Christmas is a spiritual celebration, not an economic or secular one. So how do we keep the spiritual aspect of the celebration? How do we not lose focus in the midst of buying gifts, planning meals, and attending various programs and parties? All those things are meant to add to the spirit of celebration, but if we have forgotten why we are celebrating, then they are just more work and emotionally & physically draining. We need to remember why we do these things, and let go of those that don’t add to the spiritual celebration of Christmas, the ones that don’t help us celebrate the birth of Jesus, who came to bring us hope, love, joy and peace, who came to tell us that God is with us and we are not left to fend all on our own. As we move into the second week of Advent, here are two family faith practices to engage your family.
1.Blessing the Christmas Tree
When we put up the Christmas tree, we can offer a prayer of blessing, such as this one:
(when the tree is in the stand, but before decorating it)
God who created the birds in the air, the fish in the sea,
the stars in the sky, and the trees in the ground, bless this tree as we decorate it and make it joyful symbol in our home. May its branches remind us of the shade and shelter you provide for us and for many creatures. May its trunk remind us of your strength. May its lights bring us peace. May this tree help us remember your gift to us this season, the gift of the baby Jesus. Amen.
Choose one ornament that will be your special ornament to hang last each year. It might be a bell, a star, an angel, a dove, or something significant for your family. Hang it last, and invite each person to say, out-loud or silently, a prayer for others and for our world. Then greet each other with the word, “Peace” and sing a verse of “Silent Night” or “Away in a Manger.”
2. A Garland of Thanks & Remembrance
Create this garland as a family and then use it through the rest of the season as a way of giving thanks. You can also use it to give thanks and remember loved ones who have died or who live far away. Here’s the idea:
Needed
-a long pine garland (real or imitation) – the right length for where you plan to string this. You might place it along a mantle or staircase or cupboard or the top of a piano.
- a 2-5 cm ribbon, in blue or silver or gold or red or green or some combination – long enough to wrap loosely around the pine garland
-wooden clothespins
-paper from which to cut leaf shapes – either heavy wrapping paper or scrapbooking paper or cardstock, in silver or gold or white tones.
-optional: small silver or gold Christmas balls, or doves.
Do
-Wrap the ribbon loosely around the long garland. Leave about 10 cm. between wraps. If you wish you can add small Christmas balls or doves to add to the beauty of the garland.
-Cut a simple leaf shape out of the wrapping paper or scrap booking paper. Cut out 20 or more leaves.
-If you wish, draw a decorative design on the clothespins with felt pen, in silver or gold or green.
-Give leaves out to the members of your family. Invite them to write on the back of a leaf, something for which they are thankful this year. If you chose to make this a garland of remembrance, you might write the names of loved ones who you are remembering, along with something about them for which you are thankful. Younger members of the family could draw a picture instead of printing/writing.
-Use the clothespins to pin the leaves to the garland.
-Have a basket of extra leaves available with a pen. You can keep adding leaves of gratitude and remembrance to your garland through till Christmas.
-On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, or Boxing Day or New Year’s Day, take time to read/look at each of the leaves together. Then say a prayer of gratitude to God for all of the blessings of your lives.
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