advent calendars
Advent Calendars Bring a Whole Family Together
No matter how fancy or plain an Advent calendar a family uses, the minutes spent each day opening that day's door, compartment, or pocket should be set aside as a time for the whole family to gather together for a moment of peaceful fun during the often hectic holiday season. Families can pray, sing carols or hymns, or (if the Advent calendar is filled with suggestions for activities or crafts) spend time making something together. Children can practice interpersonal skills by taking turns opening doors and sharing the contents. One of the greatest treasures an Advent calendar can give a family is 24 holiday memories of special time spent with each other.
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