QUICK - Catholic Christmas Tradition

[catholichalo]

Tomorrow is Christmas…the birth of our Savior!

We are going to sing Happy Brithday to Jesus with our 3 year old daughter. However, besides church, singing happy birthday, do you have any other ideas of some great traditions to start with her? She’ll love the happy birthday now as a toddler but when she’s 10, she may think it is a bit “corny”.

I’m looking for something special that we can start now (at age 3) and do every year, even when she’s in college. Something that she’ll remember long after my wife and I are gone.

Sorry for the late notice. I look forward to your suggestions!

Well - off to get dressed for 4PM Christmas Eve mass!

 

[puzzleannie]

evidently this is a tradition someplace but we just started it this year. Fr. blessed a pile of hay in front of the empty manger on Sunday, and people were invited to take small bags full of hay to use in their mangers at home. Posadas, everyone tells me, are the tradition here, but it seems only for they older generation, as most of our CCD kids have never seen one, and it was new and exciting for them. 3rd yr Jr High has tried this and slowly we are re-inventing this tradition from our culture. now if we can just find some grandmas to teach team-tamale-building that will be a coup.

 

[Conservative]

Sounds like a very formative age - and time for her to learn about “Santa Claus” whether from family or friends. Tell her that the real name is “St. Nicholas” who brings gifts in honor of Our Lord’s Birth.

I’m sure this has already been done by many but the sooner the better. After all, in some languages “Santa” means saint or holy - but that big guy in the red suit doesn’t seem to have any religious persuasion - and St. Nicholas makes the round-the-world-trip-in-one-night explanation so much easier.

I’m hoping this isn’t irreverent but it just came to me. Not being a parent, I’m clueless. But just have the little ones do a wish list and leave it by a saint’s statue or something relevant (I don’t think the Advent wreath would be appropriate), and let it disappear by some morning. (Hey, they leave cookies and milk out for Santa Claus, don’t they?) - Leave me the cookies, leave the note for St. Nicholas ! Happy planning for next year !

 

[catholichalo]

Thanks everyone,

She had a great Christmas morning and last night our 3 year old was very well behaved at church.

It is insteresting you mentioned Santa. My wife and I haven’t really said anything about santa. We’ve read books to her, she’s seen him at the mall, etc…but we never said, “Santa’s coming tonight”. In a way I feel like I’m lying to her if we did the whole santa thing…but at the same time is not doing the Santa thing depriving her?

I hope all of you had a nice Christmas.

 

[Meximo]

I am glad you had a good Christmas. My Grandmother would rock baby Jesus to sleep and sign a lullaby. I started doing that with my family. Instead of a lullaby I opted for Las Mañanitas which is a traditional Mexican serade song and sung at birthdays. I love it and the boys seem to enjoy it they are 12 & 7.

 

[MarieVeronica]

My eldery mother and I made a birthday cake for Jesus, this year. Our first, ever! We lit one big, white candle and we sang “Happy Birthday” to Our Precious Lord.