Decking the hall

It’s taken a couple weeks, but now, just in time for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, it seems Advent has officially arrived at our house. The announcement that a new niece joined our family in the wee hours of the morning has provided a boost to the spirit of festivity. What a good day to celebrate a birth! Our celebration has been limited to eating marshmallows for breakfast and participating in a nice long school mass. Tonight we’ll journey forth in the cold night air to attend the school band concert, the fifth amateur performance we’ve attended since Friday, and then we will toast Mary’s sinless birth by indulging in sinfully sweet desserts.

After a late start, what with Thanksgiving travels, leftover laundry, and someplace to be every night last week, we finally revived some of our Advent traditions this past weekend in order to welcome St. Nicholas on Monday. The kids put a few ornaments on the Jesse tree (still haven’t found the book with the readings – might help if I looked for it), and I opened a box of Christmas decor to place around the living room: squashed red bows, sparkle stars, a few out of shape artificial wreaths. I roasted a chicken and sweet potatoes, threw together some rolls and opened a can of cranberry sauce for a festive Sunday dinner. We lit the second candle, said some prayers from the Catholic Family Prayer book, and set our shoes by the door.

The Jesse tree ornaments come and go, depending on the pre-schooler's whims.

Ready for St. Nicholas Day. He gifted us with chocolate coins, real coins, candy canes, and an elf, our one new ornament.

There’s an ad on the radio about expired Christmas ornaments from 1988. What you’re supposed to do after hearing this jingle is rush out to the store and buy new decorations for this year. Most of our ornaments look like they’re from 1988, and some, hand-me-downs from my grandparents, are actually a lot older. I don’t have any plans to replace them. They all have sentimental value worth more than the impression shiny new coordinated décor would make. My first shopping expedition at the end of last week overwhelmed my senses – I felt like I needed to crawl in a hole, like a kid with that sensory processing disorder. Instead I lashed out at my husband. Then we had to go be jolly at a Christmas party with his co-workers. At least the food was good.

Fortunately, the weekend improved. After a good rest, we made our apologies and started over. Maybe it was the act of reconciliation, or the readings at Mass on Sunday, or hearing the message of self-gift reiterated at the performance of “A Christmas Carol” at the Community College, but by the end of the weekend, Advent finally seemed to have begun in our home.

(Some hand-me-downs with photos of some of the benefactors. Can you find Betty Duffy?)

Like Melanie, we’re having a slow Advent: no cookies yet, no outdoor lights, but we’re slowly dragging out the ornaments and reliving the memories attached to them. We’ve found our Christmas music, the kids are practicing for their pageant, and each night they take a turn praying “Jesus Christ is the light of the world; Come, Lord Jesus, Come,” as they light the candles. They have taken the initiative to move the wise men and Mary and Joseph around the dining room closer to the nativity set. They count down the days until we’ll pack up and head north to see family. The feeling of hopeful anticipation is palpable.

Note the bow - this ribbon is circa 1975. It has held up well - very sustainable. Looks like Mary and Joseph have already found the stable.