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Barbara C.
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I am still struggling between the Catholic and secular understandings of what constitutes the Christmas season. I now try to hold off setting up the Christmas tree as long as I can before DH and the kids insist, and I am really trying to keep it up until at least Epiphany.
The hardest thing, though, is keeping the Christmas season alive mentally in the days after Christmas. I've been so ingrained to think of Christmas Day as the end rather than the beginning. And I start getting twitchy to put away all the decorations by New Year's.
I think it would really help if I had some sort of fun ritual to do with the kids for the 12 days of Christmas, but I need it to be something REALLY simple that doesn't involve lots of materials. (I am extremely craft-challenged.)
I don't really know what I'm looking for. Maybe a schedule of good Christmas movies, one for each day. Or a list of songs to sing together every night. I'm still brainstorming. Just something small to helps keep Christmas alive beyond Dec. 25.
Any thoughts would be appreciated!!
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Barbara
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JennGM
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It is hard, isn't it? I think it's a natural tendency to prepare hard, lots of expectation and then feeling like relaxing after the big day. I think it's natural to be joyful and celebratory without having an all-out party. We can contemplate these mysteries interiorly, "pondering these things in our heart." Enjoying the family time, the slow down of the hectic pace is a way of celebrating in my mind.
I think it's easier if you pace yourself during Advent, first of all, and then plan on doing a "little Christmas" for Epiphany.
I'd start with postponing putting the tree and decorations up until later in the Advent season -- you won't be as tired of them if they haven't been up too long.
Also, hold off on playing all the Christmas carols until really closer to Christmas Day and play them afterwards.
Some people on this forum have shared this wonderful idea of having picture books or different books, 12 in all, wrapped up in gold paper, to open on each of the 12 days of Christmas. Your idea of saving a few gifts for Epiphany is a good idea.
There are big feasts after Christmas that could give you some small ups and downs -- prepare for New Year, and then prepare for Epiphany. To mark these days I love the tradition of taking the creche figures of Mary and Joseph and have them travel to "Bethelehm" in Advent. Also start farther away in the East the three Wise men. Each of these figures move every day closer to the creche scene. Christmas Mary and Joseph arrive at Bethlehem and the stable, and Baby Jesus is born (and put in the manger).
Meanwhile, the wise men still travel on, moving closer and closer to Bethlehem until the Feast of Epiphany.
I have a plan of reading our picture books in Advent and Christmas, trying to save the different Epiphany themed ones until after Christmas day.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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JodieLyn
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When we first switched to Advent and not putting up Christmas decor so early.. we kept pushing it back and honestly it didn't seem to make much of a difference.. even pushed it to the third week of Advent (the pink week) and it was still just ok.
And then I asked one year if we could just try waiting all the way to Christmas Eve to put up the decorations. and WOW.
That made a HUGE HUGE difference. DH takes the day off work if needed and we have a bit of a party atmosphere.. I put soup in the crock pot plus some other snacky things for meals. We usually bring the trees in on the 23rd and get them setup with water.. that allows them to thaw out and get their big drink of water and a refill before we decorate.
Then I work on putting things out in the rest of the house while dh works on lights on the tree.. kids help, wander and generally get in the way  we all decorate the tree. And we're done in time to go to my sister's Christmas Eve party and get home with time to get everyone ready for Midnight Mass.
But the thing is.. that Christmas morning all the decorations are fresh and neat and special. It was the wow factor and why putting them up on Christmas Eve rather than just a bit later then Thanksgiving weekend really did make a difference.
Then I haven't been dealing with the toddlers investigating the tree and moving things around and all the other little annoyances of having my living room crammed with a tree.. when it's fresh and new it's just not as annoying as it is later.
Then we usually get movies and maybe some games as gifts so those get watched and played during the Christmas Season and we have the feast of teh Holy Family to celebrate and New Year's Even and then Mary, Mother of God and then Epiphany.. so that helps keep things festive even if we don't celebrate something every day of the 12 days of Christmas.
The big thing for me that helps Christmas feel celebratory is making Advent feel like Advent.
I should mention that we do put up outside lights and decorations early.
But during Advent we make paperchains.. pink and purple, one link for every day of Advent.. And they're hung up in the living room.. my living room is completely festooned with pink and purple as a result.. and then they take one link off each day leading to taking the last link down when we put up the Christmas decorations on Christmas Eve.
having all the pink and purple around us really gives a different feel to the house. And we've read some of the Advent story books that are a chapter a night finishing up before Christmas.
But the combo.. getting Advent "decorations" up and waiting until Christmas Eve for the inside Christmas Decorations is what made it work for us.. until we went all the way it just didn't feel that different.
We've been doing that now for about 9 years and still love it.
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MaryM
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Linking some old threads with ideas.
Gifts for the 12 days of Christmas
Twelve Days of Christmas Printables
12 Days of Christmas
The 12 Days of Christmas
12 Days of Christmas?
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Mary M. in Denver
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allegiance_mom
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The Twelve Days of Christmas also contains so many feast days.
12/26 - The Holy Family (moveable) and St. Stephen
12/27 - St. John the Evangelist
12/28 - Holy Innocents
12/29 - St. Thomas Becket
12/31 - St. Sylvester
1/1 - Mary, the Mother of God (Solemnity and Holy Day)
1/2 - Sts. Basil and Gregory
1/3 - Holy Name of Jesus
And what I refer to as the North American trifecta:
1/4 - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
1/5 - St. John Neumann
1/6 - Epiphany (traditional) and St. (newly canonized) Andre Bessette
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Mackfam
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Is there a picture book that anyone knows of (in or out of print) that refers to the religious symbolism behind The 12 Days of Christmas?
Quote:
Religious symbolism of The Twelve Days of Christmas
1 True Love refers to God
2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed |
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Also, this is linked on one of the threads that Mary linked above, but I really enjoy the Catholic Culture 12 days of Christmas tree.
Our Easy 12 Days of Christmas generally consists of:
1) special Christmas picture books
2) special Christmas music always playing (different from the music we play during Advent)
3) lighting the white Christ candle
4) watching a lot of special popcorn movies that we save for just this time - Little Women (the version with Winona Ryder) during Christmas is a tradition for us as is The Fourth Wise Man with Martin Sheen.
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MaryM
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Mackfam wrote:
Is there a picture book that anyone knows of (in or out of print) that refers to the religious symbolism behind The 12 Days of Christmas?
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Yes, there is.
The 12 Days of Christmas: The Story Behind a Favorite Christmas Song - Helen Haidle
She has two different editions with different publishers and illustrators but the same book.
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Mary M. in Denver
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Paula in MN
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Along with all the wonderful ideas already listed, I have also found Christmas Mosaic by our own Cay to be wonderful!
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DominaCaeli
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JodieLyn wrote:
| But the thing is.. that Christmas morning all the decorations are fresh and neat and special. It was the wow factor and why putting them up on Christmas Eve rather than just a bit later then Thanksgiving weekend really did make a difference. |
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Just wanted to say that we do the same thing and it really does help hold off the Christmas cheer and make it easier to celebrate Christmas beyond Christmas Day. Everything is new and fresh and exciting. We also hold off on half of our Christmas songs until Christmas Eve and that too helps.
Other ideas for easy celebrations:
-- a special picture book each day (I save twelve Christmas favorites and pull them out as a surprise--one each evening)
-- a little treat for snacktime or breakfast each day (doesn't have to be something different each time--just more Sunday fare on the table)
-- an Epiphany party - others have mentioned this, and I love the idea, though we haven't done it yet. I think it's a fitting way to end all the feasting and can be a way of spreading the gift-giving out a bit, if you'd like to.
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CatholicMommy
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I want to make something to offer for sale on my website, related to the 12 Days of Christmas - but I don't know what!
I want it to be something that fits with what Barbara was asking - some small, easy family tradition that celebrates the Christmas season.
I'm in Jesse Tree and Advent calendar mode, so am thinking something along those lines, and I keep getting stuck.
Ideas???
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St. Ann
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Before my parents came to visit this Fall I quickly placed a large order for FHC prep, etc. In addition I ordered
Twelfth Night Calendar
I have looked at it briefly and it looks just right for us. It is very simple!
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St. Ann
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I also wanted to add that we decorate for Advent after Christ the King until after the 4th Sunday of Advent. We usually take a couple of days to complete the Christmas decorations after that, but the tree does not get lit until Christmas Eve.
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Stephanie
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BeckyC
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In trying to reclaim Advent as a time of penance, I have held off on my Christmas baking till the last few days before Christmas too. In the last few years, I have not finished all my baking by Christmas, so the kids are very happy to continue during the 12 days of Christmas which adds to the celebrating! Everything is done by Epiphany.
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ekbell
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Our 'wreath' is actually a cross-section from a tree off my parent's property which my dad polished and put candle holes in . It's on our family altar all year around with different decorations according to the season.
So at Christmas we swap out the advent candles and add white candles and freshen up the various little decorations my children have added.
I'd love to get white christmas tapers with appropriate nativity decorations (the Christmas star would likely be easiest)
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Barbara C.
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Thanks for all of the suggestions. We will be doing the Advent Wreath, and I finally got a Nativity set so we'll have Mary and Joseph traveling around the room. I'm also going to use Advent to try yet again to implement morning prayer as a family into our lives.
I might try a hodgepodge of things for the 12 days...maybe a picture book one night, maybe a special dessert another, maybe a night of carols. I'm still brainstorming, but you have all given me some great jumping off points. 
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Barbara
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Amazing_Grace
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12 Days of Christmas Lapbooks
12 Days of Christmas Memory Game
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Dana
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Mackfam wrote:
2) special Christmas music always playing (different from the music we play during Advent)
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Jenn-
Could you link a few, Jenn? For Advent and afterwards.
Thanks,
Dana
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Maryan
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We listen to Advent CDs from Magdalen/Christendom College:
Christendom's CD (scroll down to the Advent CD)
On Jordan's Bank from Magdalen. (I don't have a favorite this is just one link of many).
and the MESSIAH is filled with Infancy prophecies that we listen to in Advent.
We start singing Christmas carols starting on Gaudete Sunday, so that they know them in time for Christmas. I have Christmas carol booklets as well. But I break out the Christmas CDs on Christmas Eve day when we decorate (for all the reasons that Jody listed).
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Maryan
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JennGM
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Maryan wrote:
We listen to Advent CDs from Magdalen/Christendom College:
Christendom's CD (scroll down to the Advent CD)
On Jordan's Bank from Magdalen. (I don't have a favorite this is just one link of many).
and the MESSIAH is filled with Infancy prophecies that we listen to in Advent.
We start singing Christmas carols starting on Gaudete Sunday, so that they know them in time for Christmas. I have Christmas carol booklets as well. But I break out the Christmas CDs on Christmas Eve day when we decorate (for all the reasons that Jody listed). |
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Ah, I didn't know Christendom had some cds. Thanks for the heads up.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Easy 12 Days of Christmas?
