[Church of England] While opening an Advent Calendar is an important part of the buildup to Christmas for many people, it can be hard to find one that depicts the real Christmas story. Now, The Church of England has released its first printed Advent Calendar, inviting people to put the birth of Jesus at the heart of their Christmas preparations. It is available online and in bookshops.

And the Follow The Star Advent Calendar goes beyond the conventional countdown, offering a creative and interactive experience focused on the Nativity.

Children and adults are challenged to find the right sticker for each of the 24 days of Advent and then add it to an overall scene. They are then invited to go further with a short story episode for each day, and free themed activities including a “scratch” nativity play script.

The calendar forms part of the Church of England’s “Follow The Star” campaign for 2023, which also features a brand new Christmas Carol by composer Bob Chilcott which will be sung by choirs across the country, with the invitation “Join the Song! together with daily reflections from Christmas to Epiphany.

Read the entire article here.