Holidays In Community

[vee]

The thread monastic Christmas fun made me wonder about this, so instead of hijacking that one Ive started this one. For those who have experienced any holiday in a community what are some of your favorite memories of Christmas, Easter, a feastday, any day celebrations? Did you exchange gifts? Any special customs? From looking at the Dominican blog on the other thread they draw patron saints and Bible verses for the new year did you do anything like that? Did you stay up until midnight on New Years Eve? How about food was it better, worse, or ordinary? For the Carmelites who dont eat meat what on earth did you eat? A Christmas tuna? Thanks for sharing!

[laetitia crucis]

The biggest time of feasting in the community I was with was during the Octave of Easter (or "Pasqueta").

A few weeks before Easter, all the sisters would be divided into six groups (plus the formators had their own group) and given one of the days of the Octave. During the Octave, classes and the daily schedule would go on as normal, but after Evening Prayer and Adoration each group was basically given the evening to do with what they wanted.

Each group had to choose a theme (that they came up with on their own) and then find ways to incorporate that in their day. For example, one group did a "Survivors" island theme which included various "island-y" hints throughout the day... like coconuts placed around the convent or themed music playing during meals. If it was a day for sports (in the novitiate we had sports three times a week), then that team could use their theme in that, too. So, for the "Survivors" group (which fortunately fell on a sports day) they put us into "tribes" and we had to paint our faces, wear bandannas, and do various relay races.

Groups also tried to have meals with a theme to give hints. The "Survivors" dinner was fancy Caribbean shrimp, non-alcoholic pina coladas, and some other tropical foods. At the end of that meal, we had a sandcastle building contest -- one of their group was able to get a HUGE donation of sand! Another group did "Clue" and had some of the "characters" appear during different meals. (That was pretty hilarious!)

Basically, you had a really fun and prolonged "recreation" time after Adoration. And got to use every bit of creativity you could muster.

One group did "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" -- that was probably one of my favorites. They used a computer to "go" to different places in the world to capture Carmen, and a sister (postulant at the time) dressed as Carmen would make sneaky appearances throughout the day. There was also little skits with "agents" questioning "witnesses" in different countries about Carmen throughout the day.

It was up to each group to get donations for everything. You could use whatever was available in the house for props and meals, but if you needed anything extra, you had to find benefactors. Needless to say, the sisters that were local vocations usually had the most elaborate props and easier time getting donations.

Other things that happened during various Pasquetas: one group took everyone ice skating (that was SO much fun! I remember a young girl came up to us and asked if we were part of some ice show... that was too funny!); another group got tickets for a Shakespeare play; we played Family Feud; watched themed Disney movies; big scavenger hunts; etc.

And generally, you want the whole house involved in your theme, so you'd leave notes on sisters' beds for them to find right after Adoration requesting they dress up a certain way. (Like in a certain culture, or time period, or character.)

The male branch of the order celebrates in similar ways. I once heard that they were able to get real chickens and cows for one of their nights. I think the theme was "Country Fair" or something like that. And somehow someone from another group was able to get a helicopter... I have no idea what kind of theme that was for.

We did other things for other feast days, too, but it seems like I've written a novel already... Maybe I'll add those later.

[vee]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='07 January 2010 - 12:20 PM' timestamp='1262884819' post='2031795']
Other things that happened during various Pasquetas: one group took everyone ice skating (that was SO much fun! I remember a young girl came up to us and asked if we were part of some ice show... that was too funny!); [/quote]

LOL yeah nuns on ice

[quote]The male branch of the order celebrates in similar ways. I once heard that they were able to get real chickens and cows for one of their nights. I think the theme was "Country Fair" or something like that. And somehow someone from another group was able to get a helicopter... I have no idea what kind of theme that was for. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/notworthy.gif[/img][/quote]

A helicopter? Thats crazy, and amazing that they got it!

[quote]
We did other things for other feast days, too, but it seems like I've written a novel already... [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/blush.gif[/img] Maybe I'll add those later.[/quote]

If this is a novel then I liked chapter one Its helpful to me at least to be reminded that a call to religious life doesnt mean 24/7 prayer and penance, no laughter all misery etc. Instead there can be fun, helicopters, cows, random coconuts around the convent... I might just sign up.

[AccountDeleted]

Holidays in the convent are a lovely time, but do remember that the first time you spend a holiday away from family, it is going to be very hard, no matter how sweet and wonderful everyone is. My first Christmas, at Wolverhampton was full of wonderful things, but I also felt a great home-sickness for the rituals and traditions that had been done in my own family, so it was sort of sad and happy too. And that first New Year's Eve, I spent crying in our cell because I wasn't allowed (as a postulant) to stay up for all night adoration, and I felt very lonely and full of self-pity. The good things were all the cribs that we made, the decorations in the common room, and the food, lots and lots of Christmas food was donated to us, and also presents from benefactors (really useful and practical things like soaps and shampoos and pens and writing pads etc). We also picked out patron saints and little messages - all very traditional - and I know that after a few years, the convent traditions must replace whatever family traditions one is hanging onto that first year.

My Christmas at Edmonton was almost deadly because there was a great cultural difference for me as well, since most of the nuns were of Chinese backgound, and they did Christmas so much differently than either my family or the English Carmels! I did use this opportunity to offer up my pain to Jesus for souls, so it was ok, and I do remember a few good things -- one of the Canadian sisters made an absolutely gorgeous little "miniature Christmas village" on top of a table, and there were lights in the little windows and "snow" and well, it was just so cute, and I thought she was a crafts genius - I loved it. Another Canadian sister also decorated a small Xmas tree and put it at the end of the corridor where our cells were, and it had lights, so every time I went to our cell, I could feel very Christmassy indeed, and I felt that these two things were gifts from God just to soothe me because of all the other things that felt so "alien" to me, especially the food.

The best part about holidays in the convent though is the liturgy, the Divine Office, the Masses and the singing. And there is usually a lot of Adoration time as well. And recreation is always a lot of fun during the holidays.

Edited January 8, 2010 by nunsense

[humbleheart]

In the Poor Clare monastery where I made my aspirancy it was the custom for the youngest member of the community to be the abbess for the day to mark the Feast of the Holy Innocents. I think this is quite a common tradition in Poor Clare communities. The postulant told me that she had been thinking up changes to make for weeks.

[loveletslive]

[quote name='humbleheart' date='08 January 2010 - 08:03 AM' timestamp='1262955813' post='2032438']
In the Poor Clare monastery where I made my aspirancy it was the custom for the youngest member of the community to be the abbess for the day to mark the Feast of the Holy Innocents. I think this is quite a common tradition in Poor Clare communities. The postulant told me that she had been thinking up changes to make for weeks.
[/quote]

you wouldn't have happened to be at the poor clares in kokomo, indiana, would you?

[vee]

Any favorite (or least favorite) Easter traditions or customs etc that you experienced in religious life?

[Tridenteen]

JMJ
I just wanted to say I have experienced nuns on ice first hand. The local nuns organized a mid Advent ice party, and all the girls from my community went skating. The nuns used their scapulars to play choo choo train, did spins, and taught the wee little people how to skate. One sisters came over to talk to me, and she was skating top speed (she wanted to try one of those fancy slick stops with ice chips flying) and she did stop...I was the brake. She slammed, we toppled, and I was on the bottom. Poor Sister :-) She ways all of 70 pounds soaking wet, though, so it didn't hurst as much as I thought it would..............[img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/stretcher.gif[/img]

[dominicansoul]

i can't say what i experienced because i'm afraid that would ruin it for any discerners visiting this site, who will enter a Dominican convent...

some traditions are better left unsaid, so that others can be surprised when they experience it... (the "Dominican Code." we keep things to ourselves...)

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='dominicansoul' date='29 March 2010 - 11:54 PM' timestamp='1269924847' post='2083126']
i can't say what i experienced because i'm afraid that would ruin it for any discerners visiting this site, who will enter a Dominican convent...

some traditions are better left unsaid, so that others can be surprised when they experience it... [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img] (the "Dominican Code." we keep things to ourselves...) [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img] [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img] [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img]
[/quote]

I hope you're talking about "good suprises" not "bad surprises." :->

[dominicansoul]

[quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' date='30 March 2010 - 07:42 AM' timestamp='1269949368' post='2083185']
I hope you're talking about "good suprises" not "bad surprises." :->
[/quote]
OF COURSE!

we'll s.uck all the "surprise!" outta the traditions of a community if everybody knows what the community does to celebrate Holidays!

Edited March 30, 2010 by dominicansoul

[brandelynmarie]

there's a Dominican Code? good to know...

[vee]

Tridenteen thanks for sharing that story. It alone was worth bumping the thread for! Ok, to discover there is a [size="1"]ssssshh Dominican Code[/size] was also worth it. Edited March 31, 2010 by vee8

[MarieLynn]

What did we do for Holidays in Community?

We went on picnics to lovely secluded picnic areas, where as a postulant we played Baseball, ate masses of food that the Novices in the Kitchen had prepared for us earlier, and one day we even went to a lovely beach and were given permission to wade in the sea. At other times we decorated the Recreation Room, especially if there was a major Feastday only a day or two away, we had Recreation at mealtimes, altho' sometimes it was a relief to have meals again in silence after so much chatter, and we were permitted to write an extra letter home.

Once I became a Novice it all changed. We went for walks only occasionally, and then it was in 3's, in fact we hardly left the confines of the Novitiate, but we did have an extra hour at Recreation time and we were permitted to play board games. We had a lot of choir practices especially if there was a sung Mass coming up, and we had our gardening to catch up on. Weeds still grow even in the Holidays! It was also the Novices job to clean the Novitiate from top to bottom and this was usually done at holiday time. So we were always kept busy.

[Cherie]

We were able to TALK all day!!! Wooo hoo! Honestly, though, it was such a treat to be able to talk on Feast Days. (Not saying I don't enjoy silence, because I do ... but still, we all looked forward to being able to talk!) We were so accustomed to silence that sometimes during a Feast Day we'd whisper to one another when we'd need to say something ... and then a Sister would come in and be like, "Why are you whispering!? It's a FEAST DAY!"

We always had a nice meal planned, sometimes something specific for a special day. Like the meals during the Easter Triduum (especially Holy Thursday) always had the same parts, and we always looked forward to them each year. Or if it was a Sister's feast day, we'd try to find out her favorite dessert, or favorite meal, and the kitchen Sisters would make it for her Feast day.

For solemnities, sometimes we would have a "free day" - meaning we had prayers and everything in common, but our extra time during the day was OURS -- we could do anything we wanted "within reason" (as our Superior said!) ... usually we would use the time to make cards, or arts & crafts, or spiritual reading, or playing a game with the Sisters. Sometimes (with permission) we could watch a movie.

Christmas was glorious in the convent! It was so great to be able to experience the true penitential season of Advent, and then TRULY celebrate the ENTIRE Octave of Christmas! People would send us ALL SORTS of goodies, and we had a table set out in the refectory during which we could partake any time we wanted during the Octave. It was great! We were also able to send people Christmas cards -- usually we were only allowed to send letters to 1 family member, and 2 friends a month (usually it was less than that, because we barely had time to write those letters! My mom always got upset because a letter to her was few and far between!) But we got to send cards to more people than usual during the Christmas season.

One of the best traditions in our community was after Thanksgiving, we would start making Christmas cookies for the cookie plates as a thank-you to our benefactors each year. It took a few days to complete all the cookies, but we got to listen to Christmas music and just have fun while we did it ... it was great! I'm so grateful for that ... now I know how the Sisters made the cookies, and I make them myself around Christmas time. Everyone is always impressed, and I say, "Just another great thing I learned while I was in the convent!"