I'm a little late but I really wanted to share a post from the archives about Saint Brigid of Ireland! Her feast day was yesterday but I think it is acceptable to recognize her throughout the month of February. I am still playing vatch up from not having a working computer and planning our Lenten season ! Here is my #WorthRevisit with Theology is a Verb and Reconciled to You:
The Feast of Saint Brigid of Ireland
Today is the Feast of Saint Brigid! Yesterday was the Feast of John Bosco too but we were unable to do more than a coloring page and read a few stories in his honor.
As a side note, I would really like to watch Saint John Bosco: Mission to Love and Don Bosco! I have heard amazing things about these movies but have not been lucky to find somewhere to rent them.
On the Eve of Saint Brigid (Saint John Bosco's Feast Day) there is a tradition in Ireland to tie a piece of cloth and leave a piece of oaten bread in the shape of a cross outside for Saint Brigid. The story says that Brigid will bless the cloth (becoming Brigid's Mantle) and her red eared cow will enjoy the bread during their journey. I really wanted to start this special tradition but had to work with the materials I had available for the cloth outside I used leftover red ribbon. I tied it to the mailbox. We also did not have the ingredients to make oaten bread so I used one of the extra not iced cupcakes from our Baptism Anniversary and drew a cross on top and placed it on the porch.
In the morning, Little Man checked the front yard after I woke up to check and see if Saint Brigid had come with her cow. It was so cute, Squishy ran after him and said "WOW! Mommy, where'd it go?!" The cupcake was gone and the ribbon had been untied and placed in our mailbox. I was surprised myself but I know this will have to become a regular custom on the Eve of Saint Brigid. Next year I'd like to bake some oaten bread!
Today we also went Goofy golfing with some great friends! Squishy did such a good job following the rules and taking turns! After two rounds of golf we ended our visit with Root beer floats and headed home to make our Saint Brigid Crosses and color our coloring pages.
At some point, I would like to make Saint Brigid's crosses to pass out at a Nursing home or at the Hospital too. Saint Brigid had such love for the poor and elderly and I think would make the boys smile to see how an act of kindness can help someone, even someone they don't know. This year was my first time trying to make a Saint Brigid Cross and it was much simpler than I thought. At the top is a picture of the cross I made for my house and the one below is a picture of the one Little Man made. The pipe cleaners we used made the construction a little easier but Squishy did not have the patience to build one and fell asleep on the couch for his afternoon nap while Little Man and I worked. While we were crafting, I found the cutest youtube video with a retelling of Brigid's Cloak. I tried to find a copy at our local library but they did not have a copy so I will be purchasing it soon.
After we completed our crosses we blessed them with holy water and prayed Saint Brigid's Blessing. I still have not had the time to go grocery shopping since the bad weather so I will have to try some of the traditional Irish recipes I found another time.
I can not believe how quick and smoothly this Advent has been! Today is the feast of Saint Ambrose and we kept it quick and simple. Saint Ambrose is one of four Doctors of the Church and has some amazing stories to accompany his great stature as a saint. There is a legend that when Saint Ambrose was just an baby, a swarm of bees landed on his face but instead of stinging him, left behind a drop of honey. To his father, this was a sign that Ambrose would become someone with a special talent for speaking. As an adult, Saint Ambrose became the bishop of Milan. He donated all of his land and money to the poor. These reasons and many more made him extremely popular among the people and even more politically powerful than the emperor at times. He is the patron saint of bee keepers, beggars, learning and Milan.
To start our morning, we were welcomed with another note from Buddy the Elf reminding us of this very special feast day. He brought us some candles and requested that we make our Christ Candle today. Creating the Christ Candle is a very fun and appropriate craft since bees are known for their wonderful wax.
As you can see from the picture at the top of this post, we easily created our Christ Candle with a gold Sharpie and a glass candle from the Dollar Tree. Placing the Christ Candle in the center of the Advent wreath is a great way to incorporate it into your Advent celebrations. It is something to anticipate and you light it on Christmas because we have been graced with the Light of the World.
After we finished our Christ Candle, we enjoyed a nice family dinner of Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken. It was modified slightly from the recipe I shared on my Menu Plan Monday post because I forgot to defrost my chicken breasts! So I cooked everything in the crockpot on high in the crockpot for 2 hours and then grilled the chicken until it was cooked fully. It turned out amazing!
I am now enjoying a nice cup of mint tea with honey to end today's festivities! How is your Advent progressing? It's not too late to make it the best Advent ever! Just let me know if you need some suggestions or help... I have tons of resources to share!
Welcome to the weekly link-up recently turned Blog-Hop Just Enough Info or just, JEI for short. This lovely Blog-Hop is hosted by The Zelie Group and we would love for you to join us! This week we are discussing Thanksgiving! I'll also be sharing some of our fun activities we have been doing during this fun family holiday! Let's get started with this week's questions:
Do you have to cook for Thanksgiving? If yes, what’s on the menu? If no, high five!
Yes! I always cook for Thanksgiving! I love to do it and I hope I am able to do it for years to come! We were lucky enough to enjoy a Turkey Trot and Thanksgiving feast at the kids' school this past Friday, a Friendsgiving in my cousin's home this past Sunday and an amazing Thanksgiving with new friend's yesterday. We like to cook a lot so we have leftovers to make soup and casserole over the week after Thanksgiving. Here was our menu:
Appetizers:
Crockpot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Meat and Cheese Tray
Vegetable Tray
Dinner:
Turkey
Cranberry Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Macaroni and Cheese
Peas and Onions
Green Bean Casserole
Cranberry Sauce
Gravy
Drinks:
Cranberry Apple Cider Sangria
Sprite
Cranberry Sprite
Sparkling Apple Cider (Non-Alcoholic)
Desserts:
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Fruit Salad (Brought by our friends)
Pumpkin Roll (Brought by our friends)
Ube Cheesecake
(I purchased this homemade dessert from a coworker who makes this dessert from scratch!)
I am still in a food coma and exited about leftover meals this week! I am also excited to start my new workouts starting today! I have to get back to where I was so I am healthy for myself and my kids. Want some of my recipes? Just comment below!
What famous person would you like to invite to your family Thanksgiving?
If I could invite any famous person to our family Thanksgiving, I would love to have Pope Francis over! How amazing and life changing of an experience that would be! I could imagine that there would be no better Thanksgiving!
Excluding family, health and basic needs met - what are 3 things that you are thankful for?
Well since I am not suppose to mention my husband, kids, health and my basic needs.. this list may seem weird to some but I am truly thankful for my cats, coffee and time to make memories! These aren't things that I need to survive, unlike my family, health and home, but they definitely make life more amazing!
1. My Cats: Lemon, Shadow and Cloudy
I know that's probably funny to hear but these little fur balls of pure love really keep me sane sometimes. As I am typing this, Lemon is snuggling with me on my heated blanket and purring. It's an amazing feeling feeling of relaxation and love combined into one. You like our holiday accents for our fur babies?
2. Coffee!
Coffee is a life-saver for me! I live off of it. With juggling the kids crazy schedules (sports, therapy, cub scouts and friends) with my work schedule, household work and the million other things I find myself getting into, the caffeine pickup is a necessity! Plus it tastes amazing! Pumpkin Spice, peppermint mocha, hazelnut flavors ... lattes, cold brew or a cup of french press... so many options and I love them all!
3. Time to Make Memories
Making memories and enjoying experiences are the MOST important to me. I love having time to celebrate things, even if it's not super exciting to anyone else. For example, the boys had a Turkey Trot and Thanksgiving celebration at school and I decided to make Turkey T-shirts and masks. I think the whole family had a blast! All the stuff I needed to make these fun turkey costume pieces I found at the local craft store. Even the shirts the boys are wearing in the first picture at the top of this post.
For the masks:
Plain white mask
Brown felt (Turkey mask base)
Yellow Felt (Beak)
Red Felt (Wobble)
All I did to make the masks was place the felt over the brown felt and layered it with a second mask to draw the outlines of the mask. I should have drawn the eye outline as well instead of guessing as you can see from the white part of the mask showing through. I hand drew the wobble and beak in the corresponding felt and used fabric glue to stick it all together! If you have elastic, you can skip the white mask all together and just add the elastic to the felt mask itself. Super easy and super cute.
For the shirts:
Plain T-shirt (I wanted to find brown shirts but could only find black shirts)
Red, orange, yellow felt (feathers but you can use any colors!)
White Felt (Eyeballs)
Black Sharpie
Yellow Felt (Beak)
Red Felt (Wobble)
Draw some feathers in the colored felt, cut them out and fabric glue them on the back of your shirt to be able to make the 'Shake Your Tail-feather" Shirt. If you like the one pictured at the top too you could add it to your tail feather shirt or by itself! Just cut some white felt circles for the eyes (Sharpie to make the pupils). Yellow felt for a beak and red felt for the wobble.
You have all week to answer this week's questions all about Thanksgiving:
1. Do you have to cook for Thanksgiving? If yes, what’s on the menu? If no, high five!
2. What famous person would you like to invite to your family Thanksgiving?
3. Excluding family, health and basic needs met - what are 3 things that you are thankful for?
Next week we will be discussing all about Holiday Get-Togethers:
1. What's your go-to "someone's coming over" recipe?
2. You have 5 minutes to tidy before guest arrive. What are your tidying shortcuts?
3. What sort of music sets the mood for the perfect gathering?
The Zelie Group has some fun questions coming up in the next few weeks so make sure to follow us on Facebook and we would love to hear what you are interested in! What are you looking to learn about? Do you have questions about the Faith? Questions about the Liturgical Year? We want to help and learn and grow with you and your families!
Also stop by the new Page I created on my blog for new information concerning The Zelie Group. It is a work in progress but it has a good start!
I have really enjoyed writing this Advent Series. I have shared a broad overview of ways to celebrate Advent with your family, traditions prayers and discussed devotions, music and much more. If you have missed any part of the series there are links below. Part 3 of this Advent series will focus on the O Antiphons also known as the Golden Nights. If you haven't had a chance to check out the first two posts you can find the links below:
This post may contain affiliate links. I would make a small commission if you click the link and choose to purchase something. There is no increased cost to you and All opinions here are mine. I greatly appreciate your support!
What are the O Antiphons?
The O Antiphons, also known as the Golden Nights begin on December 17th and end on December 23rd. Each Antiphon begins with "O" and addresses Jesus with a special name that came from the prophecies of Isaias and Micah. The titles of Jesus and whose initials, when read backwards, form an acrostic for the Latin "Ero Cras" which means "Tomorrow I come." Those titles for Christ are listed below with the dates they are celebrated on with ideas to make them special for you and your family. Something else that is important to mention is that these are called the Golden Nights because that is when they are meant to be celebrated.
December 17: Sapientia
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
I have read several blogs that suggest purchasing a book for their families that focuses on the churches teachings, ways to celebrate the Liturgical Year or other ways to bring the faith alive. I like this idea and I have purchased books in honor of this night. We have also set up special trips to the library on this day and we search for books together that we would like to read about the Advent season. This is also the night we complete our Christmas cards and share the knowledge of Christ's coming.
December 18: Adonai
O Leader of the House of Israel,
giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:
come to rescue us with your mighty power!
As a family activity we normally enjoy creating a gingerbread village and decorate individual gingerbread houses. I would like to start a new tradition this year where we "Tinsel" a home on this evening too. Essentially we would put a little basket together for a family somewhere in the area and leave it at their doorstep. I envision this basket being filled with a couple goodies and things that will represent Jesus and hopefully be reminders to whoever is gifted the basket the true reason for the season. This is also a great night to enjoy a fire! Especially with the reference to Moses since he came across of the burning bush.
December 19: Radix Jesse
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
On this day I normally purchase a Poinsettia to represent the "root of Jesse". It is a beautiful flower and is a great representation of what is celebrated on this day. Root vegetables would make a great meal and maybe including some Root beer or Root beer floats would be a special treat the whole family would enjoy.
December 20: Clavis David
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
I read somewhere that on this night that there was a monastic tradition on this night and the monk in charge of the wine cellar would provide a special bottle of wine to celebrate.Obviously I will be finding a special bottle to share with my husband on this night and I will open up some sparkling cider for the boys to enjoy! I have also seen a few other blogger families that enjoy a Key Lime Pie too! In addition to our special drinks, the kids will also be receiving their own special house keys this year.
December 21: Oriens
O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the
shadow of death.
With all the references to light in this O Antiphon, we normally go on our annual Christmas Light viewing complete with everyone wearing their favorite pajamas, wrapped in a warm blanket and enjoying a hot cup of cocoa or apple cider. I have included scavenger hunts on our ride throughout the neighborhood to make things even more exciting too. We will also put a candle light in our window on this night as well thanks to this amazing article I came across the other day:
“Placing lit candles in windows arises from the British persecution against the Catholic Church in Ireland. Since the time King Henry II invaded Ireland in 1171, persecution against the Irish has existed. This persecution increased tremendously in the wake of the Protestant movement, especially under Elizabeth I and then Oliver Cromwell. The logic was simply this: the British conquerors were Protestant and the Irish people were Catholic; therefore, to totally subjugate the Irish people, the British had to crush their religion, and that meant crushing the Catholic Church…During Christmas, every faithful Irish Catholic family hoped to have a priest visit their home so that they could receive the sacraments and in return offer him hospitality. So they would leave their doors unlocked and place candles in the windows to signal a priest that he was welcome and would be safe. Sometimes, a single candle would appear in several windows, or three candles in one window, one each representing Jesus, Mary and Joseph.”
Since Christmas is approaching so quickly, this is the night I usually present the boys with their new Christmas outfits or additions to an outfit to make it look more presentable. This year both boys are in need of new dress shoes and a new shirt so they will get their clothes "fit for a king" this evening. Goalie will be singing in the children's choir and Little Man might be altar serving so I know they value wearing their Sunday Best. In addition to our tradition of new clothes, I have seen that it is common to celebrate with a crown cake or complete some crown crafts.
December 23: Emmanuel
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!
If possible, I try to take the kids to see a LIVE Nativity on the last night of the O Antiphons. There have been times due to weather, illness or other things that kept us away from attending the LIVE nativity so the boys will make nativity puppets and act out the story. I feel like these kinds of activities really increases the amount of anticipation that the children feel waiting for the baby Jesus to arrive. It would also be a great day to go sit with the Blessed Sacrament for an hour since Emmanuel means "Christ with us". He is most definitely with us when we go to visit him in the tabernacle.
If any of the names of Jesus seem familiar to you, the O Antiphons are the reason behind the lyrics to the Advent song, O Come O Come Emmanuel. At the end of your Golden Night celebrations, singing this song together would be a great way to bring things full circle.
Looking for more ways to celebrate the Golden Nights? Check out the Resources below:
I am in the process of creating my very first O Antiphon House as we speak and I am revamping of Jesse Tree this year so keep a look out for upcoming posts sharing all about these great ways to keep Advent Holy. The final part of my Advent series will include an Advent Bucket List, Shopping Guides and talk about a few other ways to Prepare for a Holy Advent. How close are you to being ready for Advent? What is it you are looking for more information on? I'd love to help and I would love to hear what you think about the O Antiphons. I just learned about the Golden Nights about 7 years ago and fell in love with them!
Prayers and Devotions are very important to a Holy Advent Season. Neither have to be extremely long or tedious just something that you do each day to help you grow in Faith. This particular post is going to focus more on an adult version of Advent. Don't get me wrong, I fully participate in all the kids activities I discussed in How to Prepare for a Holy Advent Series: Part 1 because I love arts and crafts, and all the fun you are allowed to have as a child, but you also need the prayers, readings, devotions and the other deeply intriguing parts to even you out as an adult. Most of the topics here can also be modified to be more easily understood for children too. So take what you like, modify it or share it with your friends and family. I would love to see how this information was used to help bring a meaningful Advent to you and those you love. Let's get started!
This post may contain affiliate links. I would make a small commission if you click the link and choose to purchase something. There is no increased cost to you and All opinions here are mine. I greatly appreciate your support!
Prayers:
Prayers are so important to incorporate into your Advent Activities. Most of these prayers are copyrighted so I will link to the sites that offer the prayers on their sites. Some of the websites even include an option to print the prayers for your own person use. I would encourage you to create a notebook with prayers like these to have on hand and easily accessible when they are needed.
**To be said 15 times a day from November 30th to Christmas Eve**
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.
The O Antiphons are a special and ancient part of our liturgy. I am dedicating the third part of my Advent Series because there is so much wonderful information to share and activities that can be done to make these days the most memorable, especially as these days lead up to Christmas Eve. These night celebrate the special names given to Our Lord by prophets.
December 17
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
December 18
O Leader of the House of Israel,
giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:
come to rescue us with your mighty power!
December 19
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
December 20
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
December 21
O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the
shadow of death.
December 22
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
December 23
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!
I suggest that you sign up for Novena reminders through Pray More Novenas. They will send reminders to you directly via email so you never forget when a Novena and other prayers start. I use the resource and love it.
Devotions:
Devotion is a fancy word for love. Love is the key to everything in our Catholic faith. Find some devotions, or loves, that bring you closer to Christ. This can be anything to 5 minutes of time for you to doodle in your prayer journal, to reading devotional books or anything that allows you to fully dedicate yourself to time with you and Christ. I am going to list a few devotionals I think are worth looking into and you can choose what works best for you!
This is a Photo-a-day Challenge I am helping to host with The Zelie Group. Take a picture and share it with us each day throughout Advent and share what makes it special or meaningful to you. I am excited to be a part of this devotion and I can't wait to see what beautiful pictures are shared.
There is another Photo Challenge by I Love my Shepherd as well. Check out their post and follow their link to the PDF they created for Advent 2016.
I am super excited to be using this devotional throughout this upcoming Advent. I received it in my Little Catholic Box subscription and it's sitting on our home altar just waiting for me to open it up November 27th.
This is a FREE email subscription devotional and I just registered to complete this devotional along with several others with my family. Sign up so you have an extra option for Advent.
Devotionals are some of my favorite things to do during periods of greater prayer. They are very insightful and can help focus your intentions and grow your faith. If none of the devotionals above caught your eye, you could always do a scriptural devotion in your prayer journal too. I like to do both because doodling and writing are some of my favorite activities but I also enjoy reading. With so many different options, you can find something that will work for you!
Looking for a fun way to celebrate Advent and bring back the spark you had as a child? Checkout these very Grown-Up Advent Calendars. I think one of these would be a perfect Advent present for someone you want to include in the festivities that may not always join in the fun normally.
Music:
Advent music is COMPLETELY different from Christmas Music. The sounds of Advent are suppose to increase our anticipation of the joyous Christmas season. Here is a short (10 song) list that you should take a listen to during Advent to help set the mood in your household. Most people aren't aware that there are different types of Music for this season and I'll be honest, I listen to Christmas Carols and Christmas music during Advent sometimes too. It's just one of those things that is hard to not do during Advent. Well here is a short Advent play list for you. There are several different versions of each song so take a look and choose your favorites! Any song that Celine Dion has sung is my favorite (Ave Maria makes me tear up every time I listen to it). Tell me what songs do you listen to in this time of waiting? Or are you like me and struggle with holding back on the Christmas Music too?
In the third part of this Advent Series, I will be taking a closer look into the O Antiphons. I will discuss what they are, fun ways to celebrate, traditions and some crafts. I'll include some great family movies and books that you should checkout this Advent too. The final portion of this Advent series will include an Advent Bucket List that can correspond with specific days throughout Advent or you can just use it as a list to help you fully enjoy the season. I will also include a Christmas Shopping Guide. Is there anything you would like to see added before this series is complete? I am already working on some Christmas posts as well.
The Year of Mercy is wrapping up November 20, 2016 and Advent begins November 27, 2016. Something that I have found to be 100% true is that you either plan to win or you plan to fail. With Advent so close it is time to start planning to win! Let's make this the most meaningful and memorable Advent for you and your families! There is so much information on Advent that I am going to make this series. This particular post will focus on the children and family activities and resources. I hope that separating some of the information it will make it an easy resource for you to utilize while you prepare for this Advent season. This post may contain affiliate links. I would make a small commission if you click the link and choose to purchase something. There is no increased cost to you and All opinions here are mine. I greatly appreciate your support!
What is Advent?
First thing is first... It is important to understand what Advent truly is. The definition of Advent is the arrival of a notable person, thing or event. That is EXACTLY what we are celebrating during the Advent season. We are preparing for the arrival of Jesus through his birth. It is also the beginning of the Liturgical Year. This season is most notable for the feelings of anticipation and hope! Advent is a four week celebration, which gives you plenty of time to really enjoy the season and grow your faith.
How do we Celebrate?
This is the fun part! There are several ways to celebrate this Liturgical Season. This includes an Advent Wreath, Devotions, Jesse Trees, Sacrifice Manager, the Nativity and so much more! I will include some great ways to celebrate Advent in this section but if you have more ideas, I would love to hear them! Remember this particular post is focussing on the family and children and if these ideas sound like something you would like to do, make sure to set aside some extra time in your day and that you gather any materials you may need before hand.
Advent Wreath:
The Advent Wreath has always been my most favorite display during Advent! An Advent wreath can be as simple as creating a wreath from a paper plate or construction paper or as elaborate as you can possibly imagine. I can't tell you which wreath will work for you best but I know for my family we made one. They offer cheap green wreaths and the candle holders that you intertwine into the wreath at most craft stores and I have been pleasantly surprised to learn they have also been selling the Advent candles. For an Advent Wreath you need 3 purple candles and 1 pink. You can also add a White Christ Candle in the center (I'll discuss the Christ Candle a little later). Each candle represents a week of Advent (except the white candle, that represent Christ himself and is lit on Christmas Day). To make it known to the whole family how special this wreath is, we place it on our dinner table. We light the candles as we come together to eat dinner each night and I allow the boys to take turns lighting and blowing out the candles.
The Jesse Tree is another fun faith filled activity but it is completed daily. The Jesse tree is named from Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot shall come out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Jesse was the father of King David. The ornaments on this tree tell the story of Jesus from the Old Testament. To complete my family's Jesse Tree, I normally have the boys create their own ornaments from coloring pages and we hang them from a display on our fireplace. The Jesse Tree itself can be anything that you need it to be. A tree drawn on a poster board, branches in a vase, a small christmas tree from the Dollar Tree or you could even use your own Christmas Tree if you don't plan to decorate it with real ornaments until Christmas Eve! You could also make the ornaments into a book or place them in a prayer journal. Its a fun devotion for children that really touches their hearts, so make it as simple as you like and enjoy your family time!
Want to make your own Jesse Tree? Look at this Jesse Tree from Faith and Fabric!
Fun Fact: There is a similar activity called the Jesus Tree that is done during Lent! So if you have fun with this activity give the Jesus Tree a try too.
Sacrifice Manger or Christmas Crib:
Something about Advent that gets overlooked is that it is essentially a mini-Lent. In Lent we sacrifice things and offer up additional prayers to repent and prepare for the celebration of Easter. Advent is similar but not to the degree of Lent. The Sacrifice Manager is a way to bring back the sacrifice that comes with preparing yourself for a Holy Celebration. You place a "manger" in a place that the whole family sees on a regular basis. The "manger" could be a cardboard box or anything that can hold straw or paper. Each time an extra prayer is said, a good deed is done or someone sacrifices something , like that extra Christmas cookie to a sibling, the children place a piece of straw or paper in the manger in an effort to make it as soft and comfortable as possible for the baby Jesus that will arrive Christmas Day! If you checkout the Resources below there are a variety of options.
The Nativity:
The quintessential piece of Advent is a focus on the Nativity. I think this can also add a lot of anticipation in the coming of Christmas. I normally set out the Nativity and leave the manager empty and I do not add the Wise Men to the location where Mary and Joseph are with the empty manger. On Christmas morning everyone wakes up to find that the baby Jesus has arrived in the manger and then allow I bring out the Wise Men and slowly move the wise men towards the Nativity as the Twelve Days of Christmas progress. If you do not have a nativity, there are so many options available to you that will allow you to still complete this type of activity. I have made a DIY Nativity scene from toilet paper rolls, there are also nativities made from peg dolls, legos and so much more!
Advent Calendars have always been a nostalgic treat for me. There are many different types of Advent Calendars but I always imagine the ones where you get a small chocolate each day until Christmas arrives. There are re-useable calendars that I have seen people place their Jesse Tree ornaments inside and other cute ideas. Do you have an Advent Calendar you use during this season? If you are looking for some great kid options check out the items listed below:
With the popularity of this particular item, I did not feel I could leave it out of this Advent Planning Guide. My boys do have an Elf on the Shelf named Buddy... that would be thanks to the movie Elf. My boys really enjoy the book that comes with the Elf on the shelf but they also offer the Elf dolls separate. I have not really embraced the "naughty elf" idea that I think most people are utilizing this toy for. Instead, I have our elf bring the craft items or ingredients for a special treat with him on his return visits from the North Pole. I also know some families that use a Christmas Angel and other ideas similar to Elf on the self that can be used to create a magical and faith-filled Advent for your families. Here is a small list of examples that I do with Buddy:
1. I normally host a "Welcome Back Buddy Breakfast" the day after Thanksgiving. Including a special breakfast of hot cocoa and pancakes complete with lots of sprinkles and whipped cream. We also enjoy the Elf on the Shelf Movie.
2. Buddy will bring prayer cards or medals during the Saints' feast days sometimes or handwrite a special prayer to the kids. See the list of Feast Days below.
3. Buddy will draw the focus toward something important like the Advent Wreath on the first Sunday of Advent and sit near or on the wreath.
4. Buddy brings us an Advent Bucket List of activities including visiting a live Nativity, making gingerbread cookies, go look at Christmas Lights and so much more.
5. Buddy will also bring reminders that the reason for the season is Christ, not presents, candies and other material things and remind us to do good things like donating items and other good deeds.
Looking for more ideas? or ideas that are more specific? I am contemplating writing out exactly what I have planned for Buddy the Advent Elf at a later date.
Feast Days to Remember in Your Advent Festivities:
These special days are fun and add to the anticipation and hope of Christmas. I will be sharing more detailed plans, crafts and other ways to celebrate these following feast days but I thought I could still share an idea or two to get everyone started. I will link to those plans as I have time to write them up here.
First Sunday of Advent: November 27
Make sure to bring out all the Advent decorations! The Advent wreath, Advent calendar, Sacrifice Manger, The Jesse Tree, The Nativity and adorn your home with the color of the season, which is purple. Today is a great day to do an Advent Wreath Blessing as a family and light the first purple candle. The first Sunday of Advent is also known as Stir-up Sunday and is traditionally celebrated with some sort of plum pudding or fruit cake that everyone in the family can "stir-up".
Saint Andrew:
November 30
Start the Saint Andrew Novena! Also known as the Christmas Novena. It is believed that if you recite the Saint Andrew Christmas novena prayer FIFTEEN times each day from the feast of St. Andrew until Christmas Eve, that you will obtain the favor requested.
Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.
Saint Francis Xavier:
December 3
Food is always the quickest way to my family's heart so we like to enjoy some Xaver Suppe on the feast of Saint Francis. There is also an adorable animated film you could watch as a family called Saint Francis Xavier: Samurai's Treasure. My children love all of the CCC Kids movies.
Second Sunday of Advent:
December 4
The second purple candle is lit today on the Advent Wreath. This week doesn't have any popular traditions or customs I am aware of but I would love to hear if you know of any.
Saint Nicholas: December 6
This feast day is one that is so easy for children to relate to because most know of "Saint Nick" or "Santa Claus" already. On the eve of his feast day, it is traditional to leave your shoes or stockings out and Saint Nicholas will fill them with small gifts, nuts and fruits. As you can see from the pictures above: I like to include chocolate coins, candy canes and a book with a pair of socks or slippers. There is also another CCC Kids video called Saint Nicholas: The Boy who Became Santa and a Veggie Tales movie called St. Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving.
Saint Ambrose:
December 7
Remember when I said I would discuss the Christ Candle again? Well Saint Ambrose is a patron saint of candle makers and today would be the perfect day to create a Christ Candle! All you need is a white candle and some art supplies. I usually head over to the Dollar Tree and purchase the candles they have that are inside glass. I will then create a Chi Rho on a piece of paper and tape it to the outside of the glass to make the candle a Christ Candle. It is also symbolic to place a blue ribbon around the candle to symbolize Mary, who carried the baby Jesus in her womb.
The Immaculate Conception of Mary:
December 8
A fun Marian feast day. The Immaculate Conception of Mary can be celebrated in a multitude of ways. Make a Mary Candle. It's traditional to make Moravian Spritz, or gingerbread cookies. Enjoying a nice all white dinner would be a great way to honor Mary's purity.
Saint Juan Diego:
December 9
Making some Mexican food is always a favorite tradition of mine of this feast day. There is also an animated film called Juan Diego: Messenger of Guadalupe and a great Glory Story CD about him. Which by the way... I believe you can get for FREE at Holy Heroes so check it out.
Third Sunday of Advent:
December 11
Today is known as Gaudete Sunday and is celebrated with the Rose (pink) colored candle being lit. It is the Sunday that we "Rejoice" that Christmas is almost here!
Our Lady of Guadalupe:
December 12
The feast of Our Guadalupe and Saint Juan Diego really can go hand in hand. So anything you could do for the feast of Saint Juan Diego you could do today.
Saint Lucy:
December 13
Today is a festival of light! It is tradition that the oldest girl in the family will wear a white dress and crimson sash and stockings. She will also wear a wreath crown with white lighted candles. In the morning, she will wake up the family with steaming coffee and some kind of sweet rolls or bread, also known as Santa Lucia Bread. There are processions and songs sung by children. Boys can also participate in the fun as Star Boys!
Fourth Sunday of Advent:
December 18
The last purple candle is lit on the Advent Wreath today. If you are willing, it is tradition to setup your Christmas Tree today. I will be the first to admit we have a family tradition of putting up the tree on Thanksgiving because of how busy the holidays are so do what is best for your family.
The O Antiphons:
December 17- December 23
These are known as the Golden Nights. Each night is a celebration of a unique title that was given to Jesus from the prophecies. These are amazing nights and can be very awe-inspiring. I will be sharing more on the O Antiphons in a future post.
Christmas Eve:
December 24
The final preparations for Christmas should be completed tonight. Be ready for the twelve days of Christmas and the the Epiphany. Cook, clean and have your heart and soul ready to receive Our Lord as he is born. The time for preparations are coming to end and the real celebration is about to start. Advent ends on the afternoon of Christmas Eve because the Christmas Celebrating starts in the evening.
Resources:
Check out these amazing resources that will certainly help broaden your horizons and help you tap into that craftiness you have deep inside you. If you can't already tell, I am so excited about this upcoming Advent. Let's make sure it is a holy and prayerful one that brings us closer to God.
Have you ever heard of the Holy Heroes Advent Adventure? This is a FREE Adventure for children. All you have to do is sign up with your email and you will receive emails several times throughout the week with links to videos that explain the season of Advent, coloring pages, cross words and fun activities that are so fun for your entire family! If you chose that you would rather have all this sent to you in a workbook versus printing it yourself, you can also order the Advent Adventure Workbook.
In addition to the Advent Adventure, Holy Heroes also has ornaments for a Jesse Tree, a sacrifice manger and Advent wreaths. They have great gift options that are meaningful and products you can add to family traditions and celebrations you already celebrate during this amazing time of the year.
I am a huge advocate of the Holy Heroes website because they offer many FREE resources but also sell products that connect with your families at an extremely reasonable cost! They offer most things at a bulk discount so if you get your parish or church groups involved, you can often save money and spread the faith.
I have included the link to my Pinterest Account because I have a nice assortment of DIY crafts and ways to celebrate Advent. I also have another board dedicated to Christmas if you are already planing your Christmas Celebrations as well.
This amazing blog offers some great recipes to celebrate the Liturgical Year. It is a resource I refer to often because it is separated by Liturgical season and month.
I hope that these activities, crafts and resources are helpful to you and your families as you prepare for the holy season of Advent. The next part of this series will focus on prayers, devotions and a more adult view on the season. In addition to that, I will be including a series on the O Antiphons, music and movies, an Advent Bucket List and a Christmas Shopping Guide. There is so much information to share and I am attempting to consolidate things into an easy to access resource that can be looked to throughout the season. Would you be interested in an Advent style blog hop? I literally have ideas just pouring out of me right now and would love some input. I have also began a series on Christmas including the 12 Days of Christmas and so much more so please make sure to stay tuned for the excitement to come!
In the morning, Little Man checked the front yard after I woke up to check and see if Saint Brigid had come with her cow. It was so cute, Squishy ran after him and said "WOW! Mommy, where'd it go?!" The cupcake was gone and the ribbon had been untied and placed in our mailbox. I was surprised myself but I know this will have to become a regular custom on the Eve of Saint Brigid. Next year I'd like to bake some oaten bread!
