Traditions have been held deep since childhood in our Catholic faith, with Advent and Christmas decorations and celebrations.
We await the Incarnation and our homes and lives reflect this change in the liturgical year. We light the candles on the Advent Wreath, we set out our manger scenes, and add new prayers to the family prayer time with deep intention and anticipated joy. While we may not be able to understand the centuries of yearning for the fulfilment of all the prophecies of Christ’s birth, we still can have wonder and awe at the Incarnation. We are still waiting on God to help us in our lives just as people were more than 2,000 years ago.
How Our Homes Mirror The Liturgical Season
All the different liturgical colors of Advent tell us that The Incarnation of Christ is fast approaching and it is a feast we will always keep. It’s also a way for us to celebrate some amazing saints that have their own particular Advent and Christmas traditions.
Such as St. Lucy, or St. Lucia who is celebrated in Sweden with special St. Lucia sweet breads and special candles lit — often with a wreath of candles on the oldest girl’s head in a special home procession — and special songs sung.
There’s St. Nicholas with the tradition of putting out shoes filled with candy to illustrate the good and giving gifts he gave and how we can imitate his holiness at this time of the year.
Our homes become a small domestic church mirroring what we see at church and helping us anticipate the greatest gift of Christmas: the birth of Jesus Christ.
Get Your Visual Calendar
The season is beautiful with all the different feasts and celebrations we can keep in our homes. Download the PDF of this visual reminder for the month of December.
