Celebrating Christmas – The Catholic Way

Catholic Celebration of Christmas

I believe that Christmas should be celebrated the right way every Catholic family. Assisting younger family members to understand the real meaning of Christmas is a must for Catholic households in today’s society. For a practicing Catholic, you need not look far to find traditions that you can adopt into your family.  You may even come up with new customs or Christmas ideas that your family will take pleasure in for years to come!  Here are some Christmas practices that you can adopt into your family.

The Christmas Crèche, or Nativity Scene

[simpleazon-image align=”right” asin=”B000UIEYP4″ locale=”us” height=”200″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41MJZRTHN9L.jpg” width=”384″]Saint Francis of Assisi is credited for the manger scene as we know it today. The animals in the nativity scene, generally the ass and ox, are traditionally part of every Nativity Set. Saint Francis was following custom when he had these pets put near the manger at Bethlehem.  Waiting till Christmas Eve to put the Christ Child in the  Crèche, is a terrific tradition to start with your Catholic household. As a Catholic family you must help your kids to discover that the Holy Season continues through Epiphany. Household members, particularly children, will look forward to this custom!

In the absence of the figurines to make up your Crèche, you can set up a Christmas board instead, and post the images on the board at the appropriate times. Make it interesting by playing a game to determine who gets to put the Christ child into the  Crèche or on the board.  This will surely arouse the interest and enthusiasm of the younger ones.

Attending Holy Mass For Christmas

[simpleazon-image align=”left” asin=”B00EZYP00W” locale=”us” height=”500″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/413Y3gT-obL.jpg” width=”352″]The single most important thing any Catholic can do to truly celebrate Christmas is to attend Holy Mass, and to thank God for sending His Son into the world.  Many parishes all over the world start the celebration of Christmas with Mass on Christmas Eve.  Many parishes have several Masses to try to cater for all to attend this most Holy and important Feast.  Christmas really, is the celebration of God’s absolutely incredible and boundless love for us all. And so, not wanting to leave us without a way to our Heavenly inheritance – Eternal Life, He sent His only Son Jesus Christ into the world, to make a way, and to show us the way to Eternal Life.  Every Mass is a celebration of that love; more so at Christmas time.

Not only at Christmas time, but throughout the year, attending Holy Mass should be a family event.  It is such a beautiful and a powerful witness to see whole families attending Holy Mass together – no matter their age group. It is a tragedy that around this time of year, so many become so engrossed in ‘other aspects’ of Christmas – many of which have nothing really to do with Christmas, that they are too tired to attend holy Mass on Christmas Eve nor on Christmas Day.  In your Catholic families, get into the habit of identifying what are good and relevant Catholic practices and what are not, and stick with the ones that are good and relevant.  From a very early age, train your children to understand and to appreciate the importance of attendance Holy Mass.   The Sacrament of Confession is provided in some Catholic churches right before Christmas Mass. This would be a fantastic time to make that last offering of yourself to Jesus before the Party of His Childbirth. Remember that your children will be seeing and will see you offer a present to Jesus.

The Christmas Candle

[simpleazon-image align=”right” asin=”B00481PDI6″ locale=”us” height=”220″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21p5n1xFhHL.jpg” width=”79″]The Christmas Candle tradition is simple and fantastic to execute. It simply entails lighting a large candle on Christmas Eve to symbolize the coming of Jesus, the Light of the world.  Let the Christmas candle burn throughout the night to help others to realize just what a special time Christmas is.  Make certain to let your children assist you pick out a “Unique Candle” for your Christ Candle. It should be large in size so that it can burn for a long time. You can pray your family prayers around the Christmas candle, or draw reference to it during your Christmas prayer times. In shorts, it ought to stand out.

The Practice of the Christmas Tree

[simpleazon-image align=”left” asin=”B000WU7IEO” locale=”us” height=”500″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41EQdKpXyHL.jpg” width=”359″]The Christmas Tree custom goes way back back to medieval Germany. This first Christmas Tree stood for both the “Tree of Life” and the “Tree of discernment of good and evil”. When Germans stopped putting on the mystery plays in churches, the Paradise Tree (or Christmas Tree), then began to appear in the houses of the faithful. Today, the Christmas tree plays a big part in the celebration of Christmas.  Families get together to decorate the Christmas tree.  Children will get great pleasure in participating in a Christmas Program for your household in front of the Christmas tree. This program can include caroling – a very beautiful tradition of singing of the birth of Jesus – and the children can design unique “programs” with words to the Christmas Carols for all of the adults to sing.

Giving Christmas Presents.

With the global economy being what it is right now, many are feeling the effects and it has affected the way many of us live – though some more that others.  If you can, please seriously consider something much more than the exchange of Christmas gifts, something that will bless both the receiver and the giver.  Please consider giving gifts to those not as fortunate as you are.  You do not have to look far at all to see such a person.  Someone less fortunate need not necessarily be someone who is deprived of the physical things of life.  It may be someone who is deprived of love; maybe the love of his or her parents or the love of his or her children.  This Christmas, please find such a person and just simply love them, and welcome them into your home and into your celebration.  That is one Christmas gift when given will bless you a hundred times over.

In addition to this, when you’ve found such a person, pray with and for them, and ask God to show you what is His desire for you in their lives.  Chances are, He may ask you to journey with them for a while past Christmas, at least to love all their hurt away.  Always remember that the greatest Christmas gift you can ever give is the gift of love.

Happy Birthday Jesus.

[simpleazon-image align=”right” asin=”B0000AYLJ0″ locale=”us” height=”300″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RCPEPZ1FL.jpg” width=”300″]Finally, Christmas is about the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ into our world.  So all of our Christmas celebration should be centered around Him.  Wouldn’t it be absolutely wonderful to have a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas day?  This can be a very powerful witness to children.  That way they grow knowing and understanding that Jesus is the center of Christmas.  You could prepare the birthday party as you would a regular party. Bake a cake and enhance it with “Happy Birthday Jesus”. Sing happy birthday to Jesus, and then exchange gifts in his honor.