Generally the tree is not decorated until late Christmas Eve as Advent ... and religious symbols. Bright balls and lights are fine also and lend a festive touch especially for children of all ...

Advent, meaning “to come to” in Latin ... “It is up to parents to use tradition and symbols to instill in their children the awesome wonder of the gift of the Incarnate Word,” she explained.

Advent calendars have remained popular in the years since, often marketed with the suggestion that they help children count down the days to Christmas, presumably to keep them from bugging their ...

The holiday begins the liturgical year, the United States Conference of Catholic ... The Advent wreath first appeared in Germany in 1839 when a Lutheran minister working at a mission for children ...