“It is fitting, my brethren, that we should celebrate this season of Advent with all possible devotion, rejoicing in so great a consolation, marveling at so great a condescension, inflamed with love by so great a manifestation of charity.” — St. Bernard of Clairvaux 

 

The beautiful, peaceful, preparatory season of Advent is upon us. Here are seven ways you can live Advent more intentionally with your Catholic family:

1. Do the Jesse Tree tradition together. The Jesse Tree is a walk through the ancestral line of Christ, from Adam to Jesus. Different days of Advent are spent reflecting on different people or symbols from Jesus’ family tree, so it is a wonderful devotion to travel through the story of salvation history throughout Advent, leading up to Christ’s birth. There are so many great resources available to help your family practice the Jesse Tree devotion. I recommend checking out this Jesse Tree Bundle (with easy-to-use and affordable cards and stickers); these books: The Jesse Tree for Families, The Jesse Tree: An Advent Devotion, or O Come, Emmanuel; as well as these pulpboard ornaments or these wooden ornaments. Check out the resources at EWTNRC.com too.

“We love using the Jesse Tree to count down the days until Christmas and walk through Jesus’ lineage,” said Mirna Schilmoeller, an Orlando, Florida, mother of three. “The Jesse Tree over the years has led us to incorporate many other Advent traditions, especially preparing and decorating slowly, allowing us as a family to wait upon Our Lord.”

2. Read liturgically seasonal books. The Advent season is the perfect time to slow down and cozy up with good Advent-themed literature, both for children and adults. Here is a booklist of some favorite Advent and Christmas-themed titles for children and a booklist with perfect Advent- and Christmas-themed reading for adults. Feel free to use the list as a reference and grab titles from your favorite Catholic publishers and bookstores.

“We love to help our grandkids focus on Jesus during Advent by reading aloud seasonal books we read long ago with their parents,” said Paul Thigpen, a theologian and Georgia grandparent (with his wife Lisa) of six grandchildren. “Their favorite is Papa Panov’s Special Day, the children’s Christmas classic by Leo Tolstoy.”

3. Celebrate feast days! There are so many special feast days sprinkled throughout the Advent season. Celebrate St. Nicholas’ Day by stuffing your children’s shoes by the fireplace with chocolate gold coins, oranges and other goodies. Celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe by bringing roses to a statue of Our Lady at Mass, eating Mexican food or praying the Rosary. St. Lucy’s Day can be honored by dressing up as Lucy (adorned with a candle wreath) and baking homemade buns. Some families light their trees for the first time on this day. Grab a calendar and make a plan to celebrate a few of your family’s favorite Advent feasts, with the help of great ideas from books like Festive Faith or The Catholic All Year Compendium. 

4. Use the “Giving Manger” or another practice to increase works of charity. Do good deeds during Advent, placing a piece of hay in Christ’s manger for each charitable work done as part of the tradition of making the Christ Child’s bed more comfortable with love and good works. Increase your charitable works together during Advent by donating to or helping with your local St. Vincent de Paul Society or food pantry, taking turns being “Advent angels” at home and doing a good deed for another family member, or sharing your time and talent with the sick or elderly. 

5. Bless, display and pray around an Advent wreath. Make the Advent wreath the focal point of your table or mantle during the Advent season. Consider using this book as a resource to gather for a short family prayer around the Advent wreath at dinner each evening. Advent wreaths are available at EWTNRC.com. If you have very little ones and don’t want to light candles each time, check out this wooden wreath that toddlers love.

6. Display and interact with your Nativity scenes. Encourage your children to play with the Nativity scenes in your home, and read together the Nativity account from the Gospels as they do so. Consider saying a short prayer in front of the Nativity throughout the day — this is a great reminder to pray your St. Andrew Novena — and gather around the Nativity for family prayer, as well. Your parish may even allow children to participate in a Nativity play during Advent. 

7. Pray and sing. Advent is an ideal time to increase prayer and also participate in special devotions like the St. Andrew Novena and the O Antiphons. Listen to Advent music rather than Christmas music. (I love this album and here is another collection perfect for the season.) Sing carols with family, friends and neighbors.

Bonus tip: Decorate slowly. While the secular world is skipping Advent, consider how you can prayerfully embrace the holy season by waiting to jump into Christmas (and all the Christmas decor) until Christmastime. 

Krista Hanrahan, an Ohio mother of six, quoted Pope Benedict XVI, who said, “May the Child Jesus not find us distracted or merely busy. ... Rather, let us deck our soul and make our families a worthy dwelling place where He feels welcomed with faith and love.”

Hanrahan explained that, in addition to doing many of the traditions listed above, “One of the most peaceful, grace-filled moments I look forward to each Advent is praying the nightly family Rosary with nothing but the light of the Christmas tree illuminating the living room. These small traditions help us to teach our children that the true preparation for Christmas happens within, as we make room for the Christ Child in our hearts and our home.”