Keeping Christ in Christmas
Just the other day, there was a clipping included with one of my Franciscan newsletters that featured tips on how to "keep Christ in Christmas". Lots of good suggestions, so I'm passing some on here, plus a few others I've found elsewhere. And yes, I know that technically, we're not even in Advent (02-24 December) yet, let alone the Christmas season proper (25 December until the Baptism of Our Lord, this year on 13 January), but in our secularized culture, it's been Christmastime since just after Thanksgiving. :-PShare and enjoy! :-)
- Wish people "Merry Christmas", instead of "Happy Holidays".
- Use postage stamps with a religious theme.
- Buy and send religious Christmas cards.
- Instead of rushing to mail your Christmas cards before 25 December, wait until after the 25th -- the Christmas season proper -- to do so. This will allow you to take a bit more time and be more relaxed as you send out messages of peace and love.
- Buy and use an Advent calendar.
- During Advent, have your children place a straw in the crèche for each good deed they do as a gift to Baby Jesus.
- Make an Advent Chain.
- Light a Christ Candle.
- Buy and play religious Christmas music.
- Help your child/grandchild buy a gift, wrap it, and donate it to the poor.
- Participate in the Latin American celebration of Las Posadas.
- Make use of a crèche in a window or outside.
- Instead of scheduling hectic Christmas parties during Advent, try to schedule them around Epiphany.
Labels: liturgy
posted by Lisa, ofs | Permalink 
2 Comments:
Oooh, I like the Christmas card idea. I could use the extra time! It's nuts I'm stressed about getting them out and it's not even December yet.
My wife started our parish' 1st annual Advent wreath workshop, and got the season off to a grand start this past friday! It really put me in gear for the season, with a much more spiritiual bent to it!
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