... in addition to welcoming our own new little baby at some point!!
Hummm... I wonder just how many of these "plans" I'll be able to pull off! I tried to keep them fairly simple, without adding too many new activities, but I guess we will see!! Yesterday we pulled out all of our Advent Decorations, and (hubby and the boys) moved around the furniture in the living room to make room for our Christmas tree later in December. It's all so exciting! I just love Advent, don't you!?!
~ Around our Home ~
Advent Wreath and Prayers - This Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, we will begin lighting our wreath every evening for dinner and family prayers, including St. Andrew's Christmas Novena. On Christmas we will replace the four Advent Candles with our white Christ Candle (which we will make on the feast of St. Ambrose, to cover on the feast of the Immaculate Conception the next day). I've posted the Advent Wreath prayers we use
here.
Candles in the Window - All during Advent through Christmas Eve.
"The candle in the window, still a favorite traditional Irish Christmas decoration, it harkens back to that ancient Christmas Eve, when Mary and Joseph could find no shelter. It is a symbol of Irish hospitality, their way of welcoming Mary and Joseph...and any travelers who might happen to pass by looking for a warm place to stay.
In the days when it was illegal (and dangerous) to practice the Catholic faith in Ireland because of the oppressive Penal Laws, the candle in the window of Irish homes at Christmas also signaled traveling priests that this was a home where they would be welcome and where they could safely conduct the traditional Irish Catholic Christmas Mass."
Source
Advent Calendars - This is
our favorite. I also purchased one Catholic Child had on clearance to add to our collection this year.
The Jesse Tree - In the past I have
compiled posts with the readings and coloring pages for each day of Advent. This year, I happily signed my children up for
Holy Heroes Advent Adventure! It should be fun!! I am also planning to incorporate a
Jesse "Tea" at some point, thanks to Alice's creativity!
A Nativity Set - Each Sunday, during Advent, we add a few figures to the set leading up to the addition of Baby Jesus on Christmas. The Wise men follow on the feast of Epiphany, as they slowly make their way across the room!
Baskets of Books - I just finished filling up a couple baskets with all of our
Christmas Books! We will read one or two each day during the Advent and Christmas Season. In addition to the
new books for the feast of St. Nicholas this year, I also purchased an
Advent Storybook
and
Destination: Bethlehem
to read each night at bedtime.
Elizabeth also mailed me the most precious book ever!! It is all about a family
Waiting for Noel
, their new baby which ends up being born on Christmas! It is such a perfect addition to our Advent reading this year!!!!
~ Special Days During Advent ~
November 29th, First Sunday of Advent "Stir-Up" Sunday:In addition to beginning all our Advent Traditions, I'm thinking we will be stirring up some yummy treat to save for Christmas, though probably not Plum Pudding... Perhaps the Chocolate Coconut Balls we made last year! December 3rd, St. Francis Xavier: In the morning, we will pray the
Litany of St. Francis Xavier and then read page 20 of
More Saints Lives and Illuminations. In the afternoon, I will let the kids watch
Francis Xavier and the Samurai's Lost Treasure by CCC. I don't know if we will get to it or not, but we may try to make some
St. Francis Xavier Ornaments as well.
Last year, for dinner, I made
Xaver Suppe, but this year hubby has requested Albondigas (Spanish Meatballs), Spanish Rice, and Flan. I've never made Albondigas before, so it should be interesting! Also, since St. Francis Xavier is most often pictured holding a cross, I think I will either make the flan in a cross shape, or add a whip cream cross to the top.
December 6th, St. Nicholas:I've already shared our plans for this year. I am hoping that most of our preparations for this feast will take place the week before, during "N" week! ;)December 7th, St. Ambrose:Since St. Ambrose is the Patron Saint of Candlemakers, we usually decorate our Christ Candle on his feast day. In the past we've just decorated a tall white candle with decorating wax or candle pens. This year, inspired by Jen, I am hoping to carve a little niche out of the base for a wax baby jesus figure. For an afternoon snack I plan on serving tea with Honey Stix
and a tray of Baklava I just picked up at Costco. We will also read the story of St. Ambrose on pages 5-11 Once upon a Time Saints
.For dinner I plan to serve Honey-Curry Chicken, one of our favorites!
December 8th, The Immaculate Conception:Today after Mass, we will come home for a yummy breakfast of Blueberry Muffins and White Hot Cocoa. We will drape a Blue Cloth, or tie a blue ribbon, around the Christ Candle we decorated the day before, in honor of the Blessed Mother. On Christmas Eve the cloth comes off and reveals Christ. This candle then takes the place of the Advent Candles for the Christmas Season.We will also read about
The Immaculate Conception
.
One of the special treats for the day is gingerbread... It is baked on this day because it reminds us of the passage in the Book of Sirach, 24:20-21 that describes Mary smelling like spices:
I gave a sweet smell like cinnamon and aromatical balm; I yielded a sweet odor like the best myrrh; and I perfumed my dwelling as store, and galbanum, and onyx, and aloes, and as the frankincense not cut, and my odor is as the purest balm.
This year I thought it would be fun to bake and decorate a Gingerbread Nativity Scene using a
Nativity Cookie Cutter Set.
December 9th, St. Juan Diego:We will read page 19 of More Saints Lives and Illuminations and Our Lady of Guadalupe
by Father Lovasik. (I still can't believe you can purchase a 10 pack of these books for only $1.50!!!) Then we will listen to Fresh Flowers in Winter: The story of Saint Juan Diego by Glory Stories while the children make St. Juan Diego Paper Dolls, and perhaps tilmas! Since I have other plans for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we will have our
Mexican Fiesta for dinner on this feast day!
December 10th, Our Lady of Loreto:We usually pray the Litany of Loreto as a family and I pint out an online crossword of the Marian Titles from the Litany of Loreto. I've always loved Alice's idea to decorate a House of Loreto (using the Wilton Stand Up House Pan
) for this feast, but I don't think this is the year to start... We'll see!December 12th, The Christmas Rose Novena:
You can pray a novena to St. Therese at anytime, and there are a number to choose from, but one of my favorites is the Christmas Rose Novena which is prayed beginning on the 12th (12 days before Christmas), for 12 days, 12 times per day, to honor the 12 years of Christ's childhood.
December 12th, Our Lady of Guadalupe:I am hoping to be able to have another of Alice's lovely Liturgical Teas in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. They are just so much fun! And, of course, we will also read The Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie dePaola. - You can see my old
O Antiphon posts here, though I am
almost done with a post with this years plans. I also have "plans" to finish our O Antiphon House... lol! I think I will wrap up this post
right now, and just finish it... I only have a few hours left to get it done before Advent begins!
Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold. At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, to hear my prayers and grant my desires. (Mention your intentions here) Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother. Amen.
Say 15 times a day from St. Andrew's Day (30 November), ending on Christmas Eve
(I was so excited to find a copy for our own collection this year!), and I also ordered Lucia, Saint of Light
, which I am hoping arrives by December 13th!
and Miracle of St. Thérèse
.
to my children!
about St. Thérèse
