Read John 1: 1 – 5
Sing “ Silent Night, Holy Night”
Sing “ Silent Night, Holy Night”
Crowds hunting after-Christmas bargains greet this day not only in Dublin but throughout the world. Shopping at Christmastide has the added gift of decoration for the season—lights, trees, in the streets, on top of buildings, down department store aisles. They, if you let them, can force you to stop and look and perhaps be blessed.
The Celts have a holiday tradition of putting a light in the window to guide the wayward home, or to guide a stranger to safety, or to guide the Holy Family to rest—choose whichever version you wish or hold them all. How welcoming, especially on a cold and gray day as are many in Ireland this time of the year!
The gift of the Word made flesh, John the Evangelist says, is this light. Light shining in darkness, whether as a small window candle or a brilliant street decoration, is the true message of Christmastide.
Pray for Christ’s light to shine through you.
For children from 2 to 92: Use your creative, playful side
Your Christmastide Scrapbook
Collect the ‘stuff’ of this Christmas—your left over catalogues, wrapping paper, and greeting cards—your pictures too.
Organize your ‘stuff’: maybe by date used or received, maybe by type (religious, Santa Claus, party), or maybe by color or style (mostly red, green, traditional, wacky). Have fun sorting and remembering, talking and reflecting.
Put your ‘stuff’ in a scrapbook making it the way that reflects you and your family.
Look at what you’ve made. What do you like best about this picture of Christmastide? What surprises you about your celebration? What is most you, your family?
Where is God in what you’ve made, in what you’ve done, in what you’ve explored?
Put your scrapbook where you can find it early next year.
Note: Don’t throw everything away for you may want to use some of the same material for making your Christmastide symbol later in the season.
The Celts have a holiday tradition of putting a light in the window to guide the wayward home, or to guide a stranger to safety, or to guide the Holy Family to rest—choose whichever version you wish or hold them all. How welcoming, especially on a cold and gray day as are many in Ireland this time of the year!
The gift of the Word made flesh, John the Evangelist says, is this light. Light shining in darkness, whether as a small window candle or a brilliant street decoration, is the true message of Christmastide.
Pray for Christ’s light to shine through you.
For children from 2 to 92: Use your creative, playful side
Your Christmastide Scrapbook
Collect the ‘stuff’ of this Christmas—your left over catalogues, wrapping paper, and greeting cards—your pictures too.
Organize your ‘stuff’: maybe by date used or received, maybe by type (religious, Santa Claus, party), or maybe by color or style (mostly red, green, traditional, wacky). Have fun sorting and remembering, talking and reflecting.
Put your ‘stuff’ in a scrapbook making it the way that reflects you and your family.
Look at what you’ve made. What do you like best about this picture of Christmastide? What surprises you about your celebration? What is most you, your family?
Where is God in what you’ve made, in what you’ve done, in what you’ve explored?
Put your scrapbook where you can find it early next year.
Note: Don’t throw everything away for you may want to use some of the same material for making your Christmastide symbol later in the season.
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