Throughout the year, we present an article in the bulletin each week on a variety of topics, written by a member of our Parish staff or ministries on a rotating basis.

Celebrate the Advent Season

by Gwen Heithaus, Coordinator of Religious Education

Every liturgical season has its own feel, its own flair. The Easter season is marked by “Alleluias” and images of the Risen Christ, while ordinary time finds us in a period of growth as we walk with Jesus through the Gospels. The ever popular idea of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during Lent has us all anticipating Ash Wednesday and an opportunity to dive into our planned out preparations. Where does all of that leave Advent? We are told that we are to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ at Christmas, but what does that really mean? Better yet, what does that mean for our families and for our children?

If you are looking for practical, easy to implement ideas to help make this Advent season special then look no further! Check out some of these traditions to see how they might fit your family:

1. How is your family Advent wreath looking this year? Does it need a bit of sprucing up? Visit Michael’s or another craft store and find some berries, ribbon, or pinecones that you can add to it to help set this year apart as a new year. Better yet, consider investing in a real wreath that you can make your Advent wreath. There are plenty of reflections and devotionals available for adults and children out there to help guide your prayer around the wreath each day. The more consistent you can make your time spent around the wreath the better. Consider beginning with a prayer everyone knows (ie, an Our Father), allow one family member to share a bible quote or short reflection (or find one on the internet), and end by singing “O Come O Come Emmanuel”. 
2. We celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas each year on December 6. The custom is that children leave their shoes out in front of the fireplace (or other designated area) and they wake up in the morning to find oranges and chocolate coins, representing the gold that St. Nicholas donated to a family he knew who was in need. This very simple tradition helps bring up the conversation of the importance of giving even before Christmas!
3. Have you ever done a Christmas light scavenger hunt? Create a list of items that you want to walk/drive around to find this Advent season, recalling that one of the reasons we display Christmas lights is to bring more light into the world, just as Christ did. Be intentional about the objects you add to your list – some should be fun, but the goal is to find things that remind your family of what we are preparing for. 

While there are a plethora of other ways to make this season special should you choose to do a Google search for them, prayerfully consider starting with some of these. We are called during Advent to take practical steps to change up our ordinary routine and make this season special. Come, o come, Emmanuel!