• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
So Festive! logo
  • Holidays
    • Birthdays
    • Back To School
    • Christmas
    • Cinco de Mayo
    • Easter
    • Fourth Of July
    • Halloween
    • Misc. Holidays
    • Mother's Day & Father's Day
    • New Years
    • Pioneer Day
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine's Day
  • Family Fun
    • Date Night
    • Party Games
    • Family Vacations
    • Traditions
  • Printables
    • Coloring Pages
    • Gift Tags
    • Free Printables
    • Shop
  • Gifts
    • 15 Best Gifts For Men
    • Teacher Gifts
    • 70+ Experience Gifts
    • Sympathy Gifts
    • Favorite Things
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Bread & Rolls
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Holiday Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Sides & Salads
  • About
    • Start Here
    • Let's Work Together
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Holidays
  • Recipes
  • Printables
  • Book
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Holidays
    • Recipes
    • Printables
    • Book
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Holidays » Christmas

    How to Celebrate Advent Sundays This Christmas Season

    Last updated: Dec 22, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    Save 75% on the Ultimate Valentine's Day Printable Library! GET INSTANT ACCESS TO 100+ PAGES HERE

    Celebrating the Advent of Christmas is a great way to gather with family and friends to celebrate the birth of Christ. This Advent Sunday tradition will help you slow down during the Christmas season! 

    Here's all the Advent Sunday details you need to know including: how to celebrate, German advent wreath ideas, and best Christmas goodies to enjoy. 

    one-simple-christmas-tradition-everyone-should-have-german-advent this awesome idea!

    WHAT IS ADVENT SUNDAY?

    Have you ever wondered "how is advent celebrated in Germany?" Having lived in Germany, I fell in love with the German advent traditions and am excited to tell you how you can start it with your own family! 

    Advent is celebrated on the 4 Sundays before Christmas. So usually, the first Advent Sunday is the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Advent is a simple tradition the focuses on the advent, or coming of Christ.

    On the first Sunday, one candle is lit. On the 2nd Sunday, the first candle and another candle is lit. On the 3rd Sunday, the first 2 candles are lit in addition to the third. And so on.

    HOW TO CELEBRATE THE ADVENT OF CHRISTMAS

    I learned a lot while I was a nanny in Germany for a year, but some of my favorite things I came away with were new Christmas traditions. Did you know that Germany is home to many familiar Christmas traditions we celebrate?  Some of the most popular traditions that we celebrate that come from Germany include: the wreath, advent calendar, and Christmas tree.

    One of the lesser-known German traditions that we celebrate is German Advent.

    Advent-Sunday

    WHAT TO DO ON EACH ADVENT SUNDAY 

    There is no specific way you have to celebrate Advent Sundays. Typically it is time set aside to gather as friends and family and sing Christmas songs, read poems or stories and enjoy some Christmas goodies.

    Dieter F. Uchtdorf shared how his family celebrated the advent of Christmas:

    "Starting on the 4th Sunday before Christmas, we would get together on Sunday afternoons, light wax candles on a pine advent wreath, enjoy delicious homemade cookies, and read passages of scriptures that center the Christ.

    We read accounts of ancient prophets who yearned for the coming of the Messiah. We read scriptures that proclaim the wondrous story of His birth. Each week by singing beautiful Christmas songs and having a fun time together, our family tried to focus on the true meaning of the season. I must admit that delicious hot choocolate, hot apple cider, and tasty homemade cookies helped a lot to catch the joyful feeling of the Christmas season."

    THIS IS WHAT WE DO EACH ADVENT SUNDAY

    • 1st Advent Sunday- read Christ-centered Christmas stories and drink hot chocolate
    • 2nd Advent Sunday- watch a Christmas Devotional with the Tabernacle Choir on Temple Square 
    • 3rd Advent Sunday- have a Christmas sing & share with friends and family. Each person plays, reads, or shares something that reflects the true meaning of Christmas
    • 4th Advent Sunday- sing Christmas songs, read scriptures, watch a special Christmas film like this

    HOW TO MAKE ADVENT SUNDAYS KID-FRIENDLY

    My husband and I have been celebrating Advent since before we had children. But even now that we have 4 little ones, we still celebrate Advent and have found some simple ways to make it fun for them. 

    advent-with-kids

    PLAY CHRISTMAS SONGS WITH HAND BELLS 

    We invested in this inexpensive hand bell set years ago and have our children help us play Christmas hymns on the hand bells. I created these color-coded Christmas Hand Bell Song Sheets to make it easy for even little kids to participate.  Of course, we are no professional hand bell choir, but we all love it anyway.

    Get the Christmas Hand Bell Songs here that coordinate with this handbell set we use and love. 
    Christmas Hand Bell Music

    HAVE A SING-ALONG

    Another fun way to involve kids is having a sing a-long. I ordered a cheap ukulele off Amazon and this awesome Christmas book. The ukulele is really easy to play. And I'm serious. I have very little musical talent and I can play Christmas songs without much trouble.

    I love playing Christmas songs as my children sit around and sing or look at Christmas books or eat festive goodies.

    We've always dressed up my little boy and had him play a piece on the piano. (Okay, so maybe it was an automatic song on the keyboard, but still.) Despite the fact he is not actually playing the piano, we have had thoughts about when he grows up and if he would like to carry that on. If he does, then we can look into the Best Piano Learning App for him and take it from there. Who knows, maybe he'll be able to play a full song by himself one year. That would be amazing wouldn't it?

    advent

    READ CHRISTMAS STORIES ON ADVENT SUNDAY

    Choose a Christ-centered Christmas story to read. Here's a list of our favorites if you need some ideas!

    Advent-Sundays-2

    EASY ADVENT WREATH IDEAS

    You'll definitely need some kind of advent wreath. This can be as simple or lavish as you like.  

    For your German advent wreath, you'll need: 4 candles and a place to put each one.  Here's a few examples of how you can set up a wreath: 

    I scored this German advent wreath at a thrift store a few years ago and add new wax candles each year:

    rp_Advent-Tradition.JPG

    DIY Advent Wreath

    However, if you aren't as lucky to find one at a thrift store, you could easily make your own wreath.

    What You Need:

    • 4 candles
    • some type of wreath or container to arrange them in.

    Here's a few examples from the web:

    German-Advent-wreath

    via little scandinavian 

    diy-german-advent-wreath

     via homespun living

    advent-wreath

    via one more mushroom 

    Tip: your advent wreath doesn't have to be fancy to celebrate this simple Christmas tradition. 

    ADVENT SUNDAYS 2021 

    • The first Sunday of Advent is November 28, 2021
    • The second Sunday of Advent is December 5, 2021
    • The third Sunday of Advent December 12, 2021
    • The fourth Sunday of Advent is December 19, 2021

    ADVENT SUNDAY TREAT IDEAS

    Don't forget some Christmas goodies! 

    Serve some special Christmas goodies at your advent night. My children love when I pull out my cookie press and make some German kipfel. After all, German cookies are perfect for a German Christmas tradition. 

    • Christmas Star Cookies 

    • Hot chocolate bar 

    • Cookie press cookies (using this easy cookie press!)

    • sweet chocolate chip cheese ball and vanilla wafers

    • The Best English Toffee 

    • Fudge

    • Oranges 

    christmas-advent

    Even if you don't have a connection to Germany/Europe like I do, but you can still celebrate Advent! It's a great Christmas tradition to help you slow down, enjoy the company of family and friends, and celebrate Christ!

    If you have any specific questions or need more ideas, leave a comment below! I'd love to help you start this festive and meaningful tradition with your family.

    More Christmas

    • Left Right Game For Christmas
    • Magical Reindeer Food Recipe & Printable Tags
    • Chapstick Christmas Gifts
    • Jingle Bell Bowling Game For Christmas

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Let us know what you think! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    1. amy call says

      November 21, 2014 at 6:58 pm

      Such a great tradition! Love it!

      Reply
    2. Frank says

      April 30, 2018 at 4:51 pm

      Very nice, but I think you forgot the most important thing related to the lighting of the candles. In our home a prayer or reading of scriptures from the bible revolving around the coming of Christ is done while lighting the candles. The idea being to prepare for the Light of the World to come into our lives.

      Reply
      • sofestivemel says

        October 30, 2018 at 10:52 pm

        thank you for correcting me!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Melissa! I share simple holiday and family fun ideas so you can create more memories together.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • How To Make A Giant Balloon Arch For Just $20
    • The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars You Can Make In 30 Minutes
    • Best Churro Recipe (Step-By-Step Photo Instructions)
    • Sweet & Simple 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas (With Printable Tags)

    Don't Miss These Popular Posts!

    • 101 Best Utah Date Ideas
    • Yoda Sodas Recipe
    • 10 Adult Easter Egg Hunt Ideas
    • How To Make A Giant Balloon Arch for $20
    • 20 Free General Conference Printables
    • 55 Fun At Home Date Ideas
    • Simple Pioneer Activities

    Hi, I'm Melissa! I share simple holiday and family fun ideas so you can create more memories together.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • How To Make A Giant Balloon Arch For Just $20
    • The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars You Can Make In 30 Minutes
    • Best Churro Recipe (Step-By-Step Photo Instructions)
    • Sweet & Simple 12 Days of Christmas Gift Ideas (With Printable Tags)

    Don't Miss These Popular Posts!

    • 101 Best Utah Date Ideas
    • Yoda Sodas Recipe
    • 10 Adult Easter Egg Hunt Ideas
    • How To Make A Giant Balloon Arch for $20
    • 20 Free General Conference Printables
    • 55 Fun At Home Date Ideas
    • Simple Pioneer Activities

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Resources

    • Shop
    • Freebies
    • Christmas Book
    • Holiday Bundles
    • Blog

    Free Printable Library

    • Sign Up Here for our free VIP club and get access to 200+ free printables!

    Work With Me

    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    © 2009-2022 So Festive! LLC.