couple new questions :)

[kimber1]

my son had RCIA last week adn his teacher said something to him about the way Catholics celebrate Christmas. she said they wait till Christmas eve to do any decorating because their focus is (and should be) on Jesus Christ. i've never heard that we aren't to decorate till then, is that true?

second, my sister is Episcopalian (but not practicing). she has been thinking lately of putting her little boy in the Catholic school in her area once he's old enough but has reservations about it because she like so many others has some misconceptions about the Church. her husband's ex-wife was kind of nutty with her catholicism to the extreme which has left a bad taste in their mouths concerning it, but anyway, my sister sent an email saying one thing that bugs her is the seemingly restrictive worship style (which i can refute) but she also commented on all the secret stuff hidden in the Vatican, which i told her i thought was a fabrication but that i would ask. so can anyone help me with this?

 

[Metanoia02]

My question would be if it is secret stuff, how does she know about it?

 

[stray bullet]

No decorations until Christmas? Hmm, what is the point of Advent then?

 

[Benedicta00]

my son had RCIA last week adn his teacher said something to him about the way Catholics celebrate Christmas. she said they wait till Christmas eve to do any decorating because their focus is (and should be) on Jesus Christ. i've never heard that we aren't to decorate till then, is that true?

second, my sister is Episcopalian (but not practicing). she has been thinking lately of putting her little boy in the Catholic school in her area once he's old enough but has reservations about it because she like so many others has some misconceptions about the Church. her husband's ex-wife was kind of nutty with her catholicism to the extreme which has left a bad taste in their mouths concerning it, but anyway, my sister sent an email saying one thing that bugs her is the seemingly restrictive worship style (which i can refute) but she also commented on all the secret stuff hidden in the Vatican, which i told her i thought was a fabrication but that i would ask. so can anyone help me with this?

geocajun just had a thread on Christmas decoration last week. Jesus is the light of the world and he did not enter the world until that night, so... I guess you can hang your lights and do you’re tree when ever you want but I can see the logic why one would wait and it has been a long tradition to wait till X mass eve.

That is what I like best about the X mass lights, the represent Christ as the light of the world.

Anyway, what secret stuff is she saying is there? Yes, all the artwork belongs to the Church is she referring to that? Some of the stuff was/maybe still is hidden because of theft??

 

[Benedicta00]

No decorations until Christmas? Hmm, what is the point of Advent then?

Well I think it's the lights that should not be lit until X Mass eve. But as far as other decorations, that's what the advent wreath is for.

 

[Benedicta00]

My question would be if it is secret stuff, how does she know about it?

LOL! Good one.

 

[faerieevaH]

For us the most important thing always was that baby Jesus couldn't be placed in the crib of the nativity scene before christmas night.... And to be allowed to do that was a special honour!
I had never heard about the lights though. It's quite interesting.

 

[Credo]

Personally, I like to wait until December 16 to do major decorating. This is the beginning of the Novena to Christmas - 9 days prior. Before this, the Advent wreath, some lights and the wreath on the door....

I don't really know of any set of rules or guidelines that all Catholics do. I know some folks that do wait until Christmas eve, as Christmas day officially is the start of the Christmas season. Others I know wait until the 3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudate - meaning rejoice) to begin decorating. I think some folks and radio stations go overboard with putting up Christmas stuff and starting Christmas songs at Thanksgiving - and promptly stop the day after Christmas. This sends the wrong message. As I stated before, Christmas doesn't officially begin until the 25th. This is when we should start to celebrate, not finish.

This shift to earlier and earlier decorating/music is reflective of how our society in general treats Christmas. Rather than a focus on Christ, it's a focus on greed, gluttony, and profits. Waiting to begin the celebration really can help us all to re-focus on what Christmas is really all about - not Santa and candy, parties and presents. That's selfish celebrating. The Church gives us Advent to prepare ourselves for the coming of our Salvation and it should be treating with respect, humility, and self-sacrafice.

Boy, did I ramble into a lot of different things or what?!?

JMJ

 

[ps139]

We start decorating Thanksgiving weekend .

Secrets in the Vatican?

Well it is true that there are confidential documents, mostly papal documents. The Vatican has only a few archivists who work at a snail's pace, and they go through and catalog every single document before it is released. So there is big delay there.
But it is all made public in due time.

Then there are the secrets of Fatima..

But I dont think your sister is referring to this.One woman who lives down the street believes that there is all this hidden gold and secret treasure in the "Basement" of the Vatican. Like your sister, she is a non-practicing Protestant. I think these might be myths they grow up with.

 

[PeterPaul]

We start decorating Thanksgiving weekend .

Secrets in the Vatican?

Well it is true that there are confidential documents, mostly papal documents. The Vatican has only a few archivists who work at a snail's pace, and they go through and catalog every single document before it is released. So there is big delay there.
But it is all made public in due time.

Then there are the secrets of Fatima..

But I dont think your sister is referring to this.One woman who lives down the street believes that there is all this hidden gold and secret treasure in the "Basement" of the Vatican. Like your sister, she is a non-practicing Protestant. I think these might be myths they grow up with.

You mean you don't know about JPI's secret diary that exposes the people behind his death? My mother used to sell that book. If customers asked me about it, I used to say that if it were true, the newspapers would have a field day (after all how many news organisations wouldn't jump at this?). But then again, I would tell them, you believe in martians.

 

[DJ B.K.]

I'd like to put up the Christmas decorations later, put I don't actually put them up . Actually, my dad for non-religous reason doesn't like putting them up too early himself so I can't complain. I should ask them to go a little liter on the Christmas presents becuase they always buy me so much. Heh, most people would consider me crazy for saying that! LOL!

 

[kimber1]

thanks y'all. i'll have to ask her for specifics. i figured it was one of those age-old misconceptions people have and told her that much but i'll ask her for details as to what she's referring to and then i can probably chuckle and answer her myself

 

[ShannonMcCatholic]

My question to this woman would be "If you were waititng for your baby to arrive, would you wait until the night before to start getting everything ready?"

When we are expecting a baby, we slowly begin to get out the clothes and toys and furniture-- so that we are all ready when the big day arrives. We do cooking and baking so that we have some food prepared for after the birth. We often have parties to celebrate the baby, before he or she is born. None of these things keep us from the expectant waiting that is supposed to take place during Advent-- but if done with the right intenetion- that of preparing for the Incarnation- then they will add to our joy at His birth!

 

[Maggie893]

My question to this woman would be "If you were waititng for your baby to arrive, would you wait until the night before to start getting everything ready?"

When we are expecting a baby, we slowly begin to get out the clothes and toys and furniture-- so that we are all ready when the big day arrives. We do cooking and baking so that we have some food prepared for after the birth. We often have parties to celebrate the baby, before he or she is born.

And this is something you definitely know about Shannon!

Liturgical Protestant churches like the Catholic Church usually do a slow build up in decorations....lights in windows to welcome the Messiah, wreaths, etc....then on the big day go all out. You'll also find that these churches don't sing standard Christmas Carols until Christmas day because most of the songs are celebrating the birth of Christ. That's why we sing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel! The Season of Christmas is supposed to be the period after the birth of Christ.

As for stuff in the Vatican's basement........I only know of grilled cheese sandwiches being kept there like the gold bars in the treasury!

 

[thereselittleflower]

Some families as a custom waith until Christmas Eve to put everything up . . my mother did this for a while . . .and because we were Orthodox, we left it up through the Orthodox "Christmas" and got to celebrate Christmas twice . . .

It is a custom . . .not a requirement . .


And the "secrets of the vatican" - welll I think you are right . . once you learn the details of what she mans you eill be able to deal with it



Peace in Him!