Ideas for Fun
this Catholic Season
25 days of ADVENT
(Advent ends Christmas Eve - THEN the Christmas Season STARTS)
The LITURGICAL CALENDAR designates the cyclical celebrations of the Church.
As a Catholic - there's always a Feast Day or reason to celebrate!
The Pie-Chart Style version (below) shows when Advent turns into Christmas, Lent into Easter etc. -
There's a Monthly Calendar Style version, too, which lists SO MUCH MORE than Easter/Christmas...
(find them free at your church, or online):
Liturgical Calendars give a head's up for Saint's Days, Special Days to Celebrate or Attend Mass...
...Certain days to Add Fish to your Grocery List...
What Days to Have a Kid-Parade...Serve Rolls - or Alphabet Soup...Seriously Fun Stuff!
Ex.: Serve Plain Rolls on St. Joseph's Day, Mar. 19th, Cinnamon Rolls on St. Lucia Day, Dec. 13th (see article below), Alphabet Soup on Saint Days when you want to celebrate Saints that wrote a lot like St. Augustine (or maybe the saint your child is reading about)... etc.
Keep Watching This Page for EASY WAYS to Add Joy & Celebration each Season!
Wrap Up FALL with WRAPS
Consider making seasonal wrapping up a tradition.
Take a moment to talk to the Holy Family about wrapping up the Autumn. Ask them for guidance and ideas...and of course prayers and blessings.
Then find a heart to heart moment with each member of your family - individually - to check in on their spiritual and emotional mindset. How's their prayer life? Did they grow in love this season...? Were they actively Thankful for the Thanksgiving Season? Did Sports or School Finals add to or take away from their lives? Did they get to jump in the leaves or just rake 'em (or whatever Fall activity happens in your climate:))?
If you can schedule a last fishing trip or bonfire with what was raked up in the yard, then embrace the blessing of your Hallmark-movie life and go--but you can still make a lasting impact if all the time you can find is a midnight snack, or an in between bath-bedtime moment. Make a memory by being literal here - make wraps - eat wraps - depending on the location you wind up stealing a moment in, wrap them in your Fall-colored blanket/bedcovers/bath towel - and of course a hug...tell them literally you are "wrapping up the Autumn" with love for them - with them. The busy Advent/Christmas season is around the corner...you won't be sorry you took a breath to savor this past season. Nutella and bananas wrapped in pancakes is a fav... but it's the eye-contact you make, the cross you make on their forehead, after talking about God, that will cement the memory.
LUNCH BOX Recipes
So many people have distinct memories of their lunch box or after school snack food. What's yours? Take this opportunity to make a lunchbox memory for your kids.
You know I'm gonna say this is a perfect opportunity to catechize! St. Nicholas Day Saturday is Dec 6th- (see below for making it fun!) But I doubt the kids care about the actual day--just the fun! So pick a day you'll celebrate St. Nick and send red and green sprinkles on their lunch - yes even on a salami sandwich! See below for more to do on St. Nicholas Day.
Friday, December 12th is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mexican Food! ..lunch box tacos (their favorite sandwich but in a taco shell for bread)? Anything with roses on it (slice of cake?)...Mexican Christmas Cookies (google a recipe - they're yummy). See below for more about Our Lady of Guadalupe.
St. Lucia's Day is Saturday December 13th (see below for more fun). So amp up the excitement for Saturday by lunch-boxing Friday the 12th as St. Lucia 'Eve Day :) ! Consider putting a small flashlight in their lunch box and a see-through-treat like a lollipop or gummy they can shine it through. St. Lucia Buns or gingerbread cookies are a nod to her too... And if you have chocolate or gummy eyeballs left over from Halloween - they'd be perfect to reference the martyr's eyes that were gouged out and miraculously restored. 'Just passing on that Catholics aren't stuffy :) --just serious about passing on the faith :) .
Third Sunday of Advent Dec 14th, is Gaudette Sunday - Priests wear Rose Vestments and this week we light the Rose colored candle on our Advent Wreath. Pink Food this week anyone? Watermelon cubes - veggie stix dipped in sour creme with a little strawberry juice mixed in to make it pink - Creme cheese mixed with a little juice from beets--maybe with Lox... - pink sprinkles in chicken salad... Joy!
Consider one day a week (only 3 Fridays in Advent) packing their lunch like a present - a gift bag or even a wrapped box with a bow - with Christmas cookies for desert of course.
If you're ambitious and have the time, add a sticky note for each feast day with St. Whoever - Pray for us! written on it. Then start a habit of later joking about that days' feast day snack. The best notes of course will be the ones that say stuff like "I'm praying for you to have patience with yourself during your math test. Just do your best. Love you! - Mom"
Saintly
Christmas Cookies
We're all called to be Saints. Saints are those who do the right thing - but do it God's way! Remind the kids: You can make a cookie using salt - but to make it sweet and pleasing, use sugar. Don't just make a cookie - make it the right way... For those stubborn kids - you might just have to let them make a batch with salt to drive home that point.
Everyone has a destiny "recipe" - something special that God hopes to do with them, with an individual mix of life ingredients to make the world a better place: 1 part great family, 2 parts silly siblings, 1 part blue eyes... Help them to notice their ingredient list so far..... Juan Diego helped Mary build a church in Mexico, St. Lucy took care of Christians who had to hide, St. Padre Pio had the Stigmata - the wounds of Christ in his hands. St. Francis had them as well, St. Faustina too. They taught us to believe in miracles, to remember the reason Jesus was born. My go-to for this conversation is Linzer cookies. Ooo the irony of talking the kids about the power of suffering like a Saint - while eating jelly cookies!
My go-to recipe for "stigmata cookies", I mean Linzer Cookies is on the site GlutenFreeOnAShoestring.com. I use strawberry jam instead of raspberry (personal flavor choice). It's reeeal important to fridge the dough before rolling... Heart shapes remind us of Jesus' love.
Ask them, if they were a cookie, what would they be? Lots of nuts :)? Half serious (plain) half dipped in chocolate and sprinkles? "Messy" on the outside, but filled with something surprising, sweet, and loving (wrap sugar cookie dough around a candy kiss before baking...) . Their answers are often surprising :) ! Remind them that God gives them ingredients, but they get to make their own recipe - and change their recipe as they grow! One season they might be shortbread - next season white chocolate candy-cane meringue, next gingerbread man with a top hat and tie. Whatever flavor you land on - be sure it includes a big portion of Joy - and above all, pleases God.
December is the Month of
the Immaculate Conception
Eve was born without sin. Then she sinned, and became the first mother - passing on Original Sin.
Mary was born without sin. She remained sinless. From the Cross, Jesus gave Mary to us all as our Mother.
I find it confusing that some people don't think Mary was sinless. If God told us that Eve passed on Original Sin to her children--and that's the way sin is passed on...Why would God choose to be born of a sinful woman? Of course He created Mary sinless!
We celebrate Mary during the whole month of December as the "new Eve," conceived without sin, and forever sinless. Take the whole month to pepper in little moments where you reference how important it is to example Mary as one who did not sin--and the importance of listening to our Mother!
We "use" Santa is watching! as the explanation for why the kids should "be good, for goodness sake". Perhaps the focus on being good could be shifted to being like Mary and Jesus: good, literally for the sake of Goodness. Perhaps Santa can then be left to just be jolly and thoughtful and kind and generous, and like Mary and Jesus - with love - even give badly-behaviored kids a gift, to grow Faith, Hope, Love, and Joy.
January is the Month of
The Holy Name of Jesus
New Years is a great time to snuggle with the kids and talk about Names. Yours - theirs - Grandmas... Re-read the story of the Annunciation when the Angel Gabriel Told Mary her son would be named Jesus (Luke 1:26-38). I call it the Announce-iation to the kids: "Attention attention, Mary, --will you say yes...?"
Then talk about how Joseph learned in a dream that Mary was going to have baby - named Jesus - and that he should get excited and take care of them.
(Matthew 1:18-25)
Talk about how important names are - Maybe draw the children's' names (or Jesus') on paper or on something that can be used as a Christmas ornament/decoration, and let them decorate it (crayons/Christmas stickers/pasta or peppermints glued to cardboard...endless ways).
If God is LOVE - then the name JESUS represents LOVE...take this topic of Christmas Love and run with it parents!
Jesus' Birthday Cake!
Let's not forget that Christmas is one big Birthday celebration! Make Jesus a Birthday cake or put a candle in any type of Christmas Cake - 'cause I'm not sure what Jesus' favorite flavor is :) ! Don't forget to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus, and let the littles in your life blow out the candle for Him!
For years we had a round cardboard form shaped like a cake that the kids re-decorated every year by gluing on stuff - coloring a new wrapping for the sides...Cutting out and decorating fresh cardboard candles... Then we'd sing Happy Birthday, eat a treat, and toss around green and red balloons. Easy/Non-Stress/Impactful.
This year, every morning we sing
"Happy Almost-Birthday" to Jesus while lighting
the Advent wreath candles before breakfast.
Easy/Even-quicker/Impactful.
It's not how you fussed - but that you made Jesus important enough to even do anything at all..
St. Lucia Day
Saturday, December 13th
St. Lucia, in the early 4th century, brought food to persecuted Christians as they hid. To keep her hands free to carry more, she wore a crown of candles on her head. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? This time of year I need that for the attic!
In Sweden, parts of Scandinavia, and anywhere we love a good tradition, girls dress in white (representing the purity of Baptism), as sister's take turns each year to wear a crown of candles (please ensure they're paper or the flashlight type), and the boys also wear white, as well as starboy hats (white cone-hats with gold stars all over them). The children so dressed, wake their parents with St. Lucia Buns, ginger cookies, and coffee. Cinnamon buns work too!
As the celebration differs in countries - Make your own tradition to do this the Saturday morning of St. Lucy's Feast Day, the 13th, or Christmas Eve, or Christmas Morning. This Festival of Lights has other traditions too - look 'em up with the kids!
Remember: It's about the fun, Catholic-style, referencing Saints and God - not the "perfection of fussy traditions of olde".
God Jul!
(Merry Christmas in Swedish)
Christmas Mass
We spend a month or more decorating for Jesus' birthday. To not invite the birthday boy to his own celebration is...awkward. strange. rude.
Celebrate Him in your home, and in your families' home, and in your neighborhood... Try to take time during Advent to visit him in Adoration (Church bulletins that tell you the times of Adoration - are online)
But Be Sure to Go to Christ's Birthday Mass on December 24th or 25th to
spend time with Him on his birthday.
Advent Wreath
3 purple candles and one pink candle.
Arrange them in a circle.
Surround the candles with a wreath of ever-green. (cut some off a tree or make them out of paper or green pipe cleaners wrapped around pencils...
You can buy special rings to hold taper candles in place - but wrapping any candles you have with purple/pink paper works fine too.
More simplicity? 3 Purple/1pink birthday candles in a Christmas donut...light 1 a week accordingly.
It's the passing on of why we light them -
the family moments -
and the prayer we say when lighting them
that matters.
Not into candles? Try cutting candles out of purple/pink paper and tape a little golden flame above the "candle of the week" on the fridge. Don't forget to pray before "lighting".
Remember that the ROSE CANDLE is for Joy!
December 14th is Gaudete (Latin for Joy) Sunday.
You might want to WEAR ROSE today or this week - Within three weeks of "royal purple" candles, where we're patiently waiting for the King - the Church calls for us to focus in on the JOY! JESUS IS COMING - on Christmas the first time - someday for his Second Coming as He promised - and ACTIVELY in your heart, hopefully nudged by Advent... What are you going to do while you wait!!?
Our Lady of Guadalupe
feast day Fri. Dec.12th
In December in the year 1531, Our Lady appeared to a poor man, (now Saint) Juan Diego in Mexico. She asked him to build a church in her honor. He brought this news to the Archbishop who did not believe him. His final vision of Our Lady sent him back to the Archbishop, with others in the room watching. As Juan Diego opened his cactus fiber cloak called a tilma, Castilian roses spilled to the floor: Out of season for those roses - which did not exist in Mexico anyway, but they grew in the Archbishops home town in another country! 'Gotta love Mother Mary's style!
Today, you can still see St. Juan Diego's tilma with the miraculous image of Our Lady on it, at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Modern Science still cannot explain the endless mysteries of this piece of clothing--from why the cactus fibers have not disintegrated in close to 500 years without preservation, to what the colors were made from (science still can't figure it out!), to why, looking at the picture of Mary's eyes under a microscope, you can see the people in the room, from Mary's vantage, as the roses spilled onto the floor. There are so many more details about this true story, and about the tilma image - more than for just a column...! I suppose the most wondrous thing about the fruit of Our Lady of Guadalupe's apparition is that in a short period of time, mi-mi-millions of Mexican's, and through history, countless more everywhere, have become devoted to our Lord within his universal Catholic faith. What more could a mother want!
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A local parish used to process an Our Lady of Guadalupe statue through the neighborhood, ending with a huge party. Is there one in your neighborhood?
Look this one up!! Fascinating - Miraculous - Wow !!
St. Nicholas Day
Saturday, December 6th or whenever...
If your kids are little enough for this - chances are they don't know when St. Nick's feast day is! Pick a December day and share the Joy of Anticipation (...so Advent-ish!) I routinely would forget to "do" this tradition exactly on the 6th - our teen kids have kept the memory of doing this and have no idea of the date mattering...
St. Nicholas (born in 270) was a real person, and is now a Saint. His wealthy Greek parents died when he was a boy. Young Nicholas grew to become a Catholic Priest - then a Bishop. In those days when a family could not pay a debt, their children might be taken, to work off the money owed - ugh! When Nicholas found out that a widower of three girls was in dire straights, each time, before his daughter's were taken, he would toss a sack of gold (from his inheritance) into their window or chimney. The family would awaken to their good fortune and be able to keep the wolves away. The response was so well-received, that he began to repeat his secret saves... Gifts might land on someone's fireplace hearth, or in their stockings drying near the fireplace (no dryers back then)... and well, the rest of the story is part true history (St. Nicholas was an actual Bishop who actually did this--remember pictures of St. Nicholas used to be him with a long Robe and a Bishops hat), and after 1964, part Coca-Cola Santa, (when St. Nick was made Santa secular) but you get the idea.
So feel free to create your own family tradition to honor this selfless-saint, but many parts of the world, including many of German decent, have children leave their shoes on the windowsill or fireplace hearth on St. Nicholas' feast day (the day he died), December 6th. Children awaken to them filled with an orange, nuts, and candy chocolate coins. If their shoes are filled with treats, and not coal, the children, (if good :)), can anticipate that St. Nick will leave a gift for them again on the Christ child's birthday as well, the evening of December 24th.
Frohe Weihnachten!
(Merry Christmas in German)
How do you share faith and traditions
with your family?