How to balance Christmas joy with Advent observance

[MysticMissMisty]

So, for starters as an introduction, I am not currently Catholic, but am spiritually discerning whether I should, as it were, cross the Tiber.

As a Protestant, I have always started listening to Christmas music, putting up decorations, etc., immediately after Thanksgiving. I did this in a spirit of joyful anticipation, realizing that Christmas hadn’t yet come.

However, I have heard some Catholics say that this is inappropriate during Advent and that it should, rather, be considered a “little Lent”. Furthermore, it seems that the penitential nature of this season has been traditional through much of Catholic history up until recent times.

So, what is the appropriate way to to balance Christmas (pre-Christmas) celebrations, both secular and sacred, with observance of Advent? Would it be wrong for me, as a Catholic, to continue doing what I have been doing for years?

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

I’ve chosen four spiritual books (ie one for each week) to help me focus this Advent.

 

[midori]

Part of it is the practice of not using Advent to focus on his first coming, in the Incarnation, but using Advent to focus on his second coming, in Judgment.

So if you look at the readings for the first Sunday of Advent, for example, you see things like

“He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more”

and

“For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David”

and

“Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy” and "“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour…”

etc.

So yes, there’s a balance— we rejoice in the fact that the Incarnation happened, and we look forward to commemorating it at Christmas, but at the same time, we remember that Christ will come again in the future, under circumstances we can’t predict, at a time we can’t predict— and so we need to live our lives accordingly, because we’ll have to account to our Master one way or another— whether he returns to us first, or whether we’re called to him at the end of our life on earth.

 

[Vico]

So, for starters as an introduction, I am not currently Catholic, but am spiritually discerning whether I should, as it were, cross the Tiber.

As a Protestant, I have always started listening to Christmas music, putting up decorations, etc., immediately after Thanksgiving. I did this in a spirit of joyful anticipation, realizing that Christmas hadn’t yet come.

However, I have heard some Catholics say that this is inappropriate during Advent and that it should, rather, be considered a “little Lent”. Furthermore, it seems that the penitential nature of this season has been traditional through much of Catholic history up until recent times.

So, what is the appropriate way to to balance Christmas (pre-Christmas) celebrations, both secular and sacred, with observance of Advent? Would it be wrong for me, as a Catholic, to continue doing what I have been doing for years?

In the Roman Rite, Advent is “period for devout and joyful expectation.” (GIRM) and per Canon Law (CIC) “The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent.”

However in the Byzantine Catholic Church, the older penitential seasons are still maintained.

CCEO (eastern canon law)

Canon 882 On the days of penance the Christian faithful are obliged to observe fast or abstinence in the manner established by the particular law of their Church sui iuris.

Byzantine (USA) Particular Canon Law

Canon 880 §2
§1. The special penitential seasons are:
1o. The Great Fast
2o. The Peter and Paul Fast
3o. The Dormition Fast [August 1-14]
4o. The Philip Fast [November 15-December 24]
§2. Strict abstinence is to be observed on the first day of the Great Fast and on Great Friday. Simple abstinence is to be observed on Wednesdays and Fridays of the Great Fast.
§3. Simple abstinence or an equivalent penance is to be observed on all Fridays throughout the year.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

However, I have heard some Catholics say that this is inappropriate during Advent and that it should, rather, be considered a “little Lent”.

You can find “some Catholics” who say just about anything.
You can prayerfully commemorate Advent by doing those prayer-a-day Advent reflections or anything you like, while still taking a reasonable amount of joy in holiday preparations.

I note that the area Catholic churches are having various events like chorale performances, Breakfast with Santa, etc well ahead of Dec 25.

 

[on_the_hill]

I’ve never heard of anyone treating Advent, which is a time of joyful anticipation, the same as Lent, which is a time of penitential reflection.

And I’ve never met a Catholic who observed Advent as a solemn period by avoiding happy Christmas preparations.

But there are a lot of . . . never mind. . . . .

 

[po18guy]

Once you cross the Tiber (hint hint), you will have not only Christmas, but Advent leading up to it. And, not just one day of Christmas, but an entire Christmas season! Just like Lent leads up to - not Easter day - but Easter Season. Such momentous, world-changing events as the birth of Christ and the Resurrection deserve spiritual preparation as well as a season of joy and celebration. Here’s a good article on Advent/Christmas:

When Does the Christmas Season Start?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

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[yankeesouth]

Putting Christmas in Its Proper Place | Catholic Answers Magazine

Advent is really a lot like Lent. Both are roughly monthlong seasons of preparation for a joyful holiday. In fact, starting in about the sixth century, Advent and Lent used the same liturgies, Mass for Mass, in the Latin Rite. During both seasons, you would see the purple vestments of mourning, symbolism echoed today by the colored candles of the Advent wreath.

In Protestant denominations, of course, Advent has largely faded away. That’s probably why the secular observances of Christmas, as they rushed in to fill the void, got out of hand. Advent fasting and almsgiving used to keep people aware of the proper use of material goods and of the need to offset other people’s poverty with the excess from our own prosperity. If you take the penitential observances away, the secular celebrations can seem somehow obligatory, somehow the essence of Christmas.

Second Sunday of Advent Year A Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12) reading is heavy on penitential… Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand…

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I think most people do still “give alms” around Christmastime, which is why we have every charity bombarding us with appeals and also “Giving Tuesday” scheduled for next week.

People just don’t connect it with a religious observance any more, instead it’s a generic “remember people in need while you are planning for your own enjoyment.”

As for Advent fasting, for Western Catholics I presume that’s referring to the Ember Days that fall right in the middle of December, and also at three other times per year. I’m not aware of any other Advent fasting traditions, except maybe if one keeps the “fast before a feast” tradition where you fast on the vigil day. I do Ember Days anyway but I don’t think of them as particularly “penitential Advent”. They relate to the changing of the seasons, not so much to the coming of Jesus.

 

[yankeesouth]

How bout the the 1st Sunday…Matthew 24:37-44

As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Merry Christmas!