C
Cubby
Guest
How did the Christmas holiday originate?
How does your faith tradition celebrate the Christmas season?
How does your faith tradition celebrate the Christmas season?
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tkdnick
Guest
OH MY GOSH!!! Our family celebrates NONE OF THEM!!! Is that bad??? We do adopt a family for Christmas though.
C
Cubby
Guest
I am interested in how non-Catholic religions celebrate Christmas - as well as the differences between different Catholic parishes.
Is there anything that your church does, that is unique and meaningful to you and your family?
Or how about family traditions that have originated since the Protestant Reformation?
Or, how about non-Christian religions like Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews, and Muslims? Is there any celebration or aknowledgement of Christmas in your faith traditions?
Is there anything that your church does, that is unique and meaningful to you and your family?
Or how about family traditions that have originated since the Protestant Reformation?
Or, how about non-Christian religions like Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews, and Muslims? Is there any celebration or aknowledgement of Christmas in your faith traditions?
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Fidelis
Guest
We celebrate both Midnight Mass and the Advent Wreath, an olde English custom.
Funny thing: I am Hispanic, but I do not observe Las Posadas, and my wife is Filipino, but she doesn’t observe Simbang Gabi. No special reason. Just call us assimilated, I guess.
I know you’ll ask, so here’s what these customs are:
Las Posadas
www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/laspsds.html
Simbang Gabi
globalpinoy.com/xmas_trivia/simbanggabi.php
Funny thing: I am Hispanic, but I do not observe Las Posadas, and my wife is Filipino, but she doesn’t observe Simbang Gabi. No special reason. Just call us assimilated, I guess.
I know you’ll ask, so here’s what these customs are:
Las Posadas
www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/laspsds.html
Simbang Gabi
globalpinoy.com/xmas_trivia/simbanggabi.php
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Edwin1961
Guest
In the Eastern Catholic Church, we celebrate St. Nicholas Day almost like it is equal-to-Christmas. St. Nicholas was very influencial for Eastern Catholic’s. At our parish church, we will celebrate Great Vespers the night before (Dec. 5) and have a Divine Liturgy on the feast day (Dec. 6). We will also have someone dress up like St. Nicholas and pass out candy to EVERYONE in attendance to either the Great Vespers AND the Divine Liturgy.
We also have a Christmas Play with our cathecism class students on the Sunday before Christmas and a Parish potluck dinner afterwards. (Oh the Eastern European food that we dine on during that day!
)
Of course our Midnight Divine Liturgy will begin around 10:00PM on Christmas Eve and will run until just after Midnight (Yes, 2 HOURS LONG).
Go with God!
Edwin
We also have a Christmas Play with our cathecism class students on the Sunday before Christmas and a Parish potluck dinner afterwards. (Oh the Eastern European food that we dine on during that day!
)Of course our Midnight Divine Liturgy will begin around 10:00PM on Christmas Eve and will run until just after Midnight (Yes, 2 HOURS LONG).
Go with God!
Edwin
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rayne89
Guest
It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without Midnight Mass. We also do the giving tree. We have an advent wreath although sometimes the candles don’t always get lit.
We also open presents on Christmas Eve, something I’ve done since I was a child. Both my parents are from Europe and I’ve been told It’s a European thing. Anyone else do presents on Christmas Eve?
By the way J. W.'s don’t celebrate Christmas (or any other holidays). My husbands dad was one for awhile.
We also open presents on Christmas Eve, something I’ve done since I was a child. Both my parents are from Europe and I’ve been told It’s a European thing. Anyone else do presents on Christmas Eve?
By the way J. W.'s don’t celebrate Christmas (or any other holidays). My husbands dad was one for awhile.
D
Digitonomy
Guest
What – no Advent calendar?!
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Michael_C
Guest
this is my first year with the advent wreath. It reminds me of the presence of God every night. I hope I have begun a family tradition.
J
JW10631
Guest
My wife and I began with the Advent wreath two years ago. I have it out, but we haven’t lit it yet!!!
We like to put up our tree closer to Christmas rather than the day after Thanksgiving. The Latin Church celebrates Christmas from the Nativity of our Lord to the Feast of the Epiphany, twelve days later. We do not take down the tree until then.
Also, because my *esposa *is Latina, we exchange a gift on the Feast of the Epiphany. In countries that are traditionally Catholic (Latin America) most gifts are given on El Dia de Los Tres Reyes (Kings Day). Miami has a Kings Day Parade each January. When we have kids, this is how we want to celebrate Navidad and Kings Day.
Also, going to Mass on the Feast Day of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is a must.
We like to put up our tree closer to Christmas rather than the day after Thanksgiving. The Latin Church celebrates Christmas from the Nativity of our Lord to the Feast of the Epiphany, twelve days later. We do not take down the tree until then.
Also, because my *esposa *is Latina, we exchange a gift on the Feast of the Epiphany. In countries that are traditionally Catholic (Latin America) most gifts are given on El Dia de Los Tres Reyes (Kings Day). Miami has a Kings Day Parade each January. When we have kids, this is how we want to celebrate Navidad and Kings Day.
Also, going to Mass on the Feast Day of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is a must.
S
sarcophagus
Guest
I used to have a chocolate advent calendar as a kid…that’s it. Christmas in my family is all about presents and family talking behind other family’s back at the big dinner. I’m glad I’m married and can start my own traditions!!!
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Michael_C
Guest
LOL! This is so sad but true. My family does the same thing. I try and focus on the reason for the season and it seems to go over their heads. In the last couple of years I go to my in-laws now. I have no desire for viciousness on Christmas.
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tkdnick
Guest
Look on the bright side…your family at least gets together to talk smack. I have uncles who won’t even show up because one of their brother’s will be there!!! Sad huh? In fact, a few years ago my grandpa came out from MN to visit. It turned out to be his last Christmas on earth as he was diagnosed with severe cancer and all kinds of other stuff just a couple weeks after Christmas. Anyway, all the family was invited of course. One of my uncles asked if one of my other uncles was going to be there. When we said yes, he said forget it, he wouldn’t be there. Wouldn’t even curb his little “thing” with his brother to come see his father for the 1st time (turned out to be only time) in several years.
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KittyKat
Guest
I am keeping a tradition that my mom my mom kept, for St. Nicholas we give each other something small that was needed.
What, families are supposed to be friendly for Christmas?
Sorry, I am still scared about going to my new in laws for Christmas. I was there last year and got in trouble because we gave out engagement pictures in frames and not expensive gifts. I got called selfish behind my back and no one could figure out why I had tried to make the holiday about me and not giving good gifts (i.e. very expensive $$$ things off of Christmas lists). I had never had in my life that kind of feeling as in my family you give out of love and not obligation. I am still so scared about how everyone will react. DH doesn’t understand my fears as this is how it always is, she stopped a couple of years ago in the middle of gift openning to ask someone for a reciept so she could get a good gift.
Sorry this is long, the closer to Christmas it gets the harder it is and I kinda needed to vent
Love and Merry Christmas
Kat
What, families are supposed to be friendly for Christmas?
Sorry, I am still scared about going to my new in laws for Christmas. I was there last year and got in trouble because we gave out engagement pictures in frames and not expensive gifts. I got called selfish behind my back and no one could figure out why I had tried to make the holiday about me and not giving good gifts (i.e. very expensive $$$ things off of Christmas lists). I had never had in my life that kind of feeling as in my family you give out of love and not obligation. I am still so scared about how everyone will react. DH doesn’t understand my fears as this is how it always is, she stopped a couple of years ago in the middle of gift openning to ask someone for a reciept so she could get a good gift.
Sorry this is long, the closer to Christmas it gets the harder it is and I kinda needed to vent
Love and Merry Christmas
Kat
A
axolotl
Guest
What, no Jesse Tree?!
My mother grew up opening her presents on Christmas Eve. Three of her four grandparents were from Poland and the fourth’s parents were from Poland.
When we were little, we opened our present on Christmas morning, unless we were in Pittsburgh visiting her parent’s, then it was Christmas Eve.
For my family’s celebration, we usually go to 4pm Christmas Eve mass. Then we go to my mother’s. As my mother extremely dislikes fish, we don’t have the traditional Polish seafood dinner. Instead she makes a ham and a turkey breast. When I was a child I thought oplatke and the host were basically the same thing.:whacky:
After dinner, my parents (who are divorced, but my mother let’s my father be there, but I do have a 13 year old sister, so they don’t have to split holiday’s) my siblings, and the children open presents.
After we go home and put the children in bed, we put their presents under the tree, my husband and I exchange presents, maybe share some wine. Go to bed.
On Christmas day, for lunch/dinner, we have rib roast with brussels sprouts.
Hopefully, when the kids are older, we can go to midnight mass, but I do like having Mass bafore the food and presents. In the old days they would come home from Midnight Mass to dinner and present opening. Not sure if I could swing that.
My mother grew up opening her presents on Christmas Eve. Three of her four grandparents were from Poland and the fourth’s parents were from Poland.
When we were little, we opened our present on Christmas morning, unless we were in Pittsburgh visiting her parent’s, then it was Christmas Eve.
For my family’s celebration, we usually go to 4pm Christmas Eve mass. Then we go to my mother’s. As my mother extremely dislikes fish, we don’t have the traditional Polish seafood dinner. Instead she makes a ham and a turkey breast. When I was a child I thought oplatke and the host were basically the same thing.:whacky:
After dinner, my parents (who are divorced, but my mother let’s my father be there, but I do have a 13 year old sister, so they don’t have to split holiday’s) my siblings, and the children open presents.
After we go home and put the children in bed, we put their presents under the tree, my husband and I exchange presents, maybe share some wine. Go to bed.
On Christmas day, for lunch/dinner, we have rib roast with brussels sprouts.
Hopefully, when the kids are older, we can go to midnight mass, but I do like having Mass bafore the food and presents. In the old days they would come home from Midnight Mass to dinner and present opening. Not sure if I could swing that.
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