Celebrating Advent at St. Michael CES
Submitted by: Sandra Tirabassi, DECE, St. Michael CES
In our kindergarten classroom, the students had the opportunity to learn about Advent and why we celebrate Christmas. When sharing with the students the meaning of Advent is the “coming” we are waiting for the arrival of Jesus’s birth. Celebrating Advent also means to live it by modeling a generous way of love and care for our family and neighbors as we come together with Jesus to bring peace on Earth. Advent is a four-week season of celebration prior to Christmas, each week focusing on a particular biblical theme.
· Week1: Hope
· Week 2: Peace
· Week 3: Joy
· Week 4: Love
And each week we light a candle leading to Christmas. We also discussed why we celebrate Christmas and what it truly means. These are some of the students' responses, “Jesus is born,” Jesus’s birthday is on December 25th", you are with your family”, you get to open presents together”, “you go to church.”
The Christmas season displays traditions such as prayer, giving to those in need and reminds us of hope in the New Year to come.
The students had the opportunity to reenact the Nativity, dressing up as Blessed Mary and Joseph displaying reverence as they remembered the journey to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus Christ the true meaning of Christmas.
