Hurry up. before it's Christmas!

Christmas is late this year!” said my friend, Rita Dy, right when we were squeezing ourselves out of the narrow doors of the International Women’s Bazaar. I glanced at her and she laughed, “I mean, I don’t feel it yet.” 

 Rita is right. Remove the bazaars and the entire Christmas sale and what do we have? Material stuff and nothing else to honor the true spirit of the season. Columnist and author of Catholicism vs. Consumerism, Ericka Soileau of catholicmom.com, offered an alternative: “Why not revive the traditions of the Church that restore the beauty of Christmas?” She said, “As parents, our primary goal is to bring faith home during this blessed season and keep society’s influence out.”

 In the midst of wrestling with your Christmas budget, the list of food and gifts and walking counter-flow in packed malls, give a thought to Christ in the manger and bring Him home. That should be easy to remember, so let us begin.

 The period of week leading up to Christmas is called Advent, a time of anticipation, of waiting. “The first common practice is the Advent wreath,” said Ericka. The wreath is round, symbolizing God’s mercy and never-ending love; the three purple candles remind us that Advent is a time to ask for and give forgiveness; the single pink candle is symbolic of joy and hope in awaiting the arrival of the infant Jesus while the big main white candle symbolizes the purity of Jesus and His love for mankind.

Get an artificial garland and bend it to form into a wreath or gather leaves and twigs from your or your friend’s garden — including fresh pine needles — and make one. If you’re not crafty, get the readymade ones. For each Sunday of Advent — as part of morning or evening prayers — light one new candle and accompany this with a nice song like O Come, O Come Emmanuel which is in keeping with the theme of anticipation. Add “reading of the Gospel of the day or reciting the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary.”

Remember to snuff the candles out at the end of your prayer and/or meditation.

 On the first Sunday of Advent: “Revive the tradition of choosing a patron saint for the liturgical year.” Ask each family member to choose a saint and invoke the saint as part of morning prayer.

After our recent Marian pilgrimage, I tend to now remember the saints we got to meet in an “up close and personal” manner like Padre Pio, Mother Theresa, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare, St. Rita de Cascia, St. Anthony of Lisboa and Padova, St. Bernadette, and St. Therese of the Child Jesus.

Another tradition is Kriskindl (Christ Child). Everyone chooses a name (not his own) from a jar, and then has the task of performing daily little surprise favors for the individual they drew until Christmas day (for example, cooking them breakfast, playing with them, praying a rosary for them). “The person under your care becomes for you the little helpless Christ in the manger, so these acts of kindness are done, in a sense, for the Infant of Bethlehem.” Don’t limit Kriskindling to giving food, though; feed your “child’s” soul and spirit instead. I remember telling my grandson about the young Mary and how helpful she was around their house and how it pleased her parents, St. Anne and St. Joachim.

Don’t forget little acts of kindness and consideration to your house helpers, drivers, messengers and office staff who can also be your “child.”

There’s one favorite custom that Ericka included during the Advent season: writing a letter to the Holy Child (rather than Santa). “You write about resolutions you made for the weeks of Advent and gift wishes. This letter is then placed on a windowsill (or the altar) and your Guardian Angel delivers the letter to Heaven and reads it to the Infant Christ.” I think this is a better alternative to Santa Clause especially for older children who have outgrown Santa; it is also perfect for countries in Asia where we don’t have snow and chimneys.

 The Christmas Crib tradition I only began to observe after a friend gave me a miniature “bahay kubo” as a gift with all the attendant trimmings. The crèche and manger scene is set, with an empty crib. We then gradually add figurines and pieces throughout Advent.

Straw offerings. This I like: “Another way to add to this lovely custom is to keep a bag full of straw. Each evening, after family prayers, each child takes as many pieces of straw from the bag as he has performed sacrifices, prayers, and good works (including those he has performed for Kristkindl) during that day in order to please the Infant Jesus. The hope is to encourage the spirit of Christmas-giving and love so that Christ has a soft bed upon which to lie on his birthday.”

 The final week before Christmas (Dec. 17 through Dec. 23) is the time for the O Antiphons. These are short prayers, as revealed in the Book of Isaiah. These can be read each evening of this week while lighting Advent candles. Show to your children a picture Bible so that they can better appreciate the rites as beautifully drawn or illustrated. 

 On Christmas Eve, revive the tradition of reading aloud the Nativity story. This is the perfect opportunity to sing Silent Night and feel it.

Give spiritual gifts. Give suggestions to your children, young and old, such as “I will smile more than frown, I will thank Jesus for another beautiful day, I will say an extra prayer for other children and make an effort not to get angry at those people I dislike, I will save my baon (packed lunch) to buy bread for the hungry, I will thank and bless the people who do good things for me including those under our employ,” etc. 

 For adults, donate a certain sum to charity or a worthy cause in the name of your friend. Write out a card explaining your deed — or text her — so she would know that you honored her. This is also your token of friendship. Last year, my friend, MaryAnn Ojeda, donated a new Bible to the street children in my name. The feeling of good will lasts far longer than just over the Christmas season. 

 Spiritual gifts are great ways of showing children that gifts are not necessarily bought in stores but are given from the heart.

On Christmas day, listen to and play Christmas music as a family. Move family prayers around the crib or beside the Christmas tree. Don’t forget to sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.

During Epiphany, Erika said that it is common to inscribe — using chalk — the initials “C” (Caspar), “M” (Melchor), and “B” (Balthazar) above the front door in honor of the Three Magi. The letters also represent the Latin phrase “Christus mansionem benedicat” (Christ bless this house).

Do Bible reflections. A booklet that I found very useful to read in the morning provides me with very short stories and readings from the Bible — one day at a time — that inspire and give me the boost I need. You can find others on websites; try Googling “The Word Among Us.”

 “By constant practice of eliminating material activity for each sacred one,” said Ericka, “we will have more ‘Christ’ in our Christmas.”

 At last, our Christmas tree and stockings will hold invisible and more lasting gifts that are guaranteed to fatten our heart — and without a doubt — feed our soul.