Ideas to Make Your Christmas Special

Do you have a great family Christmas Advent Tradition?

Ask one hundred people on the street, "What does Christmas mean to you?" and you are likely to get 100 varied answers. The Christmas Advent Season always conjures up thoughts, feelings, and memories. Would you like to make the entire season more memorable, and more positive for those you love and care about? Thoughtfully establish a tradition!

Traditions can be wonderful "anchors" in a life of flux and uncertainty. Our best traditions remind us of our place and purpose in this world. And the good news is that you can establish your own tradition, and perhaps see it carried on for generations to come. And, it doesnďż˝t have to be expensive.

Traditions centered around activities: Some families establish a tradition around the activities of the season. Shopping for the tree, decorating the tree as a family, going caroling, having a special Christmas dinner, going to Christmas Mass.

Traditions centered around the Message of Advent: Some families have established a tradition around the Message of the Advent season. As an example, we have for thirty four years gathered the entire family on Christmas eve, and read the story of Christmas from the gospel accounts, let the youngest participant put the story in their own words, which by the way is always good for some humor, offer a prayer of thanksgiving, and then opened one present each while Christmas music plays in the background. Even those family members now in other states with their own families or single, take a few minutes out on Christmas Eve to celebrate the wonder of the message of Christmas, sometimes checking in by phone to share in the tradition.

Free Catholic PDF's - Home / Parish / School / Bulletin Inserts

A Tradition centered around reaching out: We are aware of families that invite a person from their Parish or from a neighborhood nursing home to the home for Christmas dinner. Others choose to serve food in a local shelter for those with no home and no family. Still others deliver toys to homes where Christmas presents are an unlikely event.

The strength of establishing a tradition lies within the ability of the tradition to make the participants cease their normal activities, and focus on the deeper meanings within a holiday over cluttered with the frivolous and commercial. To be sure: We can enjoy the latter, and should. It just grounds us in truth to find our individual and collective methods of celebrating the incredible gift of the Christ Child.

Connect with Jesus
Build a Family Tradition
Bake cookies
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Give Great Gifts
Thank All Our Troops
Share Christmas Stories with the family
Spend time with your family
Explore new cultures
Make new friends
Celebrate Advent
Listen to music
Go caroling
Reach out to someone in need
Pray daily

Download 100's of Prayers for free

Catholic PDFs - Print - Free Light a Virtual Prayer Candle

Biblical Lost Alphabet Traced Back to Ancient Canaanite Civilization

Enjoy our Confirmation Class? Pay it Foward

Enjoy our RCIA class? Pay it Forward

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Ideas to Make Your Christmas Special

Do you have a great family Christmas Advent Tradition?

Free Catholic PDF's - Home / Parish / School / Bulletin Inserts

More Advent & Christmas

Advent & Christmas 2023

Begins Sunday December 3, 2023

Ends on Sunday December 24, 2023

Christ the King

Advent 2023 starts on Sunday December 3, 2023

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary[holy day of obligation]

Advent 2023 ends on Sunday December 24, 2023

ChristmasBirth of Our Lord Jesus[holy day of obligation]

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God[holy day of obligation]

Epiphany

Enjoy our Saints? Help Us make more

Advent Reflections

Advent Calendar

Advent Candle

Advent Wreath

Advent & Christmas Classes

Advent & Christmas PDFs

Christmas Gifts

Nativity Scene

St. Nicholas

Enjoy Daily Readings? Pay it Forward

More Advent

More Christmas

Explore More

Shop Rosaries

More Advent & Christmas

The Battle for Catholic Education - Prevent the Collapse Now!

Love is Born on Christmas Morn, and the World is Born Anew Watch

Advent Reflection - Day 22- The Fourth Sunday of Advent Watch

Advent Reflection - Day 21 - The Third Saturday of Advent Watch

Download 100's of Prayers for free

Join the MovementWhen you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Daily Catholic

Enjoy our Confirmation Class? Pay it Foward

Enjoy our RCIA class? Pay it Forward

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
[holy day of obligation]

Christmas
Birth of Our Lord Jesus
[holy day of obligation]

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
[holy day of obligation]

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.