Christmas Traditions

[Amata Christi]

Hello phamily!  To ease my impatience and nerves (see my previous thread) and to satisfy some curiosity, I thought I'd ask you guys about Christmas traditions in religious communities you've visited/entered/are otherwise familiar with.  What were your favorite traditions?  What were the most unusual/different from your life before religious life?  What were some traditions common outside the convent/monastery that you didn't expect to find inside, but did?

 Okay, that's all for now.  Ready, Set, Go! 

[JHFamily]

I found that many of the traditions are the same.  Of course, the decorating isn't done at Thanksgiving as in the secular world!  But there is an exchange of small or silly gifts, the singing of carols, the munching on goodies.  The oldest postulant dressed at St. Nick!  That was fun.  The youngest placed the babe in the manger before Midnight Mass.  My daughter's monastery celebrates all three Masses -- Midnight Mass, Mass at Dawn, Mass at Day.  But as far as anything unusual, I don't remember any of that.

[Lilllabettt]

14 hours ago, Amata Christi said:

Hello phamily!  To ease my impatience and nerves (see my previous thread) and to satisfy some curiosity, I thought I'd ask you guys about Christmas traditions in religious communities you've visited/entered/are otherwise familiar with.  What were your favorite traditions?  What were the most unusual/different from your life before religious life?  What were some traditions common outside the convent/monastery that you didn't expect to find inside, but did?

 Okay, that's all for now.  Ready, Set, Go! 

Before Christmas we made cookies for our benefactors. These were peanut butter spread between two Ritz crackers and then coated in melted white or dark chocolate. And then decorated with sprinkles. We used toothpicks to make intricate designs with the sprinkles - i liked making "sweater" designs. I also liked eating the cookies. Lol!

As for the actual celebration: For us the entire octave of Christmas were "talk" days. We were permitted to talk for recreation (and not just for work purposes) at meals and the whole day. A real treat. During the octave we rose a half hour later than usual; the day after Christmas was a "free rise" day which meant you could get up whenever you wanted, as long as you got to mass. Other than the actual Christmas day, we said prayers privately,  so we didnt have to respond to the bell except for mass. The novitiate also would marathon the Lord of the Rings movies in the community room.  Not something I imagined doing as a sister.

[sr.christinaosf]

https://ourfranciscanfiat.wordpress.com/2015/12/25/o-come-let-us-adore-him-with-the-christmas-creche/

https://ourfranciscanfiat.wordpress.com/2017/12/25/its-christmas-but-do-i-need-this-gift/

https://ourfranciscanfiat.wordpress.com/2016/12/30/think-outside-or-inside-the-box/

[gloriana35]

Sisters (except for novices) were allowed a home visit for the week.