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Advent - Other Customs |
Taken in part from "Religious Customs in the Home" By Fr. Weiser, S.J.
Besides the use of the Advent wreath a number of traditions exist which are designed to
help the Catholic family, especially the children, in their preparation for the feast of
our Lord's Nativity.
The St. Andrew Christmas Novena
There is a beautiful Christmas Novena that is to be started on November 30th, the Feast of
St. Andrew, and to be ended on Christmas Eve. This Novena should be prayed 15 times
each day for a family intention, or for an individual's own special favor
requested. The Novena is:
| "Hail, and blessed be the hour and the moment in which the Son of God was born, of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother. Amen." |  |
The Good Deed Manger
Another custom, which originated in France but spread to many other countries, is the
practice of having the little children prepare a soft bedding in the manger by using wisps
of straw as tokens of their Advent prayers and good works. Every day the child is allowed
to put in the crib one token (piece of straw) for each act of virtue or love performed in
preparation for Christmas. Thus the figure of the Baby Jesus will find on Christmas Day an
ample supply of tender straw to soften the hardness of the manger's boards.
Christmas Letters
An old Catholic custom is the writing of "Christmas Letters" by the children.
These letters, addressed to the Child Jesus (NOT Santa Claus) are written or dictated by
the little ones some time before Christmas. They contain their wishes concerning Christmas
presents, petitions for various intentions, and a promise of sincere effort to please Our
Lord in preparation for Christmas. When they go to bed, the children put their letters on
the windowsill, from where "angels" take them during the night to bring them to
the Child Jesus in heaven. This charming custom helps the parents to impress on the minds
of their little ones the importance of a sincere spiritual preparation and at the same
time great confidence in God who is concerned with our temporal and spiritual needs.
Parents who favor this custom will often be deeply touched when they discover that some of
their children put more stress on spiritual graces than on material gifts even on an
occasion like this. I t can also alert parents to the need for more guidance and direction
toward this goal.
The Advent Calendar
An Advent Calendar can be used in the home to help remind young and old of the passing of
each day toward the momentous day of December 25th. This is a custom that originated in
Germany and is still used today. The Advent Calendar should make use of a religious
picture as its theme and should not be mistaken for modern secular ones which provide
chocolates or other candies behind each window. Each window should open to a Scriptural
quotation using the Advent and Christmas themes or to pictures of the same theme. These
can be purchased at any Catholic Religious Goods Store.
Advent Antiphons for Meal Prayers
Week One
Leader: Drop down dew ye heavens above and let the clouds rain the Just One.All:
Let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior.
Week Two
Leader: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the
Lord.
All: Make straight His paths.
Week Three
Leader: Fear not Mary for thou hast found favor with God.
All: Behold thou shalt conceive and shalt bring forth a son. Alleluia.
Week Four
Leader: Behold the Lord shall come, the Prince of the kings of the earth.
All: Blessed are they who are prepared to meet Him.
