Christkindl

An Advent PSA & Ways to Keep it Simple

November 24, 2020 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 11 November, Advent, Advent Planner, Christkindl, Christmas Novena, Jesse Tree 1 Comment

When you’re out shopping for Thanksgiving Day, digging in your garage for your decorations, or just kicking your feet up for a much-needed break — remember to pick up the necessary items for any of the traditions that you’re seeking to observe this Advent.

This is an Advent Calendar (in list form) for 2022. The current year Advent Calendar is included in Advent Planner.

Help your children discern their Advent Resolutions or discern as a family.

You can print out a blank Advent plan to record the family plans or each family member can have their own. I usually print 4 per child (2 pages/sheet) to cover the entire Advent season (in most years).

Advent Wreath — candles (they need not be purple and pink), wreath, and you can print out the prayers from here.

Advent/Christmas candles for your home window. I opted for battery-operated candles covered in real wax that can be controlled by remote. They were left over from our daughter’s wedding. If you don’t know about this tradition, you can read more here . I’ve also used a stick-candle-like option.

Christkindl cards for all those children, family, or friends that will be participating in this lovely tradition to serve & keep Christ at the center of the season.

Christmas Novena prayer cards or sheets are also helpful to have handy ahead of time. The actual devotion starts on Nov. 30, a day after the start of Advent this year. Be certain to get beads if you plan on making a Chaplet or ribbon if you perfected Novena lacing cards.

Jesse Tree — get a tree to use, branch, or twine to tack up to the wall. Ornament hooks or clothespins are needed. If you don’t have ornaments on hand, print out a simple set for free and follow along with an easy guide. A Bible is a must even if you have the readings.

Jesse Tree Devotional with Traditional Catholic Reflections & Scripture from the Douay Rheims Bible & Cut/Color Jesse Tree Ornaments

Jesse Tree Readings from the New Catholic Picture Bible – Shower of Roses

Jesse Tree Schedule for the Year and printable Jesse Tree Ornaments – Holy Heroes

Gather your manger (box cutout or wood crafted) and straw for the Christ Child. Each child or family member can place a prince of straw or paper into the manger when an act of service or kindness is done. This serves as a great visual for children regarding how their small acts add up to something grand. It also serves to grow joyful anticipation for the glorious season to come.

Other items to consider:

Spiritual reading & Pray the Divine Office
Feastday goodies — Refer to the Advent Calendar to select which feasts you want to celebrate in a special way. Below are a few to consider.
- Presentation of the BVM – Nov. 21 — Marian feastday go-to
- St. Nicholas – Dec. 6 — Cuties, chocolate coins, socks, a book, candy canes, St. Nicholas chocolates…
- Immaculate Conception of the BCM – Dec. 8 — Holy Day & Marian feastday go-to
- St. Lucy – Dec. 13 — crown, candles, tea, and all the simple sweet breakfast fixings.Hot cocoa as you take your family to see the lights.
- Our Lady of Guadalupe – Dec. 12 — Mexican dinner or pastries
Advent book basket — You do not need to have anything grand. You can select one good book this year and read it throughout Advent or four and rotate one for each week. You could also just select a few titles from your bookshelves or at the thrift store that will help your children grow in their Faith and life of Jesus.
Consider fasting and abstinence when meal planning. Advent was traditionally observed as a “Mini-Lent.” There are also Ember Days in Advent which are traditional days of fast and abstinence.

You can check out this post if you have more questions or desire additional resources.

Christkindl Cards & More

November 21, 2020 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Advent, Christkindl, Prints Leave a Comment

Below is a link for Christkindl Cards that my children use to track their prayers & acts of service for their “Christ Child” throughout Advent to Epiphany (or your preferred end-date).

This creates a wonderful atmosphere of joyful suspense, kindness, and thoughtfulness. Perhaps you will find that somebody has made your bed or shined your shoes or has informed you, in a disguised handwriting on a holy card, that “a rosary has been said for you today” or a number of sacrifices have been offered up. This new relationship is called “Christkindl” (Christ Child) in the old country, where children believe that the Christmas tree and the gifts under it are brought down by the Christ Child himself.
Maria Von Trapp

The card can be used in the home for your own version of the Christkindl. It’s merely a tool to help us keep on track – offering a daily gift for Christ among those who are before us.

The boxes represent a day in Advent to Christmas or Epiphany Day. This year, Advent starts on Nov. 29, 2020. I made it blank so it can be reused each year, assigning the dates as needed.

Download Christkindl Cards

Here is an easy overview of the Advent Season. You can post it in your home or just use it for your planning.

Download Advent 2020

“O come O come Emmanuel” was taken from the Liturgy, from the antiphons. It includes the seven names that are given to Our Lord. We the Divine Office with our older children. For my littles, singing or just reading O Come Emmanuel each night after our family rosary connects them with the Divine Office.

O Emmanuel Lyrics in Latin & English – JOYfilledfamily

O Emmanuel with coordinating O Antiphons – Family in Feast and Feria

Maran Athan–Veni Domine—Come O Lord Jesus!

Christkindl {Christ Child}

November 25, 2016 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 12 December, Advent, Christkindl Leave a Comment

The beautiful thing about this particular custom is that the relationship is a reciprocal one. The person whose name I have drawn and who is under my care becomes for me the helpless little Christ Child in the manger; and as I am performing these many little acts of love and consideration for someone in the family I am really doing them for the Infant of Bethlehem, according to the word, “And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.” That is why this particular person turns into “my Christkindl.” At the same time I am the “Christkindl” also for the one I am caring for because I want to imitate the Holy Child and render all those little services in the same spirit as He did in that small house of Nazareth, when as a child He served His Mother and His foster father with a similar love and devotion.

~ Around the Year with the TRAPP FAMILY

christkindl-printable-2016-joyfilledfamily

This is such a simple tradition but it provides a beautiful and joyful anticipation within our home as we prepare for Jesus Christ. Each child gets a checklist to help them stay accountable (see printable link at the end of the post). The numbered boxes represents a day in Advent (this year Advent starts on Nov. 27) to Christmas Day.

Here is how it works!

INSTRUCTIONS:

Write names of all family members on pieces of paper. *
Place all family member’s names (on folded paper for secrecy) in a container.
Take turns drawing a name. The person whose name one has drawn in now in one’s special care.
From this day (Start of Advent) until Christmas, one has to do as many little favors for him or her as one can.
One has to provide at least one surprise every single day — but without ever being found out. Use the printable Christkindl checklist for accountability.

*Adjust who is included in your Christkndl as it works best for your family. For families that are smaller, include other distant family or friends. One could even adopt a neighbor, single or windowed parishioner, etc..

This creates a wonderful atmosphere of joyful suspense, kindness, and thoughtfulness. Perhaps you will find that somebody has made your bed or shined your shoes or has informed you, in a disguised handwriting on a holy card, that “a rosary has been said for you today” or a number of sacrifices have been offered up. This new relationship is called “Christkindl” (Christ Child) in the old country, where children believe that the Christmas tree and the gifts under it are brought down by the Christ Child himself.

Get your printable at the link below, share freely! I’d love to hear about your family’s experience with Christkindl or other favorite family traditions.

Print as a single page or 2 copies per page

RMGS ~ Hospitality & Piety ~ Social

January 14, 2013 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Christkindl, Piety, RMGS, RMGS 2012-13

Rosa Mystica Girls’ Society met for our fifth meeting of the 2012-13 Session on the second Sat. of the month, January 12, 2012. There were thirty-three girls in attendance, not bad for a rescheduled meeting.

The meeting served as a break between skills (sewing and cooking). The girls met to exchange their Christkindls and have a social. Each family brought a dish to share.

Lesson:

Father B was teaching the Confirmation class and could not join us for his regular lessons. Father did grace us with his presence during his break and for closing, Angelus.

We briefed the girls on the virtue of piety.

Piety infuses an intrinsic love for God and devotion to those who are consecrated to God. It is an active love of God which men turn away from evil, do good and endure suffering.

Piety is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The others are:wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, and fear of the Lord.

We compared the nature of Mary and Eve to better demonstrate the ultimate example of piety. We also addressed false piety.

The Creator has so firmed the heart of women that it is specially disposed to piety, but if your piety is to be real and true, you must have a right understanding of false piety, so that you may avoid it carefully.

~Fr. Lasance Catholic Girls’ Guide

Lastly, we reviewed the Colors of Piety – according to Fr. Lasance.

The girls were then led in a brief overview of table manners and conversation. The goal was to set the stage for a enjoyable social that glorified God.

Social:

The social began with grace. Each table was invited to the food table for a modest first time serving. The girls were instructed to return to their tables and wait to eat until all the girls at their table were seated. It was quite lovely to see all the girls take pride in applying their manners and hospitality amongst each other.

The Chirstkindl exchange was to take place once the girls had adequate time conversing and eating.

Fr. B initiated a Christkindl for Rosa Mystica Girls’ Society. We adapted our version of the Christkindl, using the Trapp Family model.

Our Chirstkindl took the form of a prayer exchange with a small gift exchange after Christ’s Birth. You can take a look at our handout, here. Our handout included a prayer for friends, to be used in the case that the girls needed some guidance.

Each girl was given a name of a fellow RMGS member, in secrecy.

The person whose name one has drawn is now in one’s special care. From this day until Christmas, one has to pray for her as often as one can. One has to provide at least one prayer every single day–without ever being found out.

All were beyond excited to reveal their Christkindl and exchange their gift.

The girls were called up by groups. Then their Christkindl was called up, one at a time to give them adequate time to become acquainted with one another and give thanks.

Handouts:

AGENDA – Hospitality ~ Piety ~ Social ~ JAN

Hospitality:

Activity Sheet – Hospitality & Piety ~ Social– includes suggested activities to help the girls grow in virtue and Table Manners & Conversation

Manners:

Table Manners & Conversation – based on Little Women Hospitality
Table Manners for the Home – by James Stenson
How to Set & Clear a Table – based on Little Women Hospitality
Diagram of Formal Table Setting – Little Women Hospitality

Manners:

Colors of Piety Card – by Fr. Lasance

Wrap-up:

We reviewed the handouts that the helpers placed in each binder and encouraged the girls to grow in piety.

The meeting closed with the Angelus, led by Father.

~~~

There was a spread of food left out that was shared amongst those that helped with some aspect of RMGS.

THANK YOU to all those that brought a dish and those that contributed your time. I realize that we all tend to have a full plate – I appreciate your willingness to look beyond your plate and offer your assistance. I pray that all of our efforts bring Glory to God.

Once again, a special thanks goes out to the A family who set-up on Friday and helped with the meeting. In addition, clean-up was taken care of by several moms and girls. Your support makes our role as leaders that much easier. Thank you and may the good Lord reward you for your sacrifice and service. ALL FOR!

~~~

Our Lady of the Mystical Rose, pray for us!

Christkindl ~ Prayer & Gift Exchange for a Friend

December 3, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Advent, Christkindl, Christmas, RMGS 2012-13 1 Comment

“Christ- Child”

Fr. B initiated a Christkindl for Rosa Mystica Girls’ Society. My co-leader and I coordinated our version of the Christkindl, using the Trapp Family model.

Our Chirstkindl will take the form of a prayer exchange with a small gift exchange after Christ’s Birth. You can take a look at our handout, here. Our handout included a prayer for friends, to be used in the case that the girls needed some guidance.

The beautiful thing about this particular custom is that the relationship is a reciprocal one.

The person whose name I have drawn and who is under my care becomes for me the helpless little Christ Child in the manger; and as I am performing these many little acts of love and consideration

for someone in the family I am really doing them for the Infant of Bethlehem, according to the word, "And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me." That is why this particular person turns into "my Christkindl." At the same time I am the "Christkindl" also for the one I am caring for because I want to imitate the Holy Child and render all those little services in the same spirit as He did in that small house of Nazareth, when as a child He served His Mother and His foster father with a similar love and devotion.

~ Around the Year with the TRAPP FAMILY

~~~

Each girl was given a name of a fellow RMGS member, in secrecy.

The person whose name one has drawn is now in one’s special care. From this day until Christmas, one has to pray for her as often as one can. One has to provide at least one prayer every single day–without ever being found out.

Each girl will track her prayers with a Prayer Chart.

The prayer chart can be used in the home for your own version of the Christkindl. It’s merely a tool to help us keep on track – offering a daily gift for Christ among those who are before us.

The girls will reveal their Christkindl at our next meeting, Jan. 5 – Vigil of the Epiphany. They will also present their Christkindl with a wrapped gift, not to exceed a $5 value. The gift is meant to be something from the heart that reflects their prayers during Advent.

Maran Athan–Veni Domine—Come O Lord Jesus!

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