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New Year’s Day is a day for festivities and merrymaking. In the Church, it is also the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. This is the day that the Church remembers the naming and circumcision of Jesus.  It was a Jewish custom for newborn boys to be named and circumcised eight days after they were born. This is why the feast occurs eight days after Christmas Day. And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. Luke 2:21 The name "Jesus," meaning "God saves" emphasizes His pivotal role in human salvation. Invoking the name of Jesus is central to our prayers and worship because we believe, as Christians, in the power of His holy name. Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11 Devotion for the Day Light the Christ candle. Begin your devotion time with the following invitation to prayer: Leader: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Leader: Let us pray. Opening prayer: Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen . Read Luke 2:21 and Philippians 2:9-11 Close with a prayer thanking God for his goodness and asking for his guidance and protection for you and all who are in any need or trouble. End your devotion by saying the Lord’s Prayer together. Ways to Celebrate Make God Cakes. It is traditional in Coventry, England to visit your godchild on this day and to bring them "God-cakes". God Cakes are little triangular cakes (in honor of the Trinity) with sweet filling. Coventry God Cakes Rich shortcrust: 2 cups flour 1 tsp salt 1 Tbl. confectioner’s sugar 8 Tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 Tbsp milk or water Filling: ¼ butter, room temperature ¼ cup sugar ¾ cup currants ¼ cup candied lemon peel, finely chopped Grated rind of ½ a lemon ¼ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp allspice Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. If you wish, stir in the sugar. Using the tips of your fingers or two knives, work in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Make a well and add the egg and milk. Mix briefly with a fork. Form the dough into a ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least ½ hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter 2 baking sheets. To make the filling: Cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy. Stir in the remaining ingredients, blending thoroughly. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out thin. Cut into four-inch squares. Reroll the scraps. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling near one corner of each square, leaving ½ inch of dough uncovered. Lightly moisten the edges of the pastry. Fold from corner to corner to make triangles. Seal the edges with your fingers, then with the tines of a fork. Place the cakes on the baking sheets and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

On the Feast of Saint Stephen, the church celebrates the very first martyr to die because of his love for Jesus. You can find Saint Stephen’s story in the Book of Acts. The apostles elected Stephen to take care of the needs of the poor in their community so that the apostles could focus on preaching and teaching God’s Word. Tradition tells us that Stephen was full of grace and fortitude and did great wonders and signs among the people. One day, while Stephen was preaching the Gospel in the streets, angry Jews, who believed his message about Jesus to be blasphemy, dragged him outside of the city and stoned him to death. Since Saint Stephen was the first Christian martyr, the church gave his day of remembrance a special place of honor on the day immediately after we celebrate Christ's birth. Ways to Celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen Relax! In many countries around the world, Saint Stephen’s Day is a holiday. It is a day to visit family and friends or to take a long walk in the countryside. In Italy, they play board games and cards; in Poland, they jump into an icy body of water; and in Australia, they go to the beach to swim. Give your alms to the poor . Since Saint Stephen’s role in the Christian community was to care for those in need, Christians used this day to distribute the alms boxes they collected during Advent to those in need. In England, small gifts of money are given to those who provide services during the year. These gifts of money were called “boxes.” Thus, Saint Stephen’s Day became known as “Boxing Day.” The origin of the piggy bank also comes from this day. Children in Germany and Holland stored their money in pig-shaped earthenware containers, which they then broke on Saint Stephen’s Day. The money saved was distributed to the poor. Throw rice at each other . In Poland, people give Saint Stephen’s Day “blessings” by throwing handfuls of rice, oats, or walnuts at one another. The act symbolizes the stoning of Saint Stephen! Make Saint Stephen’s Horseshoes . The origins are unclear, but Saint Stephen became the patron saint of horses. On this day, in Poland and other Eastern European countries, bread is baked in the shape of horseshoes. Make Bubble and Squeak and Mulled Ale . In England, the traditional fare for Saint Stephen’s Day is a roasted vegetable dish known as “Bubble and Squeak” and Mulled Ale. Eat leftovers . Saint Stephen’s Day in Italy is also called il giorno degli avanzi , “the day of the leftovers.” All of the leftover food from the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day feasts is reworked and enjoyed for lunch. Have a leftover poultry carcass? Make passatelli in brodo . A thick dough made of cheese, breadcrumbs, and egg yolks is pressed through a special sieve-like implement to form golden noodles, which are cooked in the broth and served piping hot. Devotion for the Feast of St. Stephen Start the devotion with the lights lowered or off. All of the Advent candles and Christ candle should already be lit. Leader:  Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord. People: Thanks be to God. Leader:  Let us pray. Leader: We give you thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to your Son Jesus Christ, who stands at your right hand; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. All together O gracious light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of Life, and to be glorified through all the worlds. A READING FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE Read: Acts 6:8-15, 7:54-60 8  Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people.  9  But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia.  10  None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke. 11  So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.”  12  This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. 13  The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses.  14  We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” 15  At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s. 54  The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.  55  But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.  56  And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” 57  Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him  58  and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59  As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”  60  He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died. Use this time for other Christmas observances: slowly move the Wise Men figures to the Nativity Scene.

On the Feast of Saint Stephen, the church celebrates the very first martyr to die because of his love for Jesus. You can find Saint Stephen’s story in the book of Acts. Stephen was elected by the apostles to take care of the needs of the poor in their community so that the apostles could focus on preaching and teaching God’s Word. It is said that Stephen was full of grace and fortitude and that he did great wonders and signs among the people. One day, while Stephen was preaching the Gospel in the streets, angry Jews, who believed his message about Jesus to be blasphemy, dragged him outside of the city and stoned him to death. Since Saint Stephen was the first Christian martyr, the church gave his day of remembrance a special place of honor right after the day we celebrate Christ's birth. Ways to Celebrate Since St. Stephen’s role in the Christian community was to care for those in need, the Church distributed their alms boxes to the poor on this day. In England, St. Stephen’s Day is a national holiday and is known as “Boxing Day”. Small gifts of money are given to the people who provide them with services during the year. These gifts of money were called “boxes”. Thus, St. Stephen’s Day became known as "Boxing Day". It is a day to visit family and friends or to take a long walk in the countryside Traditional fare for this day is "Bubble and Squeak" and mulled ale. The origin of the piggy bank comes from this day. Children in Germany and Holland stored their pennies in a pig-shaped earthenware container which they broke the day after Christmas. The money saved was distributed to the poor. The origins are unclear but St. Stephen became the patron saint of horses. On this day, in Poland and other Slavic countries, bread is baked in the shape of horseshoes. In Poland people confer St. Stephen’s Day blessings by throwing handfuls of rice, oats, or walnuts at one another. The act symbolizes the stoning of St. Stephen. Devotion for St. Stephen’s Day Light the Christ candle.Begin your devotion time with the following invitation to prayer: Leader: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Leader: Let us pray. Opening prayer: While we suffer here on earth, help us, O Lord, to remember to look up at heaven and by faith to behold the glory that shall be revealed; and, being filled with the Holy Spirit, that we would learn to love and bless those that persecute us. Help us to be like the first Martyr Saint Stephen, who prayed for his murderers to you, blessed Jesus, who stands at the right hand of God to comfort all those that suffer for you. Amen. Read Acts 6-7 Close with a prayer thanking God for his goodness and asking for his guidance and protection for you and all who are in any need or trouble. End your devotion by saying the Lord’s Prayer together.

On Christmas Eve, we are suspended between two worlds - the world of darkness, sin, and death and the new world of light promised through God’s Messiah. On this day, the season of Advent draws to an end and the waiting and intentional preparation comes to a close. Christmas Eve is our last opportunity to heed the words of Saint John the Baptist to “prepare the way of the Lord.” That is why, traditionally, Christmas Eve is a day for confession. Although we seek on this day to continue to prepare our hearts through confession and introspection, it is hard to contain our excitement because we know what happens at the stroke of midnight - the dawn of a new age comes with the birth of a Savior who will ransom us from sin and death and bring us back to God! Ways to Celebrate Christmas Eve (Before Sundown) Traditionally, on the morning of December 24, most of the preparations for Christmas Day were completed. All cookies and treats had been hidden away. The kitchen looked sober and bare compared to the night before with nothing left out but the makings of a very frugal breakfast and lunch. This is so counter to have we celebrate now but Christmas Eve was one of the strictest fast days of the Christian year. All over the world, many people consumed no more than a cup of coffee and a piece of bread for breakfast and lunch was usually water and a small meatless meal. With these frugal meals, the holy season of Advent drew to a close. Christmas Eve, before sundown, is the final day of preparation for the Christmas Feast. Use this time to prepare not only your home, food, and clothes, but also to prepare your hearts for the joy to come. Clean house. As a final act of preparation, it is an Irish and Eastern European tradition to clean your house, return all borrowed items, and fix everything in your house that needs to be repaired. Read the traditional Advent calendar message - “Today you will know that the Lord is coming to save us and in the morning you will see his Glory!” Decorate your Christmas Tree. Traditionally, the Christmas Tree is not put up until Christmas Eve in most parts of the world. And when it is put up, it is oftentimes decorated by the parents in secret. When the decorated Christmas tree is revealed to the children, it is with the understanding that the Christ Child has blessed them with the gifts and the decorations. Refresh the Advent wreath and place the presents under the tree. Decorate the dining table and set it for a Christmas feast. Set out all of the cookies and foods you have prepared in advance. Serve an early Christmas Eve meal. The Christmas Eve meal is the very last moment of Advent. It is one of the two or three most important meals of the Christian year and is lovingly referred to as the “Holy Meal.” It is a time when Christian families reaffirm their bonds of love and solidarity. Like Christmas Eve itself, the Christmas Eve meal, while still preparing us, is full of joyful expectancy and is very celebratory. To reflect this, the Christmas Eve meal is a type of fast within a feast, and meat is traditionally abstained from.  Each country has its beautiful food traditions for this night mostly centering around a fish dish and lavish desserts. Every detail of the meal is rich with meaning. For instance, in many countries, the meal begins when the first star appears in the sky reminding us of the star of Bethlehem. The meal is candlelit with a large white candle in the center of the table symbolizing Christ as the Light of the World. Next to the candle is a round loaf of bread symbolizing Christ as the Bread of Life. Also, there are either twelve courses or twelve desserts served to represent the twelve disciples.  In Slavic countries, the floor and dining table are strewn with straw in honor of the stable, and a white tablecloth representing the swaddling clothes that the infant Jesus was wrapped in is placed over the dining table’s straw. The father breaks thin wafers with religious motifs known as the bread of angels and distributes a piece to each member of the family. As the father distributes the wafer pieces, he kisses each member of his family and wishes them a blessed Christmas. The Christmas Eve meal is a beautiful symbol of love and unity in Christ. An extra place is always set at the table in honor of those who are absent. Traditionally, all members of the household sit down and eat together, including servants. Ways to Celebrate Christmas Eve  (After Sundown) At sundown, we begin to celebrate one of the highest feast days of the Christian year, the Feast of the Nativity. The Feast of the Nativity or Christmas (Christ Mass) is what Advent has been getting us ready for, the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Wish everyone a very blessed Christmas! Attend the Christmas Eve service at your church. If attending the service is impossible, gather the family around the Advent wreath and have an evening devotion. Place your baby Jesus figurine in the manger. Light all of your Advent Wreath candles, including the white Christ candle in the middle. Listen to the Nine Lessons and Carols which is broadcast by the BBC annually from King’s College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve. Have an extravagant Christmas Eve meal or Réveillon after church. It is traditional in many countries around the world to have an extravagant feast after midnight mass. In France, the feast is called the Reveillon. The name of this dinner comes from the word réveil (waking) because the light of Christ has burst into our lives waking us from our sleep. Every aspect of this luxurious feast proclaims the goodness of God lavished on us in Christ. The dessert served is usually a Bûche de Noël or Christmas Log. In Austria and Germany, there is a lavish dinner but the focus is on a special Christmas punch and Stollen, a Christmas bread. Light candles. Since light has always been a symbol of Jesus, people all over the world use light to represent the birth of Jesus. In the southwestern United States, entire neighborhoods line their streets and walkways on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with luminaries. In many Irish families, candles wreathed in holly are lit in every window on Christmas Eve. In France and England, a three-pronged candelabra is lit representing the Trinity.

On December 21st, as Christmas Day fast approaches, we celebrate one more commemoration of a saint, the Feast of St. Thomas. We often know St. Thomas, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles, as “Doubting Thomas” for questioning Jesus’ resurrection after the other disciples told him about it. Tradition holds that he is the only apostle who journeyed outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel. He is also believed to have crossed the broadest area, including the Persian Empire and India. To celebrate this remarkable man fully, let’s take a closer look at the traditions and stories that bring to life the enduring legacy of St. Thomas. Who was St. Thomas? St. Thomas’ life and legacy are primarily known through New Testament accounts, particularly the Gospel of John, as well as through various Christian traditions. Thomas was one of the original twelve disciples Jesus chose to follow him and be trained for the ministry. He walked with Jesus for three years as a disciple and witnessed Jesus’ ministry first-hand. It is important to remember that, like the other disciples, Thomas witnessed the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. He was also among the disciples and women who were in the upper room when the Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost, and he became known as one of the apostles or ones sent out to spread the Gospel of the risen Christ. St. Thomas in Scripture St. Thomas’ story in the Bible comes mainly from the Gospel of John. In John 11, Jesus has been informed that his beloved friend, Lazarus, is sick. He intentionally waits with the disciples for two days before returning to him. The disciples encourage Jesus not to go to Lazarus, fearing that he will be killed. However, Thomas faithfully answers, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” In John 14, Jesus is speaking to the disciples about the future, that he will be leaving them and going to prepare a place for them but that he will come back for them and take them with him.  Thomas says, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” To this, Jesus replies, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Thomas’s skepticism regarding the resurrection of Jesus is well-known. In John 20:24-29, we read that Thomas was absent when the resurrected Jesus first appeared to the other disciples. When they told him about their miraculous encounter, he expressed doubt, saying he needed to see and feel Jesus’ wounds to believe. Later, Jesus appeared to Thomas and invited him to touch his wounds, leading to Thomas’s profound profession of faith, “My Lord and my God!”  The Ministry of St. Thomas Christian tradition holds that after the Holy Spirit fell and the church was born, Thomas went out to preach the Gospel in distant lands. We believe Thomas to be the only apostle who went outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel and that he also crossed the broadest area. There are Christian communities from the Middle East to China, from southeast Asia to eastern Africa, all claiming to have been evangelized by St. Thomas. When a Jesuit missionary named Antonio Ruiz de Montoya went to Paraguay in 1639, he discovered that the people there claimed that a very holy man named “Pai Thome” lived among them for a time and preached the Gospel to them, wandering and carrying a wooden cross on his back. One of the most significant of these missionary travels is his journey to India, where he spent the most time and established Christian communities along the Malabar Coast. These Christians, known as the St. Thomas Christians, are still a vibrant, thriving community to this day, which is why St. Thomas is considered the patron saint of India.  The Death of St. Thomas Thomas died a martyr’s death in Mylapore, according to tradition, now part of modern-day Chennai (Madras) in India. Hindu priests or other local religious authorities allegedly killed him. They were hostile to his preaching and the conversions that were happening because of him. They speared him to death, which is why he is depicted in art and iconography holding a spear, symbolizing the manner of his martyrdom. Following his death, tradition holds that St. Thomas was buried in the area where the San Thome Basilica, a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Mylapore, is currently located. The basilica rests over his purported tomb and is revered by many Christians. The Feast of St. Thomas Around the World Christians worldwide start preparing for the Christmas feast on the Feast of St. Thomas. They clean their homes, and, finally, gifts are purchased and wrapped. Then, all of the Christmas baking begins! The excitement and anticipation increase with the cleaning, baking, and preparation! Everyone can feel that Christmas Day is almost here!  In England, the Feast of St. Thomas was a day of charity, where the poor went “a Thomasing” or ask for alms or food.  Different countries around the world make special foods during this time: In Austria, people bake a special bread called Kletzenbrot. Kletzenbrot is a delicious bread with dried fruit in it. They make one large loaf for the family to eat on Christmas morning, and then make small loaves for every family member.  In Germany, people make a treat called Cristollen. They fold it to look like Christ’s diapers.  Special Christmas cookies are also traditional during this time. Each country has its own particular kind. The United States and Great Britain make sugar cookies. Germany makes a sugar cookie called Springerles and a cookie called Lebkuchen, which means Bread of Life.  In Sweden and Finland, people make gingerbread and mulled wine (glögg in Swedish). In parts of India, especially in Kerala, where the influence of St. Thomas is significant, the feast features dishes like appam (rice pancakes), beef or mutton stews, and fish curries. How to Celebrate Read John 20:24-29 Make it a point to give to the poor or serve them somehow. Clean the house and wrap up all of your Christmas preparations. In honor of the St. Thomas’ Christians, eat Indian food. Begin all of your Christmas baking! We will be making my mom Meredith’s famous iced sugar cookies. They are the best sugar cookies you will ever try and are so fun to decorate! the recipe -

Picture this. Every evening during the last nine days before Christmas, a great crowd forms in the village streets. A small child dressed as an angel leads the figures of Joseph, Mary, and the donkey. Behind the figures, a procession follows made up of townspeople carrying candles and musicians playing carols. The procession stops at different homes, where scriptures are read and traditional songs are sung, begging shelter for poor Mary and Joseph. At each stop, the people in the homes sing a traditional response refusing Mary and Joseph because there is “no room at the inn.” Finally, on Christmas Eve, Mary and Joseph find a home with an open door and a welcome. The angel, Mary, and Joseph enter in and gather around a large cradle. The villagers follow and kneel around the nativity scene to pray. In the cradle, a figure of the infant Jesus is placed on a bed of straw and gently rocked while everyone around sings a traditional lullaby. After songs and prayers, everyone gathers together for a huge celebration with carols, feasting, firecrackers, and in some countries, a piñata. This tradition, celebrated all over the world is known by many different names; Las Posadas (The Inns), Golden Nights , and Seeking Shelter . It begins nine days before Christmas and it is a reentactment of the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Ways to Celebrate Before your evening devotion, assemble the family and sing advent songs as you process the creche figures of Mary, Joseph, and the donkey into the living room. Put the figures in a special place of honor and light a candle next to them. Remind your children that you are trying to create an atmosphere of consideration and unselfishness for Mary and Joseph. Or you could allow each of your children to make up for the harsh treatment that the holy couple received by hosting the figures in their room for the day. Instead of processing the figures in the living room, process them to the door of the first child’s room while singing Advent songs. Explain to your children that when it is their turn, they should do everything possible to create a warm and loving atmosphere for Mary and Joseph. Suggest cleaning their room, clearing a spot on their dresser for the figures, placing fresh evergreens around the figures, or ribbons, etc. Read a book about Las Posadas. I love this one  by Taomie dePaola. The illustrations are beautiful and it is such a sweet story! Make a traditional Mexican feast of tamales and cinnamon sugar fritters called buñuelos . Yum! the recipes -

Only nine more days until Christmas! Tonight a custom is celebrated all over the world which is known by many different names; La Posada (The Inn), Golden Nights, and Seeking Shelter. The events in the journey of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem are commemorated at this time. This is a beautiful tradition where villagers with candles sing and go door to door, seeking shelter for Mary and Joseph. They sing songs and pray as they are rejected night after night. Finally, on the last night of Las Posadas, Mary and Joseph are allowed into a chosen home. The figure of baby Jesus is laid in a manger and everyone gathers around and sings a lullaby. Then everyone pours back into the streets for firecrackers, feasting, and merrymaking. If you want to celebrate this tradition in the home, before your evening devotion, assemble the family and sing advent songs as you process the creche figures of Mary, Joseph, and the donkey into the living room. Put the figures in a special place of honor and light a candle next to them. Remind your children that we are trying to create an atmosphere of consideration and unselfishness for Mary and Joseph. Or you could allow each of your children to make up for the harsh treatment that the holy couple received by hosting the figures in their room for the day. Instead of processing the figures in the living room, process them to the door of the first child’s room while singing Advent songs. Explain to your children that when it is their turn, they should do everything possible to create a warm and loving atmosphere for Mary and Joseph. Suggest cleaning their room, clearing a spot on their dresser for the figures, placing fresh evergreens around the figures, or ribbons, etc. Read a book about Las Posadas. I love this one by Taomie dePaola. The illustrations are beautiful and it is such a sweet story!

Homemade Saffron Buns for St. Lucy's Day My family has always loved celebrating St. Lucy’s Day on December 13th. We have such fun making saffron buns, a traditional food for the day (full recipe below!). We start the dough early, allowing time for the dough to rise, we gather around our island and laugh as we roll the dough into long “snakes” that we then coil into “S” shapes. We can hardly wait to let the buns cool down before we try them, they are just so good! We cut out paper crowns, we read a book based on the life of St. Lucy, and we offer up thanks for a young woman who was willing to stand for her faith even if it meant being martyred. Saint Lucy and My Daughter This year, St. Lucy's Day is especially poignant to me. My oldest daughter just turned 18 and is now a senior in high school. She is applying to colleges and eagerly waiting for acceptance letters. With one foot in the high school world, she is also having to prepare for college. She is in that transitional phase where she is thinking about her future as a woman while leaving the girl that she was behind. She is discovering who she is, what she likes and what she doesn’t like, what her passions are and what she wants to pursue. Everything about her life right now is moving away from the past and embracing the future. Her world is opening, her future is bright, and only God knows what it holds. As I thought about St. Lucy’s Day this year, I found myself wondering how old Lucy was when she died. And I discovered that she was 21, just three years older than my daughter. It hit me so hard this year that just like my daughter, St. Lucy was a daughter, a friend, and a member of her church. She, too, was transitioning into womanhood, discovering things for herself, and making decisions for herself. She, too, had passions, hopes, and dreams. Saint Lucy the Martyr But unlike my daughter, Lucy grew up during the most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. Christianity was illegal during this time and many persecuted Christians fled and hid in catacombs. The people who were in hiding had very little food and St. Lucy devoted herself to providing relief. The catacombs were dark and in order to find your way around, you needed to carry candles. St. Lucy wanted to bring as much food as possible to the people so she needed to keep both of her hands free. She solved this problem by attaching candles to a wreath on her head. St. Lucy lost her father when she was five years old, leaving her and her mother without a protective guardian. She and her mother were devout Christians and as St. Lucy grew older she made a vow to never marry and to give her life in service to the Lord. She also made a vow to give her dowry to the poor. Her mother suffered from a bleeding disorder and feared for her daughter’s future so she arranged for Lucy to marry a man from a wealthy pagan family. When St. Lucy’s betrothed discovered that her inheritance was being distributed to the poor, he reported her to the governor and St. Lucy was seized and ordered to offer a sacrifice to the emperor’s image. When she refused, she was martyred. Processions with Gown, Sash, and Candles Because of her deep devotion and her willingness to die for the Lord, St. Lucy is remembered and celebrated in countries all over the world. Large processions are held to celebrate the day. A special girl is chosen to be St. Lucy. She wears a white gown which symbolizes purity and a red sash for martyrdom. Like St. Lucy, she wears a crown of candles on her head. In the darkness she leads a procession of women who are all holding candles. Every aspect of the celebration has special significance; the name Lucy or Lucia means “light” and she is remembered for bringing light and hope to people in darkness on her feast day which occurs in the darkest time of winter. On St. Lucy’s Day there is also a more intimate celebration in the home. A daughter in the family is chosen to represent St. Lucy. She rises early in the morning wearing a white gown and a red sash. She wears a crown made from branches with burning candles. The daughter wakes each family member up and serves them a cake called St. Lucy’s Crown, saffron buns, or gingersnaps and fresh coffee. Wheat Traditions Another major symbol for St. Lucy’s Day is wheat. In Sicily, where St. Lucy is from, there is a legend that a great famine ended on St. Lucy’s Day when ships loaded with grain entered the harbor. Because of this, there are many traditions surrounding wheat. In Italy, it is traditional to eat things made from wheat berries. The dish that they typically eat is called cuccia which is boiled wheat berries mixed with ricotta and honey. In Croatia and Hungary, it is traditional to plant grains of wheat on Saint Lucy’s Day. Every year on St. Lucy’s Day, wheat seeds are planted in soil on a pretty dish with a candle placed in the middle. If the seeds are kept moist, they will germinate and grow into plants that will be several inches high by Christmas. The new green shoots remind us of the new life born in Bethlehem. The candle reminds us of the Light of Christ that St. Lucy shared with her life. How to Celebrate St. Lucy's Day If you’d like to celebrate this special day, have your children create their own St. Lucy’s Day celebration. Read about the life of St. Lucy and spend time offering thanks for a young woman who was willing to spread the light of Christ in the midst of great darkness, even to the point of death. Have them dress in white with red sashes (anything white or red will do). Make a crown of evergreens from your yard, make candles with construction paper, and place them in the crown. Help your children make saffron buns, gingersnaps or, if you are feeling adventurous, cuccia. Then help them to serve the treats to the rest of the family. the recipe -

During Advent, you’ll often see oranges being given as gifts in stockings or shoes left out for St. Nicolas. You’ll also see homes decorated with garlands of dried orange slices. Oranges during Advent have a special meaning and it all has to do with St. Nicolas. Legend has it that there was a poor man who had three daughters. The man had no money to get his daughters married, and he was worried about what would happen to them after his death. Saint Nicholas was passing through town when he heard the villagers talking about the girls and he wanted to help. He knew that the old man would never accept charity so he decided to help in secret. He waited until it was night and crept into the house with a bag of gold coins for each girl. As he was looking for a place to put three bags, he noticed stockings hung over the mantelpiece for drying. He put one bag in each stocking and left. When the girls and their father woke up the next morning, they found the bags of gold coins and the girls were able to get married. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas on his feast day, December 6. It also led to the tradition of the gift of an orange in a stocking or dried orange slices decorating the house. The oranges represent the bag of gold coins and the dried orange slices represent the gold coins.

You might not know this (I certainly didn’t!) but the season of Advent has its very own songs! Advent music is very different from the music of Christmas. Christmas music is celebratory and filled with joy, the long-awaited Savior has come! But in Advent, we are waiting. The songs are filled with a deep longing and yearning for the promised savior to come. They acknowledge the darkness of the world in which we live and they yearn for deliverance and redemption. Think about the famous Advent song, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and the deep desire for salvation conveyed in its words. O come, O come Emmanuel And ransom captive Israel That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel Or another famous Advent hymn, “Lo, He Comes With Clouds Descending”. It is all about Jesus coming in glory at the second coming. The song swells and builds until it bursts out with the final stanza- Lo! he comes with clouds descending, Once for our salvation slain; Thousand thousand saints attending Swell the triumph of his train: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! God appears, on earth to reign These songs are amazing! I promise you will be blown away! Yes, it can be hard to sing Advent songs rather than Christmas songs but focusing on the songs of Advent only heightens and emphasizes its themes of longing and expectation. And think about it, not singing Christmas carols throughout Advent will make them that much more powerful when we finally get to sing them on Christmas Eve. When our family finally arrives at our church’s Christmas Eve service, we are all desperate to sing Christmas carols! When we stand for that first song, we are ready to fully celebrate what we have been waiting for all of Advent, the long-awaited birth of Jesus! With huge smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts, we belt out “O Come All Ye Faithful” like never before! I've created both a traditional and contemporary playlist for you. I hope they are a blessing to you and your family! Contemporary https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ZNIrUbIZp9aPyJ4A5nnV3?si=vu94H-qGTpihXfkzjkQYow Traditional https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1cHOo8OB4G2jyofUWhu3d2?si=cT0WT3tvQDeGSWBqka4myQ

When I was growing up I had no idea who St. Nicholas was. I was raised in a Christian family and we even went to a liturgical church but St. Nicholas? I had never heard of him! Now, Santa Claus, the guy with the white beard and red suit? I knew all about him! He watched you when you were sleeping (creepy!) and he brought you presents on Christmas Eve. He rode in a sleigh with flying reindeer and you had to leave cookies out for him. As a child, none of this made any sense to me. I would casually run into “Santa” at the convenience store. He was driving an old beat-up Chevy, not a sleigh and there were no reindeer to be seen! How confusing! He was like the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy, a weird cartoon character that would appear in physical form in a very cheap-looking costume at the mall or in front of Walmart. And I didn’t know why (I still don’t know why!), you had to dress up every year, go sit in his lap, and have your picture taken. When I became a mom, I wanted no part in the Santa Claus tradition. My husband and I were going to tell our kids that Santa wasn’t real and leave it at that. I was relieved and excited when I found out that what I knew of Santa Claus was just a cartoon version and that there was a real person underneath, a real person named St. Nicholas. The Real Saint Nick St. Nicholas grew up in what is now Turkey. He was born to wealthy parents and at a young age, gave up his fortune to follow Jesus. He was a devout Christian who dedicated his life to spreading the gospel and helping those in need. He was made the Bishop of Myra in the 4th century and took part in the great church council of Nicaea which gave us the Nicene Creed – the one we recite every Sunday in Church! He was extremely concerned with the welfare of the poor and children and there are many legends about his good deeds. The traditional story associated with St. Nicholas Day involves stockings. Legend has it that there was a poor man who had three daughters. The man had no money to get his daughters married, and he was worried about what would happen to them after his death. Saint Nicholas was passing through town when he heard the villagers talking about the girls and wanted to help. He knew that the old man would never accept charity so he decided to help in secret. He waited until it was night and crept into the house with a bag of gold coins for each girl. While looking for a place to put three bags, he noticed stockings hung over the mantelpiece for drying. He put one bag in each stocking and left. When the girls and their father woke up the next morning, they found the bags of gold coins and they were able to get married. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from St. Nicholas on his feast day, December 6. Feasting on Cookies on St. Nicholas Day Most of the Christian world still remembers St. Nicholas and celebrates his life on December 6. He is usually depicted as a bishop of the church with his cope, miter, and crozier. When people dress up as St. Nicholas, they dress like a bishop and when they make cookies on his feast day, the cookies are cut out in the shape of a bishop with a staff. They celebrate his feast day by putting out stockings or shoes that are filled with chocolate candies that look like gold coins and oranges. On the eve of St. Nicholas Day, our family made a traditional cookie from western Germany called Speculatius (recipe below). It is a crispy, buttery cookie with lots of cinnamon and it’s so delicious! We feasted on the cookies before bed and we read a sweet board book that explained who the real St. Nicholas was. After the children went to bed, my husband and I filled their stockings with little bags of chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil, an orange, and some other fun pieces of chocolate. My children were always so excited when they woke up! They would race to their stockings and eat their candy but never their orange! Before school, we would read the story of St. Nicholas again and pray, thanking God for a man like St. Nicholas who was willing to give up everything to follow Jesus and who dedicated his life to spreading the gospel and taking care of those in need. Looking back now, I am so glad that we learned about St. Nicholas and so glad that my family celebrated his feast day. Celebrating St. Nicholas Day was such a great way to educate our children on the true role of St. Nicholas. He dedicated his life to following Jesus. He cared for children and the poor. He gave to people who were in need. He would never have wanted to be the focus of Christmas! St. Nicholas would point us all back to Jesus. How to Make Speculatius

Happy first day of December! I can't believe we are already here! Time is flying for me. Is it for you as well? This is a huge month in the Liturgical Calendar. On December 3, the season of Advent begins. Advent is the beginning of the Liturgical Year for the Church. It is a season of longing, expectation, waiting, and hope as we prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus as the Christ Child and his second coming when he will set the world to rights. During the month, there are so many feast days to celebrate! We begin with two people, St. Nicholas, and St. Lucy, who faithfully served the Lord and devoted their lives to helping the poor. We will also celebrate St. Thomas, a disciple of Jesus who later became a father to the early church. Then we celebrate one of the highest feasts of the Christian Year, the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, where we rejoice and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ! As soon as Christmas happens, we move into a new season of the church year, Christmastide or the Twelve Days of Christmas. These are twelve whole days devoted the the celebration of the birth of Jesus. There is no fasting allowed during these days, only feasting! The day after Christmas, we have a series of feast days all in a row: St. Stephen, St. John, and the Feast of the Holy Innocents (where we remember all of the firstborn male children who were killed by King Herod). Get ready! It's a busy month but an incredible month. Let us embrace it with wonder and awe! Follow along as I share everything you’ll need to celebrate this special month, including the history, recipes, and traditions. Helpful Links: Awaiting the Savior: The Sacred Journey Through Advent The Feast of St. Nicholas Shining Light in the Darkness: The Feast of St. Lucy The Feast of St. Thomas Christmas The Feast of St. John