Happy Advent Dear Families!
“The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, they shall name him Emmanuel!” Emmanuel – our God is with us! God loves you so much that he chose to come close to you in the person of Jesus Christ. Who can look at the face of the Christ child and not love him? He humbles himself, taking on human flesh, allowing us to care for him as a child! Anticipation is growing as the time draws nearer to Christ’s coming. The joy of the season is palpable, take some time to rest in this feeling of anticipation and consider the relief that is our salvation.
Come Lord Jesus!
The Christ Candle
On Christmas Eve some people light the Christ Candle, a large white candle set in the center of the Advent wreath. The Christ Candle represents Jesus as the Light of the World. Create a special Christ Candle in your own home by decorating a dedicated candle with symbols: crosses, prayer cards, stickers, glitter … whatever your family decides is important to the look and meaning of the candle. Plan to light your Christ Candle for the first time on Christmas Eve and again as a family throughout the entire Christmas Octave.
Christmas Movies
🎥 The Catholic Family Guide to Christmas Movies We encourage you to check out this list of age-appropriate films with corresponding conversation starters from the Diocese of Des Moines: https://www.dmdiocese.org/filesimages/Catechetical%20Services/Advent%202020%20Family%20Resources/Family%20Christmas%20Movie%20Nights.pdf
DIY Nativity Set
What’s not to love about the Nativity scene, especially on Christmas Eve? Encourage your kids to use their imagination to create their own DIY Nativity scenes. Look for items around your home: construction paper, felt, stuffed animals, Legos, Lincoln Logs … anything goes!