Keeping Advent
Rejoice in the time of preparation
The School for Housewives brings you short, practical, and thoughtful messages to inspire you to make your home. If you’re new here, go to the homepage for the previous Lessons; the categories are arranged in the menu bar at the top.
Sunday is Gaudete Sunday, a moment to rejoice always — again I say rejoice! That is the Introit of the day, the opening, invitatory prayer. Something so misunderstood in our instant-gratification culture is the notion that one can wait, do penance even, and yet still rejoice, knowing that the Lord is close at hand.
The housewife has her preparations to make, and the children round about now start to get a fire lit under them to give gifts to those they love. Some time spent doing simple crafts with them — or setting them up to do them on their own — helps them a lot.
I have a Pinterest board with some ideas. This old post of mine shows a practical, pretty, and well received gift of a small matchbox to make lighting candles more aesthetic. Ornaments are always welcome and become precious keepsakes. Decorated plant markers and bookmarks are also welcomed gifts. I won’t steer you wrong by suggesting dumb things!
Find a shoebox for each one to store what he makes. They won’t be able to go on to deciding on recipients and wrapping until later.
Be sure to plan some festivity for Sunday. We are approaching the darkest part of the year and need some cheer! Sing those Advent hymns, get some decorating done (put out the nativities with the wise men far off and the Infant Jesus tucked away in a drawer; string those garlands), make some cookies, rest.
There is so much love in anticipation, making the arrival that much sweeter.
You might wish to ponder some further thoughts on the importance of keeping Advent, and how to do it.
Petunia’s Christmas by Roger Duvoisin
As with everything here at the SFH, the best thing is for you to take my ideas, which come from my experience of escaping feminism to enjoy the gift of 46 years of marriage, seven children, and more than a score of grandchildren, and apply them to your situation with discernment, prudence, and confidence — and a sense of humor!
Be happy at home!
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Love this. Thank you for a reminder on what to do now that we are getting closer- the transition from Advent to Christmas.
Our young priest at Mass yesterday had the most beautiful reflection about the color rose for Gaudete Sunday. He said the color pink or rose reminds him of two things. First, the colors red and white that create pink can represent the Precious Blood shed for our sins mixed with the white of our eternal purification, which creates our authentic Christian joy. And second, the pink is like a blushing bride, like our Church as she knows her Bridegroom is near. Two images so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes.
So thank you for the reminder! Yes indeed our Bridegroom is near! Just thinking about it brings me a little extra bit of excited energy to do a little more cleaning, decorating, and creating with the children!