QOTD: Tues. Nov. 25: One Month til Christmas!!

[Natalka]

One month to go until Christmas!

So, how are you doing with...

tree-trimming, decorating,
baking, meal planning, shopping,
travel plans, company coming, etc.?

Do you have pre-Christmas traditions
such as preparing with Advent?

Are there any special family or
cultural customs you do
in the weeks leading up to Christmas?



-

[electric_viking]

Bah! Humbug. Way too early to think about Christmas. It's not even December yet.
I thought it was 12 days of Christmas, not 60 days of Christmas.

[frugal50]

Christmas is the farthest thing on my mind, it's only November!!

[beckie.c]

I'm a little behind... I was wanting to have the tree up already but it will hopefully make an appearance this week. Christmas time seems to always get extra busy around here and we don't even have kids yet. Last weekend was a family birthday celebration, this weekend is the Agribition Rodeo and BFF's birthday celebration, next weekend is Christmas with my family then a possible Christmas party with friends, then the next weekend is DH's work Christmas party... at some point I will get some baking done

No real major Christmas traditions here, we kind of do something different each year.

[Lynn49]

One month to go....I've been making 24 little Advent boxes and filling them for our grandson, only 5 days left, 12 more 'things' to find!
No Christmas baking done yet.
No tourtières for Christmas brunch..
No quiches for Christmas morning...
No homemade loaves of bread...
Haven't wrapped the gifts that I have already...
Haven't finished shopping...

No pressure!

[sheetsofemptycanvas]

CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS!!!! I'm so excited this year, I don't know why! My tree has been up and decorated for a little over a week now, the outside lights are up, presents are almost all bought... I'm going to finish up with wrapping tomorrow.

Meal planning- I have a few ideas but I haven't really started planning yet.

Traditions- we do a "finger food dinner" (appetizers) on Christmas Eve, and the kids always get a new ornament to put on the tree and a pair of Christmas jammies. This year I've put those things in a box along with mugs, hot chocolate, a movie, and popcorn. We always take an evening drive about a week before Christmas to see the Christmas lights.

[Hondamanic]

1 month from today...can't wait!!! Super excited this year. I put the tree up and decorated the house this weekend. It took me 2 days to complete...I have a lot of Christmas decorations lol.

[sheetsofemptycanvas]

1 month from today...can't wait!!! Super excited this year. I put the tree up and decorated the house this weekend. It took me 2 days to complete...I have a lot of Christmas decorations lol.

Bahahahahaha, that scene ALWAYS cracks me up!!!

[toban]

Yesterday I bought a new tree and put it up last night. I just need to buy extra decorations (looking for ones on sale). So far I've baked brownies and chocolate chip cookies. Half of my gifts are bought. I'm waiting for SDM redemption to purchase chocolates, nuts, stocking stuffers, gift sets. Few more gift cards to purchase. As for traditions I don't have too many. Christmas Eve I usually order in some food and have a glass or two of rum and pepsi. Christmas Day the usual Turkey etc. This year will be quiet and will likely be at neighbours house for dinner. One thing I love about Christmas is all the bright decorations, glitter and lights.

This is my new tree and I'm proud of it lol. My last tree was old, falling apart, 4.5 feet. Home Depot has trees on sales and I ended up buying a 7.5 foot tall. Funny in store it looked not that large (I guess with Home Depot's huge ceilings). I set it up last night and had to move furniture around to accommodate this monster lol.. Here it is. It came pre-lit and now I need to decorate..

[Natalka]

toban, the tree is just lovely!

[Natalka]

Many Christians in Canada celebrate the beginning of the Advent season on the first Sunday of Advent, which is this Sunday, November 30.

Some celebrate each week with lighting of Advent candles and follow the themes of hope, peace, joy and love.

It is usually a horizontal evergreen wreath with four candles and often, a fifth, white candle in the center. Beginning with the First Sunday of Advent, the lighting of a candle can be accompanied by a Bible reading and prayers. An additional candle is lit during each subsequent week until, by the last Sunday before Christmas, all four candles are lit. Many Advent wreaths include a fifth, Christ candle which is lit at Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.^[4] The custom is observed both in family settings and at public church services.

The candle colours used vary by the denomination and/or tradition.

When I was teaching at Catholic schools, they used three pink and one purple candle. The purple candles symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday.



I'm Ukrainian Catholic, and we don't have the same Advent traditions - for us the pre-Christmas fast period is called Pylypivka, or St. Philip's Fast.

We move from fasting from meat/dairy one day a week, to two. More importantly is that we are to increase our acts of charity, of love and compassion.