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Santa Claus Costumes and Customs:
The Christmas Calendar
 For most Christians, the Christmas season
begins on the Sunday nearest November 30. This date
is the feast day of Saint Andrew, one of the 12
apostles of Christ. The nearest Sunday is the first
day of Advent (the word “advent” means a coming), a
four-week period during which Christians prepare for
the celebration of Christmas. In some countries
Christians have an Advent wreath in their homes
during the holiday season. Most of these wreaths are
made of evergreen or holly branches and may lie on a
table or hang on a door. If you are putting up a
tree, this is the best time to acquire your material
for the calendar! (see below,
Santa Claus Costumes
and Customs: The Christmas Tree) Four candles, one for each
Sunday of Advent, are placed among the branches. On
the first Sunday, the family lights one candle and
joins in prayer. They repeat this ceremony on each
Sunday of Advent, lighting one additional candle
each time. A large red candle, which symbolizes
Jesus, is added to the wreath on Christmas Day.
A newer, 19th century German tradition is that of
setting up an Advent Calendar. Advent calendars are
calendars, made mostly for children, to count down
the days 'til Christmas, from 1 December to 24
 December inclusive. For each of the twenty-four days
on the calendar is either a "window" that reveals
something when opened, or a pouch which might hold
one or more of the following: a trinket, piece of
candy, coin, picture, Bible verse, or even a
"treasure hunt-like" instruction, for example, the
parent might hide a small toy or Bible verse under
the child's bed and leave an instruction behind the
window or inside the pouch for that day that says,
"Look under your bed and see what you can find."
The children are only allowed to open one "window"
or pouch on each day.
The
beginning of Advent is also the time to set up your
Nativity scene ("presepio" in Italian). All of the
figures are set out but for the Magi and Baby Jesus;
the manger itself should be left empty until
Christmas Eve, when Baby Jesus arrives at midnight.
Coming soon: Santa Claus Costumes and Customs: Creating your own
manger. This sets up a mood of anticipation; everything is
in place -- but He has not yet come. Some families
have a tradition of "preparing the manger" by
allowing the children each evening to place a single
piece of straw for each good deed done during the
day. By the time Christmas Eve comes, Jesus will
have a soft bed to lie in.
2007 Advent Dates:
2 December: First Sunday of Advent 2007
9 December: Second Sunday of Advent 2007
16 December: Third Sunday of Advent, 2007
23 December: Fourth Sunday of Advent, 2007
Tuesday, 25 December: Christmas 2007
Daily Advent Readings
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Read About It: December:
dedicated to the Immaculate
Conception |
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Advent Overview |
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Advent Wreath & Candles |
Sundays of Advent: 3, 10, 17, 24
December |
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Nativity Scenes |
1st Sunday of Advent - 6 January or
2 February |
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Advent Calendars |
1-24 December |
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Jesse Trees |
1-24 December |
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Feast of St. Barbara |
4 December |
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Feast of St. Nicholas |
6 December |
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Feast of the Immaculate Conception |
8 December |
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Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe |
12 December |
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Feast of St. Lucy |
13 December |
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Advent Embertide |
Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday
after
13 December (St. Lucy's Day): 20,
22, 23 December |
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Christmas Novena II & Las Posadas |
16-24 December |
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The Golden Nights: O Antiphons |
17-23 December |
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 Christmastide |
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Christmastide Overview |
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Christmas Eve and Christmas Day |
24-25 December |
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Feast of St. Stephen the Deacon |
26 December |
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Feast of St. John the Evangelist |
27 December |
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Feast of the Holy Innocents
(Childermas) |
28 December |
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Feast of St. Thomas Becket |
29 December |
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Feast of St. Sylvester |
31 December |
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2 0 0 7 |
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January: dedicated to the
Holy Name and Childhood of Jesus |
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Feast of the Circumcision |
1 January |
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Feast of the Holy Name |
2 January (1st Sunday of the
year, or 2 January if this Sunday
falls on the 1st, 6th, or 7th) |
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Twelfth Night |
5 January |
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Feast of the Epiphany |
6 January |
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Feast of the Holy Family |
7 January (1st Sunday after the
Epiphany) |
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The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ |
13 January |
From:
www.fisheaters.com
The Feast of St. Nicholas,
Santa Claus,
is celebrated on December 6 in honor of the Bishop
who is the patron saint of children, sailors and
bakers.
Santa Claus Costumes and Customs:
In other countries, people use special Advent
calendars or Advent candles to keep track of the 24
days before Christmas. An Advent calendar has a
colorful Christmas scene, and each date is printed
on a flap. One flap is lifted daily to uncover a
holiday picture or a Biblical verse. On an Advent
candle, the dates appear in a row down the side.
Each evening, the candle is lit and then burned down
to the next date. By Christmas Day, the entire
candle has melted.
During the Christmas season, many churches display a
creche (Nativity scene) showing figures of Mary and
Joseph praying over the infant Jesus in the stable.
Figures of the Magi, angels, shepherds, and various
animals surround the Holy Family.
Santa Claus Costumes and Customs
in North America
For many Christians, the Christmas season reaches a
climax at midnight Mass or other religious services
on Christmas Eve. For some families, this is exactly
when our favorite saint, Santa Claus visits, when no
one is home. People sing Christmas carols and
listen to readings from the Gospels of Saint Luke
and Saint Matthew. Priests and ministers speak to
the congregations about the coming of Christ and the
need for peace and understanding among all people.
The Christmas season generally ends on Epiphany, January 6. In
Western Christian churches, Epiphany celebrates the
coming of the Wise Men to the Christ child. Among
Eastern Christians, this day celebrates Jesus'
baptism.
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