- Lighting candles on an Advent wreath is a traditional way to mark the weeks of Advent.
- Advent wreath information.
- Blessing of an Advent Wreath/Prayer for Lighting the Candles.
- Advent Wreaths 101 on Catholic Icing (includes ideas for where to buy one and different DIY crafts to make one at home)
- Advent calendars are used to count down the days until Christmas. Many include daily activity and prayer suggestions that can help us prepare spiritually for the birth of Jesus Christ.
- There are a variety of Advent calendars on our Advent Calendars page.
- The Jesse Tree is an Advent activity that traces salvation history from Creation through the Incarnation using Bible readings and ornaments featuring associated traditional symbols, one for each day of Advent.
- Print-your-own ornaments kit from Catholic Icing. (Purchase for a small fee.)
- Pre-printed ornaments kit from The Catholic Company.
- Free printable ornaments which also uses the Jesus Storybook Bible as the accompanying story each day.
- Preparing the manger is the practice of making a soft bed in the manger for Jesus by using pieces of straw or hay as tokens of prayers and good works performed throughout the season of Advent.
- Catholic Culture has a deeper explanation of this tradition here.
- Directions for making a simple manger and baby Jesus doll on Catholic Icing.
- Catholic Icing also has a printable Nativity scene that can be used for this tradition.
- St. Nicholas was Bishop of Myra during the fourth century and is the inspiration for our modern Santa Claus traditions.
- One of the most widespread St. Nicholas Day traditions is a “visit” from St. Nicholas on the night before his feast day on December 6. Before going to bed on December 5, children leave their shoes or socks out so that St. Nicholas can fill them with treats overnight. Traditional treats include chocolate coins–which symbolize the gifts St. Nicholas gave to three young maidens of Myra–and candy canes, which are shaped like a bishop’s crosier (staff), reminding us of St. Nicholas’ ministry as a bishop. Simple stocking stuffer type gifts are often included with the treats. (Chocolate coins can usually be found at stores with a large candy selection such as Target and Walmart.)
- Information about St. Nicholas at Loyola Press.
More discussion of these Advent traditions, plus more not covered here, and ideas for celebrating them can be found on Shower of Roses.
