W.T. Ellis said, “It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” 

As parents, we plan for it. Churches celebrate it. Stores promote it. Kids and teens long for it all year: December 25, Christmas Day — the most anticipated day of the year! 

But how do we get Christmas in our hearts? 

Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas, is an opportunity for families to come together and participate in meaningful traditions. These traditions can create a spirit of anticipation, hope, and joy — providing the perfect backdrop for creating memories with your kids. 

Here are a few ways to get the Christmas spirit into our hearts and into the air:

• Read “The Promise: A Family Christmas Devotional.” This 10-day family devotional will inspire your family to embrace God’s promise of a Savior who restored everything lost to sin. 
• Create an Advent Jesse Tree. Inspired by Isaiah 11:1, this activity helps kids and teens discover the Christmas story through meaningful verses. Download the printable ornaments here, and decorate and hang them on your tree. You can also order Colleen Pressprich’s book “The Jesse Tree for Families.” It’s a great resource with additional conversation starters. 
• Download this free Advent Calendar and kick off the holiday on December 1! Embrace the joy of Christmas by diving into daily scripture readings leading up to the big day, and don’t forget to check out the fun Advent activities on page two!
• Check out the Axis Advent plan: This 25-day devotional includes topics like hope, joy, and love, as well as themes like busyness, consumerism, and self-absorption. Help your family recenter their hearts around the real meaning of Christmas — the birth of Jesus!
• Take a moment to pause, reflect, and adore Jesus — the greatest gift from God — through “Echo The Angels,” a 24-day Advent devotional. It includes lyrics from the songs on Elevation Worship’s Christmas album Echo The Angels and short devotionals for you and your family to enjoy together. 

This year, wholeheartedly embrace the spirit of Advent, and make it a time of celebration for your entire family.