The use of an Advent calendar is part of the traditional observance of the season of Advent. In this service we have an Advent calendar type numbered board at the front of the church and into the pockets that have been prepared we put a Christmas alphabet. The letters of the alphabet are added as the service proceeds and the building up of the Christmas alphabet is designed to help us to see how we use the season of Advent to prepare to tell the Christmas story. At the end of the service the set of alphabet cards is complete and we are therefore ready to start to tell the story.
At the end of the service each child or family present is given a set of the alphabet cards so that they can make a Christmas alphabet at home and use it for the re-telling of the story in their homes this Christmas. So that nobody in the congregation feels excluded if the alphabet cards are nor suitable for them, there is a Toddler Advent calendar and a list of thoughts for the day which can be handed out to adults to use during the days of December.