Advent Activity

Introduction - 5 min

After giving a warm welcome to all the kids who will be participating in this activity, the Religious Counsellor will take some time and wait until everyone settles down and the kids are waiting in silence to listen to what he has to say. He will draw their attention to the words Celebrate Together in slide 1.

The Religious Counsellor will ask the kids to imagine that someone special in the school is going to have his birthday. He will ask them for ideas to make this day a special one. Agree with them to prepare a party

Step 1 - 5 min

Each student is to think of, write and/or draw what is needed for this celebration on their own small whiteboard (if they make use of one already for example during maths lessons). Otherwise, they can write or draw on a piece of paper and show it to the rest of the class.

The list is to include (he will keep a note of this list on the board):

• A place with decorations,

• Food and a cake with candles,

• Invitations,

• Music,

• A Gift.

Step 2 - 5 min

He will then stop and tell them that some friends of his are preparing for a special birthday too!!! He will invite them to meet his friends and see how they are getting along with their preparations.

Step 3 - 10 min

Processing of the video:

• Whose birthday are they preparing for?

The birthday of Jesus

• What is the time of preparation called?

Advent

• How are they getting along in their preparations?

Bad and they have to start all over again.

• What happened?

They rushed and ruined everything. A tree which broke, they risked a fire to burn all the candles at once, ended up having a tummy ache, had no time to sing and enjoy themselves while they sang, they ended up doing everything without having fun doing it and preparing for this celebration.

• How are they living advent time?

Meaningless because they lost hope, they are not thinking of how to love others, they rushed too much and missed the joy of knowing that Jesus is soon going to be born in their hearts and they are not living this time in peace.

• Have you ever thought that the preparation time is boring?

Space for their experiences....

• Who can remember how the video ended?

With a question. What are we going to do until Christmas?

Step 4 - 10 min

• A place with decorations:

Our hearts decorated with acts of Hope, Love, Joy and Peace especially during this Covid-19 pandemic. (If an Advent Wreath can be available label the candles).

• Food and a cake with candles:

Prayer and we can also prepare the Advent Wreath to help us with our prayer time and light up the candles (show the Advent wreath).

• Invitations:

We will invite others to celebrate with us by word of mouth, reminding others and grownups that Christmas is not about things and presents but about Jesus being born in our hearts.

• Music:

Enjoy listening to Advent and Christmas music.

• A Gift:

Ourselves, our good deeds including the respect we show towards everyone and every created thing, our friendship with Jesus will be our gift to him.

Conclusion - 5 min

Some time in prayer, asking God to help us celebrate and live Advent in style. The Advent Wreath can be placed in the middle and in the middle of it, an empty cradle can be placed to help students visualize for whom we are preparing our hearts. The following link can be used as background music during this quiet/ thinking/ praying time.