The world wants you to believe that the "Christmas Season" begins at midnight on Thanksgiving. It wants you to shop until you are exhausted, eat until you are sick, and listen to "Jingle Bells" until your ears bleed. By the time December 25th actually arrives, most people aren't joyful—they are burnt out.
The Church has a different plan. It's called Advent.
Derived from the Latin Adventus (meaning "Coming"), Advent is a season of expectant waiting. It is not "Early Christmas." It is a mini-Lent. It is a time of purple, of silence, and of longing. It is the Church's way of saying: "Slow down. Something incredible is about to happen, and you aren't ready yet."
Here is the definitive guide to having a slow, meaningful, and deeply Catholic Advent.
1. The Two-Fold Meaning of "The Coming"
Most people think Advent is just about a baby in a manger. But the Church's liturgy is much deeper than that. Advent focuses on two separate comings of Christ:
- The First Coming (The Past): We prepare to celebrate the Nativity of Jesus in Bethlehem. We remember the thousands of years the Israelites spent crying out, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."
- The Second Coming (The Future): This is the focus of the first two weeks of Advent. We are reminded that Jesus will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. We are "waiting in hope" for the end of the world and the beginning of the New Jerusalem.
Advent is the season where the "Already" meets the "Not Yet."
2. The Symbols: Purple, Rose, and Light
Why Purple?
Purple is the color of Penance and Preparation. It reminds us that our hearts are "messy" and need to be cleaned before the King arrives. We are making straight the paths (Mark 1:3).
The Advent Wreath
The wreath is a circle (no beginning or end) symbolizing God's eternal love. The evergreens symbolize life even in the dead of winter.
- Week 1 (Purple): HOPE. The Prophet’s Candle. We wait for the Messiah.
- Week 2 (Purple): LOVE. The Bethlehem Candle. We remember the journey of Mary and Joseph.
- Week 3 (Rose): JOY. Gaudete Sunday. We are halfway there! The rose color represents a glimpse of the joy that is coming.
- Week 4 (Purple): PEACE. The Angel’s Candle. The announcement of the birth is near.
3. How to Resist the "Christmas Creep"
The biggest challenge to a Slow Advent is "Christmas Creep"—the cultural pressure to celebrate the destination before the journey.
A. The Bare Tree
In many Catholic homes, the Christmas tree is put up early in Advent, but it is left bare. No lights, no ornaments. Every day, the children add one ornament as they do a specific chore or prayer. On Christmas Eve, the tree is finally lit in its full glory.
B. The Empty Manger
Keep your Nativity set out, but keep the manger empty. In some traditions, children place a piece of "hay" (yarn or straw) in the manger every time they perform an act of kindness. By Christmas, they have made a "soft bed" for Baby Jesus.
C. Silence the Carols
Try to limit Christmas music until at least the third week of Advent (Gaudete Sunday). Instead, listen to Advent Chants. These songs are haunting, mystical, and perfectly capture the feeling of longing. (Check out "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" or "Creator of the Stars of Night").
4. Practical Family Traditions
The Jesse Tree
This is a beautiful way to teach biblical history. Each day, you hang an ornament representing a person in Jesus' family tree (Abraham’s stars, David’s crown, Noah’s ark). It shows that Jesus didn't just appear—He is the climax of a story that started at the beginning of time.
The St. Nicholas Feast (Dec 6)
If you want to move some of the "gift-giving" pressure away from Christmas Day so you can focus on the Mass, celebrate St. Nicholas Day. Children put their shoes out, and "St. Nick" leaves gold coins or small treats. This honors the real historical bishop of Myra while keeping Christmas Day focused on the Incarnation.
The St. Lucia Procession (Dec 13)
Especially popular in Scandinavia and among some Catholic groups, this "Festival of Light" reminds us that Christ is the Light of the World shining in the darkest time of the year.
5. The O Antiphons (Dec 17-23)
In the final seven days of Advent, the Church's intensity ramps up. We pray the "O Antiphons"—seven ancient titles for Christ.
- O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
- O Adonai (O Lord)
- O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
- O Clavis David (O Key of David)
- O Oriens (O Dayspring)
- O Rex Gentium (O King of Nations)
- O Emmanuel (O God with Us)
The Secret Message: If you take the first letter of each Latin title in reverse order (Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia), it spells: ERO CRAS. In Latin, this means: "Tomorrow, I will be there."
6. Making Room: The Advent Confession
You wouldn't invite a King into a house full of trash. The absolute best way to "prepare the way" is the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Most parishes have extra confession times in Advent. Don't wait until the last minute. Go in the second or third week. Clear the deck of your soul so that when the Gloria is sung on Christmas Eve, you can sing it with a pure heart.
7. When Does Christmas Actually Start?
In the secular world, Christmas is over at midnight on Dec 26. In the Catholic world, Christmas only BEGINS on Dec 25. The Christmas Season (The 12 Days) lasts until Epiphany (Jan 6), and the "Extended Season" lasts until the Baptism of the Lord. In the older calendar, it even goes until Candlemas (Feb 2)!
The Slow Advent Strategy: Save your big parties, your richest foods, and your brightest lights for the actual Christmas season. If you feast for 4 weeks before Christmas, you will be in "recession" by the time the actual feast arrives. If you fast in Advent, you will truly feast in Christmas.
Conclusion: Let Your Heart Be a Manger
Advent is a gift from the Church to protect us from the madness of modern life. It gives us permission to be quiet. It gives us permission to wait.
This year, don't run toward Bethlehem. Walk. Savor the darkness. Savor the expectation. And when you finally see that star on December 25th, it will mean so much more.
Action Item: Take 5 minutes of silence today. No phone, no music. Just you and the King who is coming.
"Come, Lord Jesus. Maranatha."
Need help staying slow? Follow our daily Advent meditation path on the MyPrayerTower app and join our community 'Quiet Hour' challenges.