Advent Season, Part III – Advent Dinners

Each year we have a weekly meal at my mother’s house on the Sunday of Advent.  I have written about these dinners before and they remain a wonderful part of our family tradition.

We gather for delicious food and good company.  It’s a great time to see cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  I enjoy seeing our family throughout the season instead of only on Christmas Day.

Before each meal, we read scripture and light the Advent wreath candle. It’s a great way to start each week during the Advent season.

This year we had a lovely concert of Christmas Carols.

We also had crafts for the kids to work on on a few of the weeks.

And of course, my kids love this bonus time with family around them.  They adore their cousins and don’t get to see them as much once the Advent season ends.  School, work, busy schedules and a 50 minute drive keep us from regular gatherings, especially during the cold weather.

I love this tradition, and as they kids have grown, I find we are able to relax and enjoy the time more and more.  

Of course, the 18 month old still makes things quite interesting, getting into anything in his little reach.  One Monday morning we began to realize that he had eaten SEVEN buttons the night before at Advent dinner…later that afternoon, the count was increased to EIGHT when he had another button in his diaper.  YUCK! 

(The buttons were out on the counter for a craft the older kids had made)

Never a dull moment…and always a blast!