The faithful of the Orthodox Church are embarking on the Nativity Fast today. Though we try to keep our Christmas celebrations to a minimum prior to December 25th, we do some exciting things to prepare and enjoy this special time as well. Here are some of our plans for the next forty days.
November 15: Plant Paperwhites
November 16: Clean Out the Refrigerator and Grocery Shop for Lenten Foods
November 17: Start Writing Out Christmas Lists
November 18: Go Through Books to Give Away
November 19: Go Through Toys to Give Away
November 20: Donate Money and/or Canned Goods to the Food Pantry for Thanksgiving
November 21: Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God
November 22: Research Christmas Activities in the Area
November 23: Make Beeswax Ornaments
November 24: Plan Christmas Card
November 25: Plan Christmas Menu
November 26: Plan Christmas Outfits
November 27: Participate in Gift Giving for those Less Fortunate
November 29: Thanksgiving Day
November 30: Begin Listening to the Messiah
December 1: Put out the Nativity Books
December 2: Begin listening to Christmas music
December 3: Purchase This Year's Ornament Frame
December 4: Little Man's Namesday
December 5: Bake Saint Nicholas Cookies and prepare treats for little shoes
December 6: Saint Nicholas Day & Christmas Parade
December 7: Enjoy a 19th Century Christmas at a local reenactment town
December 8: The Nutcracker
December 9: Hang winter wreath on front door
December 10: Create a Gingerbread House
December 11: Hang snowflake decorations from dining room chandelier
December 12: Little Man's Birthday
December 13: Saint Lucia and Saint Herman
December 14: Winter Wonderland of Lights Festival
December 15: Visit a Living Nativity
December 16: Decorate the mantle and hang stockings
December 17: Watch The Christmas Miracle of Johnathon Toomey/Put Out Nativity Scene
December 18: Wrap presents
December 19: Purchase a new Christmas book for our family collection
December 20: Cut Paper Snowflakes for Windows
December 21: Bring home the Christmas tree and decorate it
December 22: Messiah Sing Along
December 23: Grocery Shopping for Christmas Day
December 24: Prepare Food for Feasting
Great list!
ReplyDeletelove it! I am getting so excited! Perhaps I should make a list too...
ReplyDeleteI found this blog through a link that suggested you had a list of the readings for the nativity using the Children's Bible Reader? Do you have that?? I would so appreciate it if you do! I have one somewhere but could not find it today though I found all our ornaments!
ReplyDeleteHi OrthodoxMom! I'm not around a computer right now
Deleteand can't seem to copy and paste the link, but just search The Tree of Jesse in the search box at the top of the blog and it should come up. I'll update with the link sometime tomorrow night. Hope that helps!
I love it :) the gradual preparation seems to honor the spirit of advent with a joyful anticipatory waiting. Thank for sharing!
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ReplyDeleteWhere do you plan to see the Nutcracker? We are going to see it at the Schwartz Center in Dover!
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