Monday, November 23, 2009

Advent Stocking

We celebrate German Advent at our house.  If you don’t know what that is, it is basically the four Sunday’s preceding Christmas where you light a candle on an Advent wreath and say a little poem in German.  The first week you light one candle, the next two, and so forth as you say the poem.  Afterwards, we have a child open a gift of some sort (we usually have it be a book or something about or related to Christmas) and then we have some sort of treat.  It’s a fun tradition that my husband’s family started when they lived in Germany (where my husband was born).  Here’s the poem that we recite.

 

Advent, Advent, ein Lichtlein brennt,

Erst eins, dann zwei, dann drei, dann vier,

dann steht das Christkind vor der Tür.

 

Roughly translated it means:

 

Advent, Advent, a candle is lit,

First one, then two, than three, then four

the Christ-child stands at the door. 

 

The first year we were married, Jared was very adamant that we “Do Advent”.  I searched high and low for an Advent wreath to buy.  I actually ended up thinking I’d have to create one myself and found one at JoAnn’s that came equipped with candle holders and everything.  So, basically, anything Advent always interests me when I’m looking at new ideas of things to do.  I love the Christmas Advent Calendars that “countdown” until Christmas (It might just be my love of Chocolate).  But I found this fun stocking pattern for an Advent stocking and had to try it:

 

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This is from the book:

The Ultimate Christmas Book: Over 240 Holiday Craft, Food and Decorating Ideas by Editors of Reader's Digest

The Ultimate Christmas Book: Over 240 Holiday Craft, Food, and Decorating Ideas

It’s a really great book with all kinds of ideas for Christmas and even New Years including gifts you could make (that don’t look home-made.  I love it!

1 comment:

  1. Wow, an Advent stocking? That doesn't replace your regular stocking though I'm guessing. . . What do you use the stocking part for? St. Nicolas day? Or do you put the once a week advent gifts inside?

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