December is no ordinary month in the Catholic calendar—it’s a tapestry of wonder and devotion woven with the feast days of saints, the anticipation of Christmas, and the warmth of family traditions.
For me, these celebrations are more than dates on a liturgical calendar; they are, in many ways, touchstones of my faith. This is because it was through these feasts—marked by candles flickering in the Advent wreath, stories of saints who lived boldly for Christ, and the shared prayers of family—that I first encountered the richness of Catholicism. These moments didn’t simply teach me about the saints; they revealed the beauty of the Catholic Church.
I was a new Catholic when a friend introduced me to the liturgical calendar and in particular to the feast days of Advent. She and another woman were putting together a booklet called Advent and Christmas Eve for the Christian Family. She knew of my journalism background and asked if I could review it for them. As I read the pages, I became entranced with the many beautiful ways to celebrate Advent, most of which were new to me.
Her book explained that as early as the 5th century, Catholics were preparing for the feast of Our Lord’s birth with special times of celebration and penance. Each year, the season of Advent—the beginning of the liturgical year—begins on the Sunday nearest the November 30th feast of St. Andrew and continues until Christmas Eve.
Believers in an earlier age of faith recognized that so great a mystery as the Incarnation required anticipatory preparation. How much more, in our society today, do we need to remind ourselves of this important preparation? And what better way can we prepare than to incorporate the wonderful feasts and traditions built into the Church’s calendar?
As a new Catholic, I was hungry for these real and tangible ways to understand and bring my faith to life during Advent. I started incorporating the ideas, crafts, and many recipes from my friend’s book into our home life and I built on them over the years.
Even now, as my children are mostly older — our youngest of nine is 15 — I continue to celebrate the feast days of December, sometimes with others in the family and sometimes in very quiet and personal ways. After all, regardless of our age or state in life, the observance of feast days invites us to turn to Our Lord through his many saints and experience in tangible ways the profound beauty of the Catholic Church.
The Advent Wreath
Believe it or not, the Advent wreath sums up the entire spirit of Advent. One of the basic elements in every Christian home during Advent, it takes little effort and yet symbolizes so much. Here are just a few of the rich spiritual meanings incorporated in the Advent wreath:
The round shape represents God’s eternity.
The evergreen foliage represents God’s immutability. Just as evergreen trees retain their green color throughout the year, God too is unchangeable. Even sin does not change God’s love for us. Green also represents hope, which is the overarching theme of Advent.
The four candles symbolize the centuries man waited for the coming of the Messiah. Three of them are purple, the liturgical color for penance. Although many don’t realize this, Advent is a time of penitential waiting; a time to turn our hearts toward God and prepare ourselves for Christ’s coming. Penance helps us to remember that it was because of sin that we are in need of a Savior. The pink candle, lit on Gaudete Sunday, symbolizes the joy of the season. So while we wait in anticipation, it is a joyful waiting indeed.
The gradual illumination of the four candles is a visible sign that the nearer we approach Christmas, the brighter our hope becomes for the birth of Christ, Who is the Light of the World. (Explore our many Advent wreathes here).
There are many prayers that can be said while lighting the candles each week. In our home each night during Advent, even if there are only a few of us at the table, we sing the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” On Christmas Eve, we change the hymn to “O Come, All Ye Faithful” to commemorate Christ’s coming on Christmas.
Blessing of the Wreath
Lord God, we praise You for Your Son, Jesus Christ: He is Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples. He is the Wisdom that teaches and guides us, He is the Savior of every nation. Let Your blessing come upon us as we light the candles of this wreath. May the wreath and its light be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation. May He come quickly and not delay. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Jesse Tree
The Jesse Tree is probably my favorite way to celebrate Advent because it has become a treasured tradition in our home. The idea of the Jesse Tree is based on the prophecy of Isaiah 11:1: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse.”
As we consider the lineage of Jesus in the Old Testament, we can see our loving God patiently guiding His people through the course of salvation history. The famous stained glass window at Chartres Cathedral in France shows Jesse at the base of the tree and on the branches are various persons from Christ’s lineage. Salvation history comes to life with the use of the Jesse Tree during Advent.
A simple small pine tree or even just a vast branch suffices as the Jesse Tree, on which a homemade ornament is hung each day of Advent (you can also purchase a kit and book to explain each symbol here). These ornaments show an event or person key to the circumstances surrounding man’s need and preparation for the coming Messiah. For example, the first ornament can represent Creation, the second Adam and Eve, the third the Fall of Man, then Noah’s Ark, Abraham, Moses, etc. As the later days of Advent approach, ornaments depict New Testament figures such as St. John the Baptist, Mary, and St. Joseph. The very last ornament, hung on Christmas Eve, is Jesus.
This beautiful tradition has the benefit of helping to teach the people of Scripture in a new and interesting way. My children (and now grandchildren) have learned many Scripture stories through the Jesse Tree, and I’ve used it in teaching Faith Formation as well (both 1st and 2nd graders and middle and high school kids as well)!
The Many Feast Days of Advent
December is filled with feasts to celebrate the many great saints of Advent. The following are a few favorites of mine:
Dec. 6 – St. Nicholas Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor, St. Nicholas lived during the 4th century. Apparently an orphan, Nicholas developed a love for children, especially those who were poor, and legend has it that he secretly supplied dowries for three girls whose families were too poor to supply their own. This is probably what began the story of his visiting young children on the vigil of his feast day. The tradition of the feast day is for children to put a shoe or stocking outside their door. They awake in the morning to find that St. Nicholas has filled it with treats for those who were good or a lump of coal for those who were not! St. Nicholas typically leaves chocolate coins or other candy and small gifts or trinkets. (Find St. Nicholas items here).
Another wonderful St. Nicholas tradition is to bake spice cookies, gingerbread cookies, or traditional Speculatius (recipe below).
Dec. 8 – Immaculate Conception On this day, the Church celebrates the special privilege God granted Mary for the sake of His Son. This privilege was that Mary, from the moment she was created, was preserved from all stain of original sin. This is a special day for all Catholics, but especially for Catholics in our own country, as the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, is patroness of the United States. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has made this day a Holy Day of Obligation and all Catholics are required to attend Mass (in 2024, the feast falls on a Sunday and the U.S. Bishops have transferred both the feast and obligation to Monday the 9th). Advent is a wonderful time to talk about the sublime mystery of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Dec. 12 – Our Lady of Guadalupe Almost 500 years ago, in Mexico, Our Lady appeared to St. Juan Diego and left us a miraculous image that still hangs in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. When my children were young, we would invite a few families over and celebrate this feast day with a traditional Mexican meal. They would sometimes present a short play with the other children (I recently found a homemade playbill that one of them made for the occasion).
Our Good Catholic team, along with some of my family members, went to Mexico to visit the shrine last June. We are working on a documentary that will tell the amazing story and will debut in December 2025. (Stay tuned to Good Catholic for more about this documentary in the coming days).
In 1999, Saint Pope John Paul II gave Our Lady of Guadalupe the title Patroness of the Americas. While I have had a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe in the past, my devotion has grown profoundly after visiting Mexico and experiencing the depth of her presence and the increase in my faith because of it. She now holds a special and significant place in my heart. (Discover a beautiful Our Lady of Guadalupe ornament here).
Dec. 13 – St. Lucy The name Lucy comes from the Latin word for “light”: lux. In the sometimes dark month of December, we celebrate the feast of this virgin-martyr as we draw nearer to the feast that celebrates the birth of the Light of the World. On this feast, quite popular in Scandinavian countries, the youngest girl in the family dresses up as St. Lucy (tradition includes a wreath with candles on the head, but I never found this practical!) and brings St. Lucia Bread to everyone in the home (recipe below). Mostly I try to bake the bread in the shape of a wreath and have it for breakfast on Dec. 13.
St. Lucy was born around 283 A.D. in Syracuse, Sicily, into a wealthy Christian family. Her father died when she was young, leaving her and her mother, Eutychia, alone. Lucy was raised in the Christian faith and from an early age she vowed to remain a virgin and dedicate her life to Christ.
Lucy secretly distributed her family’s wealth to the poor, which enraged her betrothed, a wealthy pagan man to whom she had been promised in marriage. Her refusal to marry him and her devotion to Christ led the man to report her to the Roman authorities during the persecution of Diocletian.
Legend says her beautiful eyes were gouged out as part of her torture, but miraculously, her vision was restored. She was finally killed by a sword thrust to the throat, dying around 304 A.D. She is the patron saint of the blind, those with eye diseases, and those seeking clarity.
Seeking Shelter (Las Posadas): A Mexican Tradition
Las Posadas is a Mexican custom that can be adapted for use in the home. We have been doing it in our home for almost 30 years! Here’s how the tradition works: a couple dresses up as Mary and Joseph. For nine nights (the number nine represents each month of Mary’s pregnancy) prior to Christmas, the couple travels house to house seeking shelter (this could be within a neighborhood or to other family homes). Eight nights they are refused. On the ninth—Christmas Eve—they are welcomed. Baby Jesus is placed in the manger and neighbors and friends join in for a celebration.
To do this in your own home, two family members can be Mary and Joseph, while others take the part of innkeepers. For eight nights, they travel from room to room in your home and are refused entrance. As the procession moves through the house each night, the words to this traditional song can be recited in parts:
Mary and Joseph knock on the closed room door.
Innkeeper: (inside the room): Who’s knocking at my door?
Mary and Joseph: Two people poor and low.
Innkeeper: What are you asking for?
Mary and Joseph: That you may mercy show. We are, O Sir, in sorry plight. Please grant us shelter here tonight.
Innkeeper: You ask in vain.
Mary and Joseph: We beg a place to rest!
Innkeeper: It’s no again!
Mary and Joseph: You will be greatly blessed.
Innkeeper: I told you, no, you cannot stay. Get out of here and go your way.
On Christmas Eve, the Holy Couple is at last welcomed into the room containing the manger or creche and Baby Jesus is placed in the manger.
This Advent tradition has been a longtime custom in our home. It’s an easy one to do because it only takes a few minutes each night. Sometimes we forget and realize we have not started Las Posadas and it is four or five days till Christmas. It never matters how many days we do the skit, it always brings joy and laughter on Christmas Eve. I remember one year, our son Thomas, who is now 30, cried when he heard the innkeeper say “Get out of here and go your way.” It was such a sweet sentiment that expressed his love for Jesus and how sad it made him that Mary and Joseph had no place to stay.
Celebrating Advent So We Can Better Celebrate Christmas
Whatever crafts, devotions, or feasts are celebrated during Advent, they all help to prepare our hearts for the coming of Our Lord at Christmas. That is ultimately why I love these Advent traditions—because they bring me and my family closer to the reality of Christmas, but they are done in a proper order so as not to celebrate Christmas before it is actually here. It is difficult to celebrate important things deeply and meaningfully without preparation. We must prepare ourselves for the celebration of the Church’s greatest feasts. So Easter has a Lent, and Christmas has an Advent.
If we don’t prepare, the actual day of celebration won’t mean as much and our souls won’t be as open to the long-term transformation offered by such a holy day.
If we do prepare, there is a much better chance that our hearts will be present and alive to the realities that we celebrate.
Genevieve Netherton, “3 Reasons You Need Advent This Year – And Every Year”
A Blessed Advent to all!
Recipes for Speculatius Cookies and St. Lucy’s Bread
Here’s a traditional recipe for Speculatius, the spiced cookies often enjoyed on St. Nicholas’s Day (Dec. 6). These crisp, aromatic cookies are a holiday favorite in many European traditions.
Traditional Speculatius Recipe
Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups (400 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup (30 g) sliced almonds (optional)
Optional: Speculatius molds or rolling pin with designs for a traditional look.
Instructions:
Mix the dry ingredients:
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom). Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients:
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. The dough should be firm but pliable. If the dough feels too soft, refrigerate for 30–60 minutes.
Shape the cookies:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
If using traditional Speculatius molds, press the dough into the molds, then trim off excess dough. Alternatively, roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness and use cookie cutters to create shapes. For a decorative touch, press sliced almonds into the dough.
Bake:
Place the shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
St. Lucy’s Bread (Lussekatter) Recipe
Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1/4 cup warm water (about 100°F/38°C)
1 cup (240 mL) warm milk (about 100°F/38°C)
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
2 large eggs (plus 1 for egg wash)
1/2 cup (80 g) raisins or currants
Pearl sugar or granulated sugar for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Infuse the saffron:
Crush the saffron threads in a small bowl with a teaspoon of sugar (to release the flavor). Add the warm water and let it steep for 10 minutes.
Activate the yeast:
In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, melted butter, and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Sprinkle the yeast on top, let it sit for 5 minutes, then stir to combine. The mixture should become foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
Mix the dough:
Add the saffron mixture, salt, and eggs to the yeast mixture. Mix well. Gradually add the flour, 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. The dough should be slightly sticky but pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Knead and rise:
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Shape the buns:
Punch down the dough and divide it into 12–16 equal portions. Roll each portion into a rope (about 10–12 inches long) and shape it into an “S.” Tuck a raisin or currant into the center of each spiral.
Second rise:
Place the shaped buns on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a towel and let them rise again for 30 minutes.
Bake the buns:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Brush the tops of the buns. Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve:
Let the buns cool slightly before serving. Optional: Sprinkle with pearl sugar for a festive touch.
These golden buns are lightly sweet, beautifully fragrant, and perfect for celebrating the feast of St. Lucy. Enjoy them warm with coffee or hot cocoa!
