This is the BEST Christmas tradition for children that keeps Jesus at the centre of Christmas for your whole family. This nativity Advent Calendar is our favourite way to count down the days until Christmas. As it instills in our children about the true meaning of Christmas.
Start a new Christmas tradition this year that fosters a deeper understanding of the Biblical account of Jesus birth as our Saviour for your kids.
Here you will find instructions on how to create a chronological 12-Day Advent Calendar or a chronological 25-Day Advent Calendar that follows the full Biblical order of events of Jesus birth. Each day, your child will discover a new part of the story from Scripture, along with the DIY tactile nativity pieces I used.
6 Reasons this Advent Calendar is the BEST Christmas Tradition!
- It follows the chronological, ACCURATE Biblical account of Jesus’ birth.
- It’s a FUN way to keep your children’s interest in playing/learning as the Nativity scene grows throughout the Christmas season.
- Gets your kids INTO the SCRIPTURES from littles to teenagers.
- The HANDS ON learning impresses the Christmas story into your child’s MEMORY.
- Focuses on Christ’s FIRST advent and directs your child’s mind to the SECOND advent.
- The perfect Christmas Tradition to keep JESUS at the CENTRE, THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.
The Most Important Family Christmas Tradition – Keeping Christ at the Centre of Christmas
Does this sound familiar?
Did you ever feel let down or empty on Christmas day? Like, all the fuss and that’s it? I remember feeling empty, though my belly was an uncomfortably stuffed. And Jesus, He seemed far from the centre of the season, let alone the reason for the season. Can you relate? I did not want this for my own children!
As a Christian family, Christmas should be all about Jesus, right? Should’t the reason for the season stand out the most? The Gift of our Saviour being born, Christ the Lord. I’m sure many parents try to emphasis this, but in all the hustle and bustle Jesus is often like a side dish that got forgotten in the corner of the counter.
As a child I clearly remember all the decorations, the presents, the shopping, the lights, the wrapping, the cooking, the preparing for Christmas day, the family and friends eating a meal together, feeling stuffed, eating lots of oranges and other treats, playing with toys and cousins, hoping/begging an adult to take us outside to play (when we were to young to go by ourselves). But in all these memories where’s Jesus…?
Christ felt lost in all the hustle and bustle. This along with that empty feeling after all the gifts were opened on Christmas. I didn’t want this to be my children’s experience.
How to put Christ at the Centre of Christmas for children in a tangible way?
Enter, our favourite Christmas tradition, the Chronological Biblical Nativity Story Advent!
It explores various aspects of the nativity story together as a family in a tactile, fun way in order of Biblical events.
Every day open in a gift box a character in the advent story & read the verses with your Bible about this character in the Christmas story. Watch the story unfold before your children’s eyes by placing a new piece to the story in your nativity set for your kids to see.
Depending on the ages of your children, include discussion of the significance of Jesus’ name, the role of angels in the story, the visit of Simeon and Anna in the temple, and the flight to Egypt to escape King Herod’s wrath. You can also talk about the importance of Jesus’ birth as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
It’s also an incredible interactive way to read through the entire Christmas story with your children during the Christmas season!
Each day, as your child opens a new part of the advent calendar, take the time to read the corresponding Bible passage, discuss its meaning, and answer any questions they may have. Encourage them to reflect on the story and its relevance to their own lives
Why follow the Biblical chronological advent story?
How about we ask this question instead…
Why not teach your children the correct and full Biblical account of Jesus’ birth this Christmas with your children?
You may have noticed that most Christmas stories include having Jesus arrive on Christmas day, but then who are the shepherds and wisemen coming to worship? Or things are made a focus each wiseman gift, when they came together, one event, while other main parts of the Christmas story are left out, such Simeon and Anna in the temple. While other characters are focused on such as the inn-keeper or donkey, neither which are directly mentioned in the Biblical account of Jesus’ birth.
If you want your children to grow up knowing the accurate nativity story, why not start by teaching them the entire full Biblical account of the Advent story this Christmas season?
It doesn’t matter if you choose to do the 12-Day Nativity Advent Calendar or the 25-Day Advent Calendar. Both follow the Biblical narrative in its original accurate order of events.
The main difference is that the 25-Day Advent Nativity Calendar goes more in-depth and includes more events and people surrounding the Biblical account of Jesus’ birth.
How does the Chronological Biblical Nativity Story for Kids Work?
This Advent calendar is the perfect interactive and fun way to learn directly from the Scriptures the accurate account of Jesus’ birth.
Every day the kids find a gift under the tree (or it could be anywhere you decide).
It starts with an empty space and slowly, day by day, they add each piece to the story. Each day you read the passage of Scripture that goes along with the character of the story.
By Christmas day everyone will have arrived to see Jesus and I end with the special hope we have of one day seeing Jesus ourselves in the clouds.
You choose if you want to do the 12-Day Nativity Advent calendar or the full 25-Day Nativity Advent calendar for your family. Both are in order of Biblical events. I’ve included a printable for both just for you.
In order of Biblical Events – Chronological Advent Calendars
Watch your children learn the full accurate chronological nativity story right from the Bible in a fun interactive way! Keeping Jesus at the centre of Christmas as He is the reason for the season!
12-Day Chronological Advent Calendar
25-Day FULL Chronological Advent Calendar
What You Need to Set Up A 25-Day or 12-Day Chronological Nativity Advent for Your Kids:
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
- Download either the 12-Day Advent Calendar Printable or 25-Day Advent Calendar Printable
- A small Christmas box or stocking &/or gift bag
- The Bible (a Children’s version or any Bible works)
- My DIY nativity set (other suggestions below)
- An optional wooden tray to contain the nativity scene. (If you have littles it helps them understand that items belong here when there’re done playing.)
FAQ’s for the Biblical Chronological Nativity Advent Story Calendar
Where do I find this Nativity Set for this Advent Calendar?
You won’t find the exact painted replica of mine on the market as a talented and very special person in our lives painted these wooden figures for us.
However, below you will find some options under “Get Your Supplies” along with links to the unfinished wooden figures I used if you want to DIY it yourself. You could also ask a special talented someone you know to DIY this nativity set for you as a gift or offer to pay them.
Crunched for time? I’d even purchase this wooden set from my friend at Etsy and leave everyone wooden for now, they could be painted before next year. Or do the 12-Day Advent Calendar & use the other pre-made nativity set I list below.
Ultimately, choose a Nativity Set your kids can play with/handle and you won’t be stressed about it breaking, it’s a treasure you want to last.
If it’s not in your budget be proactive, ask extended family members to contribute to this years nativity gift early!
How do I prep to do this chronological advent calendar?
Start by printing our the 12-Day Advent Calendar or 25-Day Advent Calendar printable. It contains step by step instructions along with a list of the materials and nativity characters / props you will need.
To download the 12-Day Advent Calendar, click here.
To download the full 25-Day Advent calendar, click here.
(Both are Biblically in order of events – chronological.)
What characters do I need for the 12-Day or full 25-Day Chronological Advent Calendar?
Download the printable for the number of days of your choice to see the lists here: 12-Day Advent Calendar, 25-Day Advent Calendar.
I only used the characters that are actually in the Biblical account of the nativity story.
This is the full DIY wooden nativity set I used.
See Shop this post below for a 12-Day Nativity Set.
How do I keep my kids attention while reading the Bible verses?
I love deepening my children’s love for Scripture and using the Bible with them. So to help keep the kids engaged, have to listen carefully to guess who the new character is instead of telling them. Or if you have littles, pre-read the verses and summarize the main points, only reading the key verse(s) you’ve highlighted.
Where do I find a Christmas Box for all the different characters/props sizes?
A dollar store or DIY it.
To keep it cost effective, here are some ideas:
- Try keeping it simple for yourself by using and reusing one of those pretty Christmas boxes with a lid from the dollar store.
- You could DIY a box like this by wrapping any small box too. Just make sure the box is big enough to fit the biggest Character inside.
- Using a Christmas stocking, is another simple idea.
- For the larger objects (the Bible & stable), just use a gift bag and tissue paper you already have.
Special Pro Tip: I use a red box for each day, a special gold box inside the red box for Jesus, and only the gold box when Jesus show’s up again at the end.
Do something different to signify that this Baby is SUPER SPECIAL!
You could simply wrap Baby Jesus fancy with wrapping paper and place him inside the gift box or stocking you’ve been using up to this point.
Why does the guard and Herod go away the next day?
Two reasons. First, they don’t go see Jesus in the Biblical account of the Nativity story so it’s confusing to let the kids play with them when everyone else is going to see and worship Jesus. Secondly, they just clutter up the scene unnecessarily. If I find clutter an issue, I will even take away the census along with the map and a few other accessories that don’t have to be there.
Why does Jesus show up on two days?
Baby Jesus shows up just as He does in the Scriptural narrative of the first advent. It makes sense as who are the shepherds, wise men, and others going to worship as their Saviour?
Jesus shows up on again on the last day to remind us that Jesus will come again, the second advent. But this time not as a lowly baby, instead as our triumphant King to take us home to Heaven to live with Him forever! (see Revelation 1:7; Matthew 25: 29-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51–52; John 14:1–3)
What does Advent mean?
Advent means the coming of Jesus.
The first advent our Saviour came as a baby.
The second advent will be with trumpets and all the holy angels as our King Jesus, and every eye will see him! (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 1:7)
How to make the days Jesus is opened SUPER Special?
Wrap baby Jesus in a special box inside the usual box, we use a tiny gold one.
On Christmas Day Jesus comes in the special gold box again along with toy trumpets! We blast Lift Up The Trumpets as the kids open them and then read the verses for the last special day.
How can I make Jesus coming on Christmas Day special & Biblical?
On Christmas day we look forward to Jesus’ second Advent!
Gift trumpets that make sounds as Jesus’ second literal coming is with a trumpet blast! We also like to blast this song Lift Up The Trumpets along with reading the verses. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Matthew 24: 30-31; 1 Corinthians 15:51–52)
Pro Mom TIP: I found trumpets that won’t drive you crazy as you hear them blasted a million times this season by your littles. Check out my “Get Your Supplies” list below.
Start this Faith Building Christmas Tradition
Engage your child/children in a meaningful journey towards Jesus this Christmas. Through daily nativity characters, Bible readings and discussions (age appropriate), and reflections through play, they will gain a deeper understanding of the true meaning of the season and the significance of Jesus’ birth.
Let this Chronological Nativity Advent Calendar be a cherished tradition that brings your family closer to Jesus while and strengthening faith in your family in the accurate account of the Scriptures.
Keep Jesus as the reason for the season this year!
Snag your FREE Advent Calendar here:
Want to keep Jesus at the centre of your Christmas season. Start a new family tradition this year and bring the joy of Jesus birth and soon coming back into Christmas! Use the printables I made for you, go ahead and snag my FREE Advent Calendars below.
12-Day Chronological Advent Calendar
25-Day Full Chronological Advent Calendar
Shop Everything You’ll Need for this Advent Calendar…
Nativity Set Ideas:
Warning: Please be mindful of the ages of your children, as some pieces are choking hazards for little ones.
1. Get My DIY Nativity Set Supplies + 10% Off!
ALL the wooden figures used in my DIY nativity set from my friend Shyla on her Etsy site.
25-Day Nativity Set includes: All wooden people, star, 3 dowels & cute manger bowl.
- All these wooden figures used in my DIY nativity set
- felt (for map, census & scroll)
- fabric markers (for map, census & scroll)
- hot glue gun
- Acrylic Paint Set with brushes
- Acrylic Varnish
The miscellaneous stuff:
- Jesus Calling The Story of Christmas by Sarah Young (kids board book)
- Swaddling Cloth
- Stable
- Christmas Boxes
- Gold Christmas Box
- Christmas stocking (instead of a box)
- Trumpets (for Christmas Day)
- Wooden Trumpet (for ages 0-3)
- Wooden tray (optional)
- Glow in the dark stars (optional)
2. Pre-Made 12-Day Sets mix & match + what you need.
I spend time searching for a set that would have all that’s needed for the 12-Day Advent Calendar. It was almost impossible to find a set that exactly matched without having to purchase a set twice to make it work with only one angel, shepherd & sheep.
With Etsy, however you may be able to request a couple extra angels, shepherds, and sheep.
I’ve included my findings for you below…
Here are pre-made ideas of a 12-Day set on Amazon or Etsy that’s wood, crocheted set, plastic, resin or glass (if you have older children).
Or you could crochet your own DIY nativity set with this nativity set pattern.
If you go this route you will also need to additionally get: a Bethlehem Star, dowels, and the items from the miscellaneous list above.
Go ahead and pin this to your Christmas board for later!
Have you done a Nativity Advent Calendar’s with your kids? Let me know in the comments below.
Go Deeper with these Christmas Readings of Jesus Birth:
As a parent chapters 1-7 of The Desire of Ages have so transformed my view of Jesus and the amazing GIFT He truly is of Good News of Great JOY to ALL people, today a Saviour has been born and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart!
Listen/Read to the Christmas Story via…
- Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Luke 1-2 (eyewitnesses accounts)
- Jesus Calling The Story of Christmas by Sarah Young (kids board book)
- The Story Of Jesus (Podcast for Kids, chapters 1-5)
- The Desire Of Ages (Podcast, dramatized version, chapters 1-6)
- The Desire Of Ages (book, chapters 1-6)
- The Desire Of Ages (Audible, chapters 1-6)
Love your post Trina! I grew up with the 25 day advent calendar, but I never knew the was a12 day one! I will check those out. Thank you!
This is so well written. I have felt similarly to how you described and we try to be more intentional about advent each year. Great ideas and I book marked this post to grab some of these books! 😊
I LOVE this!! I was just talking with my husband how we need to ensure Christ is the center of our Christmas season! Love your nativity too!
What a great resource, and I love the nativity set!