We were honored to welcome Mrs. Peach Smith, who offered a beautiful and insightful presentation on classical education and Narration, the voice of the Trivium...
There is a special kind of magic that settles into a home once Advent begins. It is gentle and quiet, like candlelight flickering against early darkness, siblings sitting close under a blanket, the soft rustle of evergreen boughs, and the hush that enters the room when Scripture is read aloud. In a world that races through December, Advent offers something different. It invites families into a rhythm that is slower, warmer, and deeply human.
Parents need this rhythm just as much as their children do. Children need quiet and story and closeness. Parents do too. Middle schoolers who seem independent still need warmth and wonder. Parents who carry responsibilities and burdens still need the peace that comes from candlelit prayer and shared tradition.
At our most recent General HSA meeting, Mrs. Peach Smith reflected on narration as the voice of the Trivium and the power of story to shape the mind and heart. Her words echoed what Advent naturally provides. Children listen, ponder, retell, and make meaning. And parents find themselves doing the same.
Below are twelve Advent traditions that bring warmth, beauty, peace, and memory to families with children from Pre K through eighth grade and that nourish the hearts of...