Advent 2010

Before you read anything here, please go read this classic post by Ann Voskamp. (I'm so excited that she's giving out a new Advent book! Next year....)

There. Now that you're in the right mood, I'll tell about my plans (plans! not necessarily reality) for this year.

Year by year we alternate back and forth between a Jesse Tree--Jesus throughout the whole Bible--or the life of Christ. This year is Jesus' life on earth. In the past, I've used a preschool list (scroll down there), that seems just perfect for the amazing 2-3 age, and I am looking forward to seeing how Asya responds to that this year. However, I was also wanting to raise the level a little for the older members of our family. So, I'm combining the treasure hunt list with reading a book by Aleksandr Men' about the Light of the World.* It doesn't correlate perfectly, and I'm still in the process of working it out, but it will come together. That will be every night of our Advent season.

For each week, we'll be lighting a new candle on a traditional Advent wreath, reading a poem and a verse, and singing. The theme for the first week is Hope, and our verse is Romans 15:12. Of course, we'll light the candle(s) every night, even though we only add a new one every Sunday. We like candles! Here's the poem we're reading:

Адвент наступает,
радость близка,
вот светит первая свеча,
пророк возвещает
людям в миру:
«Путь приготовьте Господу».
Радуйтесь, люди,
воспойте все —
Богу честь на земле!

Адвент наступает,
радость близка,
вот светит нам вторая свеча,
прощайте друг друга —
это любовь,
Так завещал Бог Саваоф.
Радуйтесь, люди,
воспойте все —
Богу честь на земле!

Адвент наступает,
радость близка,
вот светит третья нам свеча,
исполнитесь все
святой добротой,
чтоб обновился лик земной.
Радуйтесь, люди,
воспойте все —
Богу честь на земле!

Адвент наступает,
радость близка,
светит свеча четвёртая,
придет, не замедлит,
Сам Господь Бог,
о человек, прими Его.
Радуйтесь, люди,
воспойте все —
Богу честь на земле!

(I found it on a Catholic site last year, and I think it's actually a hymn.)

For the other weeks, we'll have themes of Love (1 John 4:10), Joy (still need to choose verse), and Peace (John 14:27). Does anyone know of a child-friendly Advent poem in English?

And, of course, we'll be getting a present for Jesus!

Also, here are links to our previous Advents:

2009

2008

2007

2006

I really enjoyed looking through them, and I hope to add labels soon for the years before those, too.

(*I almost hate to post this, because the actual book is so beautiful, but if you want to read along with us--in Russian--here is just the text. I'll just say it again, you're really missing out if you don't have the beautiful illustrations.)