Starting the Church’s liturgical year, Advent is the season encompassing the four Sundays (and weekdays) leading up to the celebration of Christmas. This year, Advent begins on Sunday, November 29, 2020.

Advent is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas. The final days of Advent, from December 17 to December 24, focus particularly on our preparation for the celebrations of the Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas).

What can you do during Advent to make it special and meaningful? Bishop Gregory Parkes offers tips in his 2020 Advent message which can be viewed below. Keep scrolling to find resources, prayers, digital and printable Advent calendars, and more.

Don’t let these four weeks pass without making note of this important season in the life of the Church and in your life! Find resources to help you make the most of this season of waiting in joyful hope for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Here are resources to help you make the most of this season of waiting in joyful hope for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Resources for Families and Individuals

• Advent Calendars (look below)
• Father Connor Penn provides simple suggestions for families to incorporate Advent into their crazy busy lives in this weekly YouTube series.
• Catholic Apostolate Center
• Jared Dees provides short Advent videos for the classroom
• Catholic Icing – free, creative, printable Advent resources for children
• Strong Catholic Family Faith – Advent resources, calendars, playlists and more (Click under Church Year)
• Advent in Two Minutes – video from Busted Halo

Resources from the USCCB

• Parish Resources (Bulletin inserts, prayers, social media posts and more)
• Blessing of an Advent Wreath
• Blessing of a Christmas Manger or Nativity Scene
• Blessing of a Christmas Tree
• Lectio Divina for Advent: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
• Liturgical Notes for Advent
• Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s Spiritual Thoughts on Christmas

Advent Prayer Project: Receive Encouragement and Hope

Prepare for the birth of Jesus by reflecting on your faith journey with short inspirational messages sent to your email each day! You are invited to sign up to receive a daily “Be Courageous” reflection on Courageously Living the Gospel presented by writers from around the Diocese of St. Petersburg, including Bishop Gregory Parkes. Sign up to be courageous, visit www.dosp.org/reflection.  We have two promotional graphics available (full page and half page).

Advent Calendars

Advent Calendar for Families and Children from CatholicMom.com
Printable calendar that has all the feast days listed, along with a special idea for each of those days. Along with that, CatholicMom.com included an activity list, sorted by age group, so that you and your family can check out the list and fill in the blank boxes on the calendar with the ideas that appeal most to you. Download it.

Advent Paper Chain Calendar from FamilyRosary.org
CatholicMom.com’s sister ministry, FamilyRosary.org, created a printable Advent paper chain with a family activity for each day. Download it.

Advent Calendar for Families and Children from Sadlier Publishing
Printable calendar includes suggestions such as the lighting of the candles in the Advent wreath and celebrating seasonal feast days. Download it.

Advent Calendars from Loyola Press
Find an Advent calendar for children (digital and printable), and an online calendar for adults to nurture your spirituality at this busy time of year..

Digital Advent Calendar by Catholic Relief Services
Take time to pray and prepare for the coming of Christ. Receive Scripture, quotes and images filled with hope as we reflect on the needs of our displaced global family. Sign up now.

Digital Advent Calendar by Busted Halo
Digital twist on the traditional Advent calendar brings a sense of surprise by showing the whole calendar, but not letting you “open” each day until that day comes along. Each day, the link will lead you to a special Advent-themed “Daily Jolt and MicroChallenge.” See and bookmark the calendar.

Digital Advent and Christmas Crèche Calendar
Over the last six years the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame has hosted its annual exhibit of crèches, or Nativity scenes, from around the world. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, they invite you and your family to reflect on the Incarnation through their digital Advent and Christmas Crèche Calendar. Sign up to receive daily emails.

Send in Your Advent Photos

We invite you to share photos of how you and/or your parish prepare for the birth of Jesus Christ. Photos will be shared in a special online photo album posted on the diocesan website and Facebook page. Please email your photos to socialmedia@dosp.org or publicly post them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #DOSPAdvent.  Photos will be added to the album as they are received throughout Advent