threeturn Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 Can you help me with ideas? I did manage to not put the tree up until Gaudette Sunday this year so I think it will stay. I saved gingerbread day until after Christmas. We still have quite a few Christmas books we haven't read yet this year. With us observing Advent it seem like we have been in high liturgical mode for a month now. Even though I know Advent is about preparing and not celebrating, there was the Jesse Tree every day and we love the Advent feasts so we do something for quite a bit for them. I am still feeling a bit celebrated out and am looking for some simple ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 (edited) I try to have at least one present for Epiphany, and it is always frivolous or opulent. We talk about the different birth narratives in the Bible a couple of times. There are a lot of Christmas songs that are a bit obscure, and when there is time we sing those--"When Jesus Was a Baby" or "Oh How Joyfully" or "Oh Rejoice Ye Christians Loudly" (my fave!) or "In a Little Stable". We start to learn at least one Epiphany hymn. My favorite is Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning. We sit in the living room and read--enjoying the decorations rather than just putting them up and ignoring them. In past years we have had candles in the fireplace as well. Lots of pretty little lights! We play Christmas music of various types, and watch Christmas movies. Home Alone is a family fave for some reason. Red Boots for Christmas is the classic Christian one that we like. White Christmas is popular, and sometimes Miracle on 34th Street. We have a sense of celebration about all of this. Cookies continue. The gaudy Christmas tree plates are in frequent use. We go to a family friendly New Year's Eve party or we have a high use of candles little family party at our house. We go on a hike on New Year's Day usually, and talk about God's creation. The Christmas season also includes the stories of the Holy Innocents and the Presentation, so those can be emphasized. New Year's Resolutions can be made. These are not things we do every year, but we have included them from time to time. Edited December 27, 2011 by Carol in Cal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 sledding, cocoa bar, winter scavenger hunt, review December Saints' Days, make ornaments, christmas album with pictures from this year's festivities, drive to look at Christmas displays & lights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 oooh, Carol (how appropriate!) reminded me...learn carols. And learn more than the first verse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 We're trying to get together with friends more, we went for a walk in the snow yesterday, we're watching a lot of movies and playing games together, we're going to a dance tonight, we're not starting school until after it's over, we're going out to dinner (a rarity in our home), etc. I'd like to also go to church more of course, but it's a work in progress! After 9 hours in church from the 23rd to the 25th, I'm weary! But it's also where I want to be. We may go to Orthros more than usual (morning prayer service). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 we went for a walk in the snow yesterday, . I'd love to go for a walk in the snow! Alas, it's like 60 degrees here today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 memorize poems, christmas coloring pages, make toilet paper roll Nativity with 3 Kings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 When the kids were little I had the bright idea to hang 12 little "purses" on the tree (they were heart-shaped, woven from paper), and put a chocolate for each child in them, and they could retrieve one a day. Sadly, that only lasted a few years before I lost some purses, and the steam went out of it. We also have an interactive Nativity (as well as a different one we put up complete) - it was a Waldorf idea - Mary walks a path of stars, and things get added every Advent Sunday till she arrives at the manger and baby Jesus gets put in. Then the Wise Men come on Epiphany. On Epiphany, we have Epiphany bread, and when the kids were little we also had them do a little "play" where one was Mary and the others were Wise Men and they dressed up and the Wise Men gave Mary gifts in turn as we sang "We Three Kings". I think many of those ideas I adapted from All Year Round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 research New Year's food traditions from different parts of the country and world, pick some new foods out for NYE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuzu822 Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 In addition to what's been mentioned, I try to have something special to do each day. It doesn't necessarily have to be directly related to Cheistmas, but just something. Today we worked on the Kiwi Crate we received from my sister. Tomorrow we're doing our gingerbread houses, Thursday we have a playdate at my sister's, New Year's Eve/Day, Lights on the Lake, etc. I didn't notice the ages of everyone's kids, but I bought a 12 days lapbook we may or may not do and of course, we're tacking the Wise Men as they move toward the manger. This year we'll make an Epiphany cake and we give three small gifts on the sixth (myrrh- something for the body like bubble bath, frankincense- religious gift, and gold- something handmade). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuzu822 Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 memorize poems, christmas coloring pages, make toilet paper roll Nativity with 3 Kings We did that! We used the one from Catholic Icing: http://catholicicing.com/2009/12/diy-printable-nativity-for-kids/ Also, my Jesse Tree has 12 ornaments/readings for the 12 Days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMA Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 We observe the seasons by not putting the Christmas tree up until Dec. 24. I do not let a Christmas tree in until Advent is about over. The Christmas season lasts until Candlemas, Feb. 2. I do not send my cards until Dec. 26. We do gifts off and on during the 12 days of Christmas and the kids get their big gifts on Jan. 6. We leave the tree up till Candlemas and we read the readings of the Mass everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIS0320 Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 We're doing a little something each day as well, trying to keep the spirit going through Epiphany. My kids are little so we have a homemade marshmallow day planned, a gingerbread day planned and salt dough ornaments day coming up. I am trying to get to daily Mass more often as well. Our tree was up earlier than I wanted it but we're leaving it up through Jan. 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 I'd love to go for a walk in the snow! Alas, it's like 60 degrees here today! We had NO snow Christmas morning. Our new priest (who moved here from Alaska last spring) was joking about not having snow for Christmas; said he was told there'd be snow at Christmas time and since there wasn't he was going to go back to Alaska. There had not been any snow in the forecast this week, but at about 1pm Christmas day, after church, it started snowing! And it was enough that all the grass was covered. We had a good laugh with Fr. Paul that afternoon, when he came over for a little while. It's warm again, now, though and it will all be gone soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 We are relaxed and spend a lot of time at home, just being a family. We try to hang together instead of in separate parts of the house. Enjoy our decorations, read books, watch movies, play board games etc... Things that can be put on the back burner so that we have more time together, are. We also try and do four daily prayers together (which we should do all year, but mostly we just hit morning and evening). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 Keep those kings and camels moving around the room! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 We try to do fun things we don't usually have time for. Family game nights a couple times, movies, time outside walking in the woods followed by cocoa, lots of candles and stories. We celebrate New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. We go see the Christmas lights. On Epiphany we have a King Cake, read the nativity story from Matthew, they get a few small gifts and we chalk the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 We observe the seasons by not putting the Christmas tree up until Dec. 24. I do not let a Christmas tree in until Advent is about over. The Christmas season lasts until Candlemas, Feb. 2. I do not send my cards until Dec. 26. We do gifts off and on during the 12 days of Christmas and the kids get their big gifts on Jan. 6. We leave the tree up till Candlemas and we read the readings of the Mass everyday. Bold mine I've never heard that--how interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeturn Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 Thank you for the ideas. We have all been so sick here since the 23rd and it is dampening our celebration. I hope to feel better over the next couple of days and can use these ideas to get us moving in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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