The Christmas decor and “Advent” calendars of all shapes and sizes are already showing up in stores and online. It reminds us that the beautiful spiritual season of Advent is approaching. Advent is a season of quiet anticipation — a time to slow down, prepare our hearts, and make room for Christ’s coming. As the world rushes toward Christmas, we’re invited to pause and rediscover the beauty of waiting in hope. In this post, you’ll find a collection of Advent resources for adults and families to help you enter the season with intention — along with some of our favorite CCL staff traditions that have shaped how we celebrate this sacred time, from childhood memories to family practices that keep Christ at the center of it all.

FOR ADULT MEN & WOMEN

100 Miles to Bethlehem with Integrated Catholic Woman

Health, hormone coach and personal trainer, Betsy Hoyt, offers this 5-week, integrated wellness course for women. With the goal of a strong and ordered start to 2026, you will travel with Our Lady in daily prayer, receive healthy eating plans, have access to Coach Betsy during the course, get a fitness plan, and have accountability outside of social media. Registration opens Nov. 4 and the course begins on the 30th. 

Exodus90

This spiritual exercise for men immerses them in a time of preparation for Christmas through a disciplined life of prayer, asceticism, and fraternity. The 24 day program, beginning on December 1^st, includes daily prayer, fasting and abstaining, cold shower days, a weekly holy hour, and being intentionally present to family & friends. You can try the Exodus app for free for 14 days; yearly memberships available.

FOR FAMILIES

Hallow – Advent 2025: The Complete Guide to the Season of Advent

For families, singles and everyone in between, Hallow’s Complete Guide offers Advent prayers and prayer community, activities & traditions, a guide to the meanings of the candles & wreaths, a calendar, and gift guides. If you don’t already subscribe to the Hallow app, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial.

The Jesse Tree Tradition

As defined in this article from Our Sunday Visitor, the Jesse Tree is the family tree of Jesus. It traces the lineage of Christ all the way back to Adam and Eve. In other words, the Jesse Tree connects the dots between the Old Testament and the New. It shows us that God has been planning since the fall of Adam and Eve to bring us back to him through the Incarnation of his Son, Jesus.

The Jesse Tree for Families – Beautifully illustrated book for everyone to enjoy.

Written by CCL teacher, Colleen Pressprich! Features achievable ways to celebrate the season of Advent with your children. Each day focuses on a specific person from Jesus’ family tree with a meditation perfect for the whole family, plus an ornament to hang on your family’s Jesse tree. Conversation starters and resources for parents are included. The goal is to help your family grow in faith so that, together, you can prepare for the arrival of Christmas.

Includes the cardstock dust jacket with all 24 beautifully illustrated ornaments printed. The whole family can create ornaments and participate in hanging one ornament daily on a tree or branches. 

RECOMMENDATIONS AND TRADITIONS FROM THE CCL STAFF

We set up a creche scene and have Mary and Joseph and the donkey travel around the room until they reach the stable. We do the same with the 3 Kings for the Feast of the Epiphany. During the days of Advent, the empty manger is filled each day with thin soft pieces of yarn. Each child puts in a piece of yarn each day for the good deeds they do (especially for their siblings!) – Katie

We do a tree blessing once our Christmas tree is all decorated! – Hannah

Every year we have a small Christmas tree to which we add only Jesse Tree ornaments. While hanging the ornament, we read a specific scripture passage. They are the full readings, not just a line or two. My children have all really enjoyed this tradition. It is a nice pre-Christmas decoration as we don’t put up our Christmas tree until a few days before Christmas. – Stacey

​​John and I have integrated the lighting of our Advent Wreath during our prayer time before dinner. We often accompany this with a daily reading or passage from the Liturgy of the Hours. In the past we’ve also assigned each day of Advent to a member of our family. We reach out to them on their day to see how we can pray for them. – Holly

ONE LAST RECOMMENDATION…

The book, The Catholic All Year Prayer Companion, by Kendra Tierney, is really beautiful for Catholic practices around the year. It also has a lot for Advent and Christmas and the feast days within.

During Advent we have carried on a tradition from my mom’s family. We light the Advent candles after dinner and sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel. To make it special, all the lights are off and just the candles are glowing. The kids love this. We add a verse of the song each week as we add a candle.

For a reflection, for many years we have done Shepherd on a Search, which is somewhat like Elf on a Shelf, but comes with reflections and activities for littles. They are very short and easy for little kids and make it fun. We hide the shepherd each night and they search for him in the morning. We have also used the book Unwrapping the Greatest Gift which goes along with the Jesse Tree tradition of walking through salvation history. These stories are a bit longer, so perfect for older kids. – Elizabeth

As we journey through this Advent season, all of us at CCL hope these resources and shared traditions help you and your family prepare your hearts for Christ’s coming. May your days of waiting be filled with peace, prayer, and the quiet joy that reminds us what Christmas is truly about.

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For more resources, see this 2-part blog post from Advent 2024: Waiting and Celebrating Advent and Waiting and Celebrating Advent-Part Two