“…at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold..”
Several years ago we incorporated a new Advent activity for the children, inspired by the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena. If that’s new to you, this is the prayer:
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen
It is recited 15 times a day from the Feast of Saint Andrew till Christmas Eve, and is truly such a wonderful meditation for Advent.
Wanting to make tangible the concept of the striking line, “at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold,” as well as the concept that the whole earth and all its creatures were forever changed by this singular moment when the Light of the World came to us, our Night Sky activity came into being!
With a simple, homemade ombre dark blue to lighter blue painted canvas and a roll of gold stickers, this simple and inexpensive activity creates a visual impact as the darkness and emptiness of the canvas is filled with gold stars over the course of Advent.
During Advent, we are waiting and preparing for the Nativity of Christ, and sometimes called a “little lent,” Advent is marked by an intensification of prayer, fasting, and penance in order to make room in our hearts for His Coming. When my children, unprompted, say extra prayers, take on a little fast for the day, or do a good work, they may add a star to the canvas. At the end of Advent, the canvas filled with stars is a beautiful reminder of the little works they did to prepare their hearts for Christmas morning, little gifts to offer our Infant King!
The DIY is so simple, you don’t need a tutorial - but sometimes a list of supplies can help!
Canvas to fill your intended space (you can use cardboard or poster board too!)
Shades of blue acrylic paint (you can go much darker than I did, I wanted to match the tones of the icons it gets placed under!)
1-2inch foam paint brush
gold sticker roll (from Amazon) or wooden star stickers (we found these this year at Hobby Lobby!)