We all see the Advent calendars for kids popping up everywhere… 25 boxes filled with candies, little action figures, mini-books, and so much more. As a mom, I think they are all so fun and I know my kids would want each one. But as a Catholic mom, my heart says there is something else we can do for 25 days leading to Christ’s birth. Something that will actually prepare my kids for Christmas.
There is enough excitement, gifts, toys, and more surrounding the Christmas season. I want Advent to be Advent. I want this time to teach my kids about the true reason we are celebrating Christmas. But I still want them to get excited each day…
So, I created the Catholic Kids Advent Calendar: 25 Days with the Saints. (Digital version with full Advent season here). This blends the teachings of the Church with a hands-on craft and a beautiful decoration for your family’s home.
A Simple Advent Tradition for Busy Families
The month of December is the busiest time of the year for families. Your calendar is filled up with pageants, shopping trips, and cookie exchanges. So, you need something that is easy, simple, and done for you. That’s what this Advent Calendar is meant for, families like yours.
One saint per day. One ornament per day. Simply read, pray, color, cut, and display.
What is the Catholic Advent Calendar Book for Kids?
This Advent Calendar book for kids prepares you for Christmas as you discover a new saint each day. Everyday of Advent, there is a saint to meet. You will read a short, kid-friendly biography, an Advent reflection, a prayer, and choose one challenge to complete. Then, what I think is the best part… you will make a Christmas ornament to hang on a tree or garland for that saint.
It is an interactive calendar, book, and craft all rolled into one. And everything is done for you – the readings, the prayers, the ornament. Just simply cut, color, and hang!
What saints are included?
Many saints that have feast days in December are included, such as St. Nicholas, St. Lucy, St. Juan Diego, and others. But many beloved holy men and women with feast days throughout the year are also included. I tried to incorporate saints that have a connection with Advent or Baby Jesus to better guide you and your kids to the birth of Jesus.
For example, you will find St. Simeon who waited patiently to meet the Savior. Or St. Cecilia who reminds us to praise our Lord joyfully. And St. Francis of Assisi who made the first Nativity scene. Each saint has their own unique theme to reflect on as we prepare for the birth of Christ.
A Sample of the Advent Calendar with Saints
Let’s take a look at what one day looks like. For December 6, St. Nicholas Day, you can see that kids will read his biography, reflect on the theme of generosity, say a short prayer, and choose one of the three challenges that help them to live like St. Nicholas:
- Make a Christmas card and deliver it to a neighbor.
- Donate a toy that you don’t use anymore.
- Do something nice for a family member without telling them.
Then, they create their double-sided ornament. Each ornament measures about 3 inches (or 2.5 in the physical book format). You cut, color, and glue together. Then hole punch and add a string.
And the images on the ornaments are all hand-drawn by The Magical Gallery. She does beautiful hand drawn illustrations that you can find in my other books as well, like Lent with the Saints, The Rosary Prayer Guide, Rosary Coloring Book, and Saints Coloring Book.
Need a quicker version?
Let’s be honest, December is crazy. Or you may have young kids that aren’t ready for the full bio, reflection, and prayer just yet. You can choose to just do the daily ornaments. There is a simple Advent reminder for each saint on the back of the ornament, so you still prepare your hearts for Christmas.
How to Make Your Advent Saint Calendar
Read about the saint of the day. Follow along with the guided biography, reflection, prayer, and challenge.
- Print or cut out the ornaments.
- Color the ornament.
- Glue the front and back together.
- Punch a hole and add ribbon/string.
- Hang it on your tree or garland.
Easy Ways to Display Your Ornaments
These ornaments are perfect to hang on your Christmas tree or a table-top tree. You can also string them on a garland or ribbon and display them on a mantle or in a doorway.
Another easy way for kids to hang them is on a felt tree. (You won’t need all of the ornaments this one comes with). But you can add a velcro dot to the string and stick them onto a felt tree.
What Advent Days are Included?
When we hear “Advent calendar,” we think of the traditional 25 days of Christmas. But in the Catholic Church, Advent starts on a different day each year (the Sunday closest to November 30th, the feast day of St. Andrew.)
If you purchase the digital download of this Catholic Advent Calendar for Kids, you get 29 days of Advent activities, beginning on November 27 and ending on December 25. You can use this resource each year and start on the same day as Catholic Advent.
If you purchase the physical book, you get the traditional 25 days of Christmas version. (It is difficult to make a physical book reflect the changing Advent dates.) But you still get the ornaments to cut out in the book version! The only difference is that it starts on December 1.
What makes this Advent Calendar unique?
It is more than just a devotional or daily prayer for kids. By the end of Advent, you will have 25 (or more!) beautiful saint ornaments in addition to the daily reflections.
I love how kid-friendly this is. Your kids will love to see their tree fill up with ornaments that they colored.
Plus, each saint is directly connected to Advent. As a Catholic mom, I created this resource with kids in mind. I wanted them to meet saints that help them better understand waiting patiently, the spirit of generosity, the gift of babies, and more.
How to Access Your Advent Calendar
You can purchase the physical book here that makes a great gift!
You can get the digital download here (this version has the November start dates for Catholic Advent.)
Lent with the Saints
If you like this idea and want to keep discovering saints through other liturgical seasons, then check out my Lent with the Saints book. It follows a similar format, without the ornaments. There are biographies, reflections, prayers, and challenges as you meet saints that guide you through various themes of Lent like: forgiveness, self-control, fasting, and more. In place of an ornament, there is space for a written reflection.
This year, spend Advent with the saints. Introduce your families and students to saints each day as they prepare for the birth of Baby Jesus. I’m not saying skip the chocolate entirely 😉 but try an Advent calendar that does much more than cater to your sweet tooth.
