Have We Lost It?

[cmotherofpirl]

And I already bought the family present as well ( what we decide on to give ourselves for Christmas).

Its just the idea that you control how you live your Catholic life, NOT the Culture.

You don't have to Participate in insanity unless you WANT to. Some people enjoy running around like maniacs. I don't :)

[FX2]

but concrete suggestions on how to be more "Adventy" than "Christmassy"? I don't know. I truly don't.

Advent wreaths all around your work place! Explain to you co workers the true meaning of Advent, and pray with them. If that doesnt work...hmmm Advent carrols?

On the fist day of Advent, I gave to Jesus C.

A decade of the Rosary

On the second day of Advent I gave to Jesus C.

2 Our Fathers and a decade of the Rosary

just a lil jingle i made off the top of my head...it could go on :D :blink:

[emalouhow]

On the fist day of Advent, I gave to Jesus C.

A decade of the Rosary

On the second day of Advent I gave to Jesus C.

2 Our Fathers  and a decade of the Rosary

Nice FX! :D

[Donna]

What an excellent and edifying thread!

We put away the tv (and did not see The Fellowship or The Two Towers) til Advent was over. We do an Advent calendar as well as the candles/prayer, and we try to pray the propers of the Mass most days.

We've explained to the children this way: What if you had a bunch of treats and even birthday parties...for a month before it was your birthday?

Would your birthday be special then?

We don't put up our tree til Christmas Eve or so.

And other stuff, too.

I think your efforts at the parish are a good beginning.

Great first thread!

Cmom, that is the most concise agenda for Advent that I have ever read. I will make a copy of it (and thank you!).

Edited November 21, 2003 by Donna

[Paladin D]

I have no problem putting a Christmas tree up before Christmas, you enjoy it while you can. And I don't see a problem having Christmas cookies through December.

[nikkan_hanil]

OK, lemme put it in simple terms...we lost it. :P

[marielapin]

It is really not hard to make adjustments once you make up your mind to do so.

THat is the hard part.

You simply go on with your normal life.

You light your Advent Candles and pray, you go to Advent penance service and confession.

You put your ornaments on your Jesse Tree.

If you are forced (and I mean forced) to attend a Christmas party buy the present right after thanksgiving, wrap it and put it away.

After the 4th Sunday of Advent you do your Christmas shopping. Each child gets one main present and several smaller ones. You open a bottle of wine and have a wrapping party.

You decorate during the 4th week and do any advance cooking that needs done. If you are a Christmas baker you do your baking every Saturday during Advent. Pick out to  reciepes, bake and freeze.

You go to Midnight Mass and celebrate.

Christmas in my house lasts until Candlemas.

Yes this takes an attitude adjustment. You do not have to buy a present for every single person you know, or send a card to every person in town. You do not have to fill up peoples houses with useless presents to show them you love them. Grandma does not need another statue, knickknack etc.

Give her a gift certificate for a spa day or a good restaurant You do NOT have to participate in the insanity if you don't want to.

You can choose how to live your Catholic life.

PS I have done this this way for over 20 years and do have children, and inlaws and friends who are finally seeing the light. I also have a party every Christmas eve after Mass for everybody's  family and friends.

Cmom - you've got some great ideas. We are already doing most of those things.

When is Candlemas?

And for what I do about office parties/Christmas parties - there are THREE different office parties I will be invited to this year - at least. I will pick just one.

As for your Jesse Tree, is that similar to a Christmon tree? I haven't heard of anyone doing a Jesse Tree before.

I find that the best gifts for friends and relatives are things you make. So I cook up lots of fudge for office workers, and bring it in during the last week of Advent. I make a Christmas ornament each year for my mom, grandmom, aunt, mother-in-law, grandmother-in-law, etc. The simplest things are the best.

Jared and I pick out what we want for Christmas and then get it. We put up our Christmas tree in the week or so before Christmas.

I like the idea of one big present and several small ones for the kids.

By the way, when do you open your Christmas gifts Cmom? I've heard of people opening them on the Epiphany before.

[cmotherofpirl]

Christmas starts Dec 24. You can eat Christmas cookies until Feb 2nd and enjoy your tree until then. THE whole point is to due things in their proper season.

I really prefer to live in Church time, in the reality of God's time, than in what the TV and advertisers determine is best for their agenda.

Do you eat dessert first?

ADvent is a time of reflection and penance and hopeful waiting.

Christmas means so much more if you have waited and anticipated it. Sort of like your wedding night. :D

Sounds silly, but it is the same principle.

With a Jesse Tree you relive the whole history of humanity and wait with the prophets for the Coming of the Messiah.

We have lost the gift of hope and anticipation of the Lord.

Comfort ye, Comfort ye my people!

Patience is a virtue. :)

[cmotherofpirl]

Cmom - you've got some great ideas. We are already doing most of those things.

When is Candlemas?

And for what I do about office parties/Christmas parties - there are THREE different office parties I will be invited to this year - at least.  I will pick just one.

As for your Jesse Tree, is that similar to a Christmon tree?  I haven't heard of anyone doing a Jesse Tree before.

I find that the best gifts for friends and relatives are things you make.  So I cook up lots of fudge for office workers, and bring it in during the last week of Advent.  I make a Christmas ornament each year for my mom, grandmom, aunt, mother-in-law, grandmother-in-law, etc.  The simplest things are the best.

Jared and I pick out what we want for Christmas and then get it.  We put up our Christmas tree in the week or so before Christmas. 

I like the idea of one big present and several small ones for the kids.

By the way, when do you open your Christmas gifts Cmom?  I've heard of people opening them on the Epiphany before.

jesse tree:

http://www.domestic-church.com/CONTENT.DCC...DGE/FRIDGE1.HTM

http://www.rca.org/worship/material/advent.../makingtree.php

here is the book:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0806625244/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/002-0305135-8852801?v=glance&s=books

I used the symbols here and made them in plastic canvas because we wore out.

On Christmas eve morning I put up the tree and put ornaments on it all day long and we finally put on Christmas music. I cook the ham, chill the wine. We go to midnight Mass, and everybody shows up at my house about midnight and party until about 3A. THe only rule is that you have to have attended your Church for services that night or are going the next day. My kids usually go and take all their friends or dates with them.

Remember my youngest child is 16, so there are no children present.

Presents are opened when everybody can be dragged out of bed the next day

I didn't start having a party until the kids were old enough to attend it. Before that we attended the choir party after midnight Mass.

[Donna]

Paladin, it might not be possible for you to observe Advent like Cmom can (w/ you at home and all).

But I can say w/out doubt, from experience, that when we began observing Advent, graces did flow and Christmas really really meant what it should.

There is no way I would go back to following the world's time.

It's a completely magical time of the year.

You could recive great graces for yourself and for your family by observing as best you can.

You can be sure Jesus would be pleased with your being willing to observe the Church's liturgical season of Advent. :)

[cmotherofpirl]

Hey Pal do a jesse tree in your Room. Check the sites I listed and it has the symbols you can copy and color. Turn your room into an Advent room :)

[Paladin D]

Thanks!

Question, Advent starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day. So from there to the 25th is Advent. This means no Christmas lights, decorations, or anything?

And Christmas starts from the 24th and ends on Feb 2nd?

This sounds quite different from what I grew up with, but I'm willing to try it out. Just curious, is this what the Church encourages?

[marielapin]

bump

Cmom, is Feb 2nd Candlemas?

[nikkan_hanil]

We HAVE lost it. I've seen various homes with large Santa light up statuettes. >_<

[BLAZEr]

Paladin, know that the church does not require any of this, but she fondly encourages it. Certainly in our spiritual life in the Church it is not Christmas until Christ is born.

My family was not nearly as counter-cultural as C-Mom . . that's amesome if you can be, but we weren't.

However we did not start decorating for Christmas until Dec. 12th, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (we're mexican's so it just feels right) . . . and we only move the evergreen into the house. We put up green wreaths on the door and we put up evergreen all around the living room. We also put the manger up. just the Manger. and we put all the different pieces in different parts of the house. The following Sunday we put up white lights . . . to prepare for the Light of the World . . . and we start to move the manger piecese closer to the manger, of course Mary and Joseph start in mom and dads room and they are going to be the last to arrive, not until Dec. 24th.

Meanwhile we start to put a few more things up, littl eby little we decorate the tree, the rest of the house and we prepare waiting for the King.

See my mom always figured that since we knew who we were waiting for and when he would arrive, that we could begin to prepare for him slowly.

On Christmas eve we would put the angel on the tree and the Star over the Manger. After Midnight Mass we would put Christ in the manger . . . it was sweet. I loved it.

For us, Christmas ended at the Epiphany . . . but Candlemas was the more official end. At the epiphany we would stop turning on our outdoor christmas lights and start to take down the tree