How to Use an Advent Calendar for Classroom or Small Group Use

I designed the Names of Jesus Advent Calendar for families, but I've been delighted to hear how many people use it in classrooms, Sunday school groups, staff rooms, and small group settings. Here's how it works and why it translates so well.

Why a card-based calendar works well for groups

The Names of Jesus Advent Calendar is built around 24 illustrated cards, each featuring a name of Jesus from Scripture. One card is revealed each day of December. In a group setting, that daily reveal becomes a shared moment. Someone flips the card, reads the name aloud, and you spend a few minutes with it together.

There's no complex setup and no prep required. The calendar comes with everything you need: natural jute twine, 24 wooden pegs, and daily email reflections to support the discussion. It hangs on a wall, builds up visually through the month, and gives the room a focal point that people actually notice and talk about.

Using it in a classroom

For Christian schools or faith-based classrooms, the Names of Jesus calendar works well as a simple morning ritual. Flip the card at the start of the day, read the name, and ask one question. It takes two or three minutes and gives students something to carry with them.

Older students can take turns leading the daily reveal and looking up the connected Bible verse. Younger students respond well to the physical, tactile element of flipping a card and seeing what's underneath. The reflections that accompany each name are written to be accessible, so you don't need to prepare a lesson around them.

Using it in Sunday school

If you meet weekly through December, you can use the calendar as a thread through the month. Cover the cards from the past week each Sunday, reflect on the names together, and send kids home with the names to look for during the week. The visual display on the wall helps kids track where you are in the season.

The desk edition of the calendar also works well for smaller Sunday school settings where wall space is limited.

Using it in a small group or Bible study

For adult small groups meeting through December, the Names of Jesus calendar gives you a simple Advent framework without needing to source a full curriculum. Each name becomes a starting point for discussion: what does this name tell us about who Jesus is? What does it mean for us right now?

The daily email reflections, written by friends of mine who have reflected deeply on each name, are a helpful prompt for group leaders who want a little more to work with.

Ordering for a group

If you'd like multiple calendars for a class, group, or as gifts for families in your community, you can place separate orders with different shipping addresses. The FAQs page has more detail on this.

You can find the Names of Jesus Advent Calendar here, including both the original edition and the desk edition. It's also listed in the Christmas collection alongside other faith-based gifts from Lacewing Creative.

A note on the reflections

Every purchase includes access to daily email reflections sent throughout December, one per day, connected to that day's name. These go to the email address entered at purchase. If you're buying for a group or giving as a gift, the recipient can also sign up directly on the Advent Reflections page to receive them. Even if you've had the calendar for years, you'll keep receiving the reflections each December.