First, a little gallery of our doings and then The Blessing of a Christmas Tree….
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- Agnes and her two sweet brothers.
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- Look at that red hair! (This photo was taken after midnight!)
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- Someone gave us a Santa Sack so Gemma got inspired…
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- I’ve never heard of Santa going UP the chimney.
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- This is a neat picture I stumbled upon. J.R.R. Tolkien (1892 – 1973) 1934 illustration for “Letters From Father Christmas”, a collection of letters written and illustrated by Tolkien between 1920 and 1943 for his children. Published posthumously in 1976.
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- My girls have weird tastes…
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- This is seaweed and basmati rice with some Bragg aminos poured on it.
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- The rice is put into the seaweed and eaten that way. We learned this from a Korean friend. It really is quite good!
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- Vin and Gin often have brunch at their home on Sundays.
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- It is a lovely place to gather.
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- And her boys have fun playing games in the evening.
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- Theresa’s lovely Nativity Scene with her new white figurines.
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- The couples pick names and then get gifts for the family they got. Gin bought gifts for Theresa and Dev’s family this year. She wrapped them so prettily and Theresa has them displayed in her home.
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- My brother lives in Kitimat, B.C., Canada. He sent me this picture of two swans near his home.
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- I made cookies for the grandchildren to give to them at potluck.
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- Rosie begins the Spiritual Christmas Crib. We are late this year but better late than never!
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- Color is added….
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- Rosie cuts Ethan’s hair. Ethan doesn’t like it but is patient.
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- Here the grandchildren are “fishing” for the treats Grandma got them.
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- The kitty wants to nestle in the stable at Theresa’s.
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- When the school sales are on, I get supplies for crafting for the long winter months. Those is my gifts to the grandchildren.
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- Advent wreath at Jeanette’s.
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- Our two pups. Chip and Dale.
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- Chip and Dale with their mother, Ginger, on a lazy, sunny, winter day.
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- The lighting has begun on Mike and Jeanette’s very big tree!
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- The kids play on….
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- Our beautiful candlelit Rorate Mass at 6 in the morning.
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- Gemma helps to get our stockings ready.
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- St. Nicholas morning.
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- Mom’s stocking is a little sparse but fine with me.
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- The kids had a good laugh about it. Rosie and I are on a special diet so I don’t eat what they do.
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- Angelo spills out his loot!
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- Yum!
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- Little Charlotte on St. Nicholas Day.
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- Son, Colin, likes his St. Nicholas basket!
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- Jacob is happy about his, too!
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- Colin and Z’s munchkins…
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- Mike and Jeanette’s stockings are hung.
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- Mike and Toby
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- The kids are happy…
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- Devin and Theresa’s little people..
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- Enjoying their stockings!
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- Getting ready for our St. Nicholas party…
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- Our friend, Dominic, plays the piano in the background. Very enjoyable!
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- St. Nicholas cups are ready for the party! St. Nicholas (Angelo) will hand them out.
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- Playing the cup game at the party.
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- St. Nicholas hands out the cups.
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- Black Pete accompanies him.
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- We all sing as he walks in…
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- One for you…
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- Little people try to pop the balloons that are tied to the ankles of their cousins. Hannah protects Our Lady from the ruckus!
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- Now the big people will try it.
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- Devin watches…
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- Grandpa is there to entertain…
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- A little music to finish off the night…
The Blessing of a Christmas Tree…
I love the season of Advent and there are so many lovely Advent traditions out there!
We don’t have to try to be super-woman and get in every one of these customs. I am in a different phase of life and have more time for these things.
Don’t overwhelm yourself with busy-ness by adding too many pressures to measure up and be Advent Queen but DO spend your time on making Advent special and meaningful. Pick a few choice traditions and try to stick to them consistently each year.
The following is a blessing of the Christmas tree led by the father of the house which was written in the 1950’s. I thought it was very beautiful and we have incorporated the custom this year! We also put up our Christmas tree WAY earlier than usual and made it into an Advent tree until we decorate it closer to Christmas.
The Blessing of a Christmas Tree:
by Helen McLoughlin
Sometime in the evening the tree is blessed by the father of the family, and afterwards the festive lights are lit for the first time. The following form may be used for the blessing.
FATHER: O God, come to my assistance.
ALL: O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father
and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the
beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
FATHER: Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the
Lord, for He comes.
ALL: Sing to the Lord a new song; * sing to the Lord, all you
lands.
FATHER: Sing to the Lord; bless his name; * announce his
salvation day after day.
ALL: Tell his glory among the nations; * among all peoples,
his wondrous deeds.
FATHER: For great is the Lord and highly to be praised; *
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
ALL: Splendor and majesty go before him; * praise and
grandeur are in his sanctuary.
FATHER: Give to the Lord, you families of nations, give to the
Lord glory and praise; * give to the Lord the glory due
his name!
ALL: Bring gifts, and enter His courts; * worship the Lord in
holy attire.
FATHER: Tremble before him, all the earth; * say among the
nations: the Lord is king.
ALL: Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the
sea and what fills it resound; * let the plains be joyful
and all that is in them!
FATHER: Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the
Lord, for he comes; * for he comes to rule the earth.
ALL: He shall rule the world with justice * and the peoples
with his constancy.
FATHER: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy
Spirit.
ALL: As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, *
world without end. Amen.
FATHER: Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the
Lord, for He comes.
MOTHER: Lesson from Isaias the Prophet. Thus saith the Lord: The land that was desolate and impassable shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice and shall flourish like the lily. It shall bud forth and blossom, and shall rejoice with joy and praise: the glory of Libanus is given to it: the beauty of Carmel, and Saron, they shall see the glory of the Lord and the beauty of our God.
ALL: Thanks be to God.
FATHER: And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of
Jesse
ALL: And a flower shall rise up out of his root.
FATHER: O Lord, hear my prayer.
ALL: And let my cry come to You.
FATHER: Let us pray. O God, who hast made this most holy night to shine forth with the brightness of the True Light, deign to bless this tree (sprinkles it with holy water) which we adorn with lights in honor of Him who has come to enlighten us who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. And grant that we upon whom is poured the new light of Thy Word made flesh may show forth in our actions that which by faith shines in our minds. Through Christ our Lord.
ALL: Amen.
Besides the historical explanation given above, there are of course many beautiful legends and much symbolism behind the Christmas tree.
The Christmas tree is a sign of the great Tree of the Cross; it is noble because it is by a tree that the whole world has been redeemed.
The splendor of the Christmas tree reminds us of the redemption of even the material creation by Christ–and recalls the lovely legend that all the trees on earth blossomed forth on Christmas night. And the evergreen is traditional for the Christmas tree, for it reminds us of the everlasting life that Christ won through His Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection.
The Christmas season is a season of good will. If we really have in our hearts good-will to men, we shall not only wish every one well, but we shall seek every opportunity to do good to every one, beginning with those at home. It will make us good wives, good mothers, good neighbors, kind, obliging, ready always to lend a hand, to do another a good turn.
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