Family Advent at Home: Week 3 Joy to the World

December 13, 2025

Memory Verse: Luke 2:10: “Do not be afraid; I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

The four weeks before Christmas are a special time for God’s people and your family to come together in anticipation of Christ’s birth. This time is called Advent.

Click here for complete instructions on the Advent candles. Three of the candles can be purple, the traditional color of Advent. In the third week, use a pink candle to represent joy.

Light the third Advent candle, joy. You will also light the previous week's hope and peace candles.

Ask someone to say, “This is the third week of Advent. We first light the candle of hope and peace from previous weeks. Today, we light the candle of joy.” 

Dig Deeper

• Read together or talk about the devotion: Advent at Home: Joy to the World. You can use the prayer at the end of the devotion or your own prayer.
• To learn more about what joy means in the Bible, you can select readings from Psalm 16:11, Deuteronomy 16:15, John 15:10-12, and Jude 24-25.
• Ask this self-reflection question: “In what ways can we show the joy of the Lord to others?” Allow space for kids to share. Maybe list their answers on a piece of paper. You can decide as a family if the lists can be shared or kept private. Ensure that everyone knows they can talk to you anytime, anyplace, about things that worry them. If you wrote a list, write “Joy” or “Joy to the World” in capital letters over the entire list.
• Listen to (or sing!) a family-favorite Christmas carol about joy, like “Joy to the World,” or find an Advent/Christmas playlist. You might play more songs as you discuss the optional family activity.
• Check out Kids Corner's audio Bible story, The Birth of Jesus.

Optional Family Activity: Read Luke 2:8-21 Together

Tell the story of Luke 2:8-21 in ways your child can participate creatively. The most effective ways will be based on your child’s gifts and interests. 

• If your child likes to build with LEGO®, ask your child to bring the biblical story to life. They could build the story’s scenes beforehand, and as you read the story, your children can point out what’s happening and interact with the scene.
• Share paper and colored pencils, and encourage your kids to doodle while listening to the story. This has been proven to help kids (and adults) maintain focus, understand new ideas, and remember things. You might try it too! Show each other your drawings afterward.
• Choose a picture from Bible Story Coloring Packet 3: God Sends a Savior. Pictures include “Mary and the Angel,” “Mary and Elizabeth,” “The Journey to Bethlehem,” and “The Birth of Jesus.”
• Read the story with expression, excitement, and wonder. Kids will remember when Dad uses a deep angel voice to tell the shepherds the good news. Share verses with readers in the family, and take turns telling the story. Have everyone memorize verse 14 and say, “Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God.”
• Use finger puppets, popsicle stick puppets, or sock puppets!
• For those children who can’t sit still, give them a Bible story role and let them act it out. No one will ever forget when Mom dressed up as a shepherd. Use old ties, tea towels, and bathrobes as shepherd’s garb to make creative costumes.

You can shape new family traditions to draw your kids into the story. As they grow and understand more of the Bible, they will be equipped to receive, understand, and ultimately worship God in more profound and creative ways.