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Advent adventures
Monday, December 12, 2011
*Angelique Ruhi-Lopez
Have you heard about a new Christmas tradition involving some mischievous elves that play pranks on the family? Parents buy the stuffed elves for their children and while the children are sleeping, the elves “mysteriously” do things such as toilet-paper the living room, hide in a different spot or switch around the kids’ toys. Children wake up each morning of Advent and run around the house to see what trouble Santa’s elves have been up to overnight.
Sure, it seems harmless enough but it also seems like one more thing to detract from the true meaning of Christmas – for parents and children alike. All the energy spent on scheming elf pranks (not to mention the fact that these stuffed elves aren’t cheap) in order to see the wonderment in kids’ eyes could be better spent thinking up ways to bring the wonder of Christ back into Christmas. There’s no better present children can receive than this.
Here are some ways for families to prepare our hearts and our homes to receive Christ this Advent and Christmas:
- Light an Advent wreath nightly and have family members take turns reading Advent prayers and Scripture.
- Keep an Advent calendar to count down the days to Christ’s birth.
- In addition to decorating a traditional Christmas tree, create a Jesse Tree, an Advent custom that represents Jesus’ family tree. Through symbolic ornaments that are hung on the tree daily, children can learn salvation history from creation through the birth of the Messiah in a fun, understandable way.
- Go Christmas caroling as a family at a nursing home or in your neighborhood. Yes, people still do this! Make it a point to sing religious songs and teach children the real meaning behind songs such as the Twelve Days of Christmas that have veiled religious themes.
- Tell children the stories of St. Nicholas, the legend of the Christmas tree, and the tale of the fourth wise man to inspire in them the true meaning of giving.
- Throw a birthday party for Jesus. Serve birthday cake and sing Him Happy Birthday. Prepare religious games and activities and ask guests to bring toys for needy children in lieu of gifts for the Guest of Honor.
- Invite children to choose one (or more) of the new toys they receive at Christmas to donate to a child in need.
- Make donations to your favorite charity as Christmas gifts for your family and friends and invite them to do the same for you.
- Keep an empty crèche under the Christmas tree or in your nativity scene. Ask family members to write down on little slips of paper whenever they perform an act of kindness for another and place them, folded, in the cradle. On Christmas day, a statue of Baby Jesus can be laid down in his crib, cushioned by the family’s good deeds.
Advent is a time of expectant waiting, but children need to be taught that it’s not Santa Claus we’re waiting on. Maybe we parents need to be reminded of this, too.
What is your family doing to celebrate Advent and prepare for Christ’s birth?
Comments from readers
I am very proud of you!
Over the last few years, I have resisted the peer pressure for bringing the �elf� into our home, since so many kids seem to have them. I agree it's harmless and the kids have a good time...and I am in favor of kids having a good time. I know of many parents that are doing a beautiful job giving to their children selflessly through the storyline of that elf. But frankly, I'm not that creative! I wish I were, but I'm not. St. Nicholas gives me foundation and creativity for the magic of Santa Claus with my kids. But not an mischievous elf...I already have a dog for that... I really don't need any more creatures added to Christmas that need to be fed, cajoled, disciplined or kept secret!
I am enjoying Advent so much this year in the Advent prayers, coloring and decorating with my kids, and discovering each day how they see Christ in others, and how they are �preparing� for Christ themselves. I've no time for a prankster elf, that is.. unless he does housecleaning.....