Keeping Advent Simple, Prayerful, and Peaceful: Tips for Catholic Mothers
Advent is upon us—a season of joyful anticipation as we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. But as Catholic parents, we know that preparing for Christmas often feels anything but peaceful! The to-do lists are long, and the expectations (our own and others’) can make it hard to focus on what matters most.
This Advent, let’s simplify together. Here are a few easy ways to make this season more prayerful and peaceful for you and your family. My suggestion? Pick just one new tradition to try this year and keep it simple.
1. Choose One New Tradition to Focus On
Trying to do all the Advent traditions at once is overwhelming, especially if they’re new for your family. Instead, consider adding just one new practice this year. Here are a few ideas:
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The Jesse Tree: The Jesse Tree is a beautiful way to walk through salvation history with your children, using Biblical stories leading up to Christ’s birth. We have some Jesse Tree resources that will make it super easy for you to start this tradition without spending hours planning. And even a FREE resource here!
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An Advent Wreath: Simple yet powerful, the Advent wreath helps us mark each week leading up to Christmas. You can light a candle during family meals and pray together, focusing on hope, peace, joy, and love.
2. Decorate Your Home with Catholic Seasonal Art and the color purple!
Another way to bring Advent into your home is through visual reminders of the season. Catholic art not only beautifies our spaces but also keeps our hearts centered on the real meaning of Advent. Consider displaying art that reflects the season and the feast days, such as images of the Holy Family, Our Lady, or the prophets foretelling Christ’s birth.
We’ve created a set of Catholic Seasonal Art the covers the full year but has dividers for each season so that you can quickly pull the Advent art to display in your home as a daily reminder of this holy season.
Consider adding some purple to your home to reflect the season with the church's color of purple.
3. Celebrate Key Feast Days in December
December is filled with beautiful feast days that help prepare us spiritually for Christmas. Consider marking one or two of these with a simple family activity, special meal, or prayer:
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St. Nicholas (December 6): Known as the inspiration for “Santa Claus,” St. Nicholas’ feast day is a wonderful opportunity to teach children about generosity. You can have your children put out their shoes the night before and fill them with small treats or surprises. We have a free St. Nicholas coloring page on our freebie site that I always print out and put in my kiddos shoes. You can also see our St. Nicholas Gift Guide here.
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Immaculate Conception (December 8): This is a great day to honor Our Lady. Consider attending Mass together or doing a small family rosary.
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Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12): This feast of Our Lady is perfect for families to celebrate with a Mexican-inspired meal or a special prayer time together. You might even read the story of St. Juan Diego to your children, emphasizing Our Lady’s love and care for all of us.
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St. Lucy (December 13): St. Lucy’s feast is especially celebrated in Scandinavian countries with candles and sweet treats. Even a simple breakfast by candlelight can make this day memorable for little ones and brings an element of joy and tradition to the season.
4. Remember Our Free Advent Resources
If you’re looking for more ways to enrich your Advent season, be sure to check out our free resources for Advent, Christmas, and December feast days. We’ve put together prayer guides, printable activities, and more to help you create a faith-filled Advent without feeling like you need to buy lots of new things. Visit our freebie site for all these resources!
5. Let Our Monthly Box Help You Simplify Advent
For those of you who want a little extra help, our December subscription box is designed to make Advent and these feast days easier to celebrate.
6. Simple, Daily Advent Practices to Keep the Season Sacred
Sometimes the simplest activities become the most meaningful. Here are a few easy, daily Advent practices that your family can incorporate without much prep:
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Listen to Advent Music: Create a playlist of Advent hymns or peaceful instrumental music to play around the house. This can help set a calm and reflective tone throughout the season. We have a Spotify playlist here you can listen to.
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Display Your Nativity Scene—But Hide Baby Jesus: Set up your nativity scene early, but keep the manger empty until Christmas Eve. This visual anticipation can help children remember that we’re waiting for Jesus’ arrival.
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Sing "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" Each Night: This beautiful hymn perfectly captures the longing and hope of Advent. Singing it together each evening can become a cherished tradition and add a rhythm of prayer to your days.
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Read Luke 1:30-33: Choose a quiet moment to read these verses, which tell of the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary. After reading, encourage your children to draw their own version of Gabriel and Mary. It’s a creative way to reflect on Mary’s “yes” and the miracle of Jesus’ conception.
Adding a small practice like these each day helps keep the focus on Christ’s coming. Advent doesn’t need to be elaborate; sometimes, these quiet moments make the deepest impact.
These ideas are simple to try and add an intentional, prayerful rhythm to the season. By focusing on one new tradition or incorporating a daily practice like these, you’re creating a meaningful Advent without overwhelming your schedule.
In closing, Advent is not about perfection or doing all the things. It’s about making space for Christ in our hearts and our homes. So, let’s keep it simple, prayerful, and peaceful this year. Choose one new tradition, use the resources that serve you, and let go of the rest. May you and your family find joy and peace as you journey through this blessed season!
