As a father of three young kids (around 5, 3, and 1.5) I have the great privilege to see this firsthand. It is never lost on my wife, Christina, and I, however, that with this blessing also comes the great responsibility of being the primary educators of our children in the faith. While discussing the fourth commandment, the Catechism of the Catholic Church beautifully states: “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children…Parents should initiate their children at an early age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the ‘first heralds’ for their children. They should associate them from their tenderest years with the life of the Church” (2223, 2225). For us, this means living liturgically – instilling in our children the awareness of the life of the Church and the importance of the Advent season as a true preparation for Christmas.

Peter, our firstborn, has his birthday at the very beginning of January. This means that during my wife’s pregnancy we were able to enter into the Advent season in an especially powerful way. As Mary and Joseph were coming to the climax of their journey, anxiously anticipating the birth of the Savior, my wife and I were coming to the end of our journey, ready to welcome our firstborn son into the world. This prayerful accompaniment with the Holy Family has made a profound impact on the way we strive to live out the Advent and Christmas seasons.  

In all transparency, we do put up our Christmas tree, lights, and decorations after Thanksgiving. Say what you will, but there is something about “magic of Christmas” and allowing your children to enter into a time of joy and merriment with the whole of society. So, while embracing some aspects of Christmas throughout the month of December, our focus remains on the hopeful anticipation of Jesus’ birth at Christmas, his Second Coming at the end of time, and his presence in our hearts every day. One key way we accomplish this, as most do, is through the lighting of our Advent wreath before dinners and praying as a family – especially from the same Advent prayer card that I made (or colored to be more precise) as an elementary school child.

Another Advent tradition we have embraced in recent years is celebrating the feast of St. Lucy on December 13th. Our eldest daughter, Lucy, is named after both this inspiring saint and Lucy Pevensie from the Chronicles of Narnia (who funnily enough meets Father Christmas on her journeys). The name Lucy comes from the Latin word for “light,” and it is no coincidence that her feast falls within some of the darkest days of the year. This is an important reminder as we stand in waiting during the Advent season and recall the words from the prologue of John: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1:5, 9). Some of the great traditions of this feast are making saffron buns (or cinnamon rolls for those with less time or pastry prowess) formed into a spiraling “S” shape with raisins for “eyes.” If this seems odd, I encourage you to look up her story! When darkness falls that evening, we light many candles around the home, and as the eldest daughter, Lucy has the honor of wearing a wreath adorned with candles (though we use felt rather than real candles because she’s still 3 and we don’t want the fire department to have to visit).

Originating with St. Francis of Assisi, a key tradition of this season is the crèche or manger scene. Feeling as if people were forgetting the true circumstances of Jesus’ birth as revealed in Scripture, St. Francis is reported to have said, “I want to do something that will recall the memory of that child who was born in Bethlehem, to see with bodily eyes the inconveniences of his infancy, how he lay in the manger, and how the ox and ass stood by.” The Christmas crèche is that reminder to our family (as I’m sure it is to yours) of the humble birth of our Savior and the great love that he has for us all.  

We personally are not lacking in Nativity scenes around our home. Tied to this is a valuable and fun tradition that we have started now that our children have gotten a little older called the Giving Manger (there is also a picture book that helps describe this tradition to kids while getting them excited to participate). During the season of Advent, you set up a small wooden (and empty) manger. A piece of straw is then placed in the manger for each kind deed or act of service that our children perform. The thought is that each act of service, kindness, or mercy they perform helps to create a soft place to lay the baby Jesus come Christmas. While our children are still relatively young, it is beautiful to see them excited as they place a piece of straw in the manger each night while recalling the ways they helped their siblings, spoke a kind word, or prayed for a friend in need.

There are many more ways in which we as parents – and you as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents, etc. – can live our family lives intentionally and within the life of the Church. Perhaps a challenge we can take on this Advent season is to incorporate just one extra element that can teach our children about the truths of the faith from Mary’s fiat to Jesus’ humble birth at Bethlehem. This truly is the most wonderful time of the year, not because of the candy canes and yule logs, but because the Word really did become flesh and dwells among us!