A Monastery Christmas

What? It is February and you are just getting around to writing about Christmas?

Our Holy Family Courtyard with a lit Christmas tree in the snow.


A Forty Day Christmas Celebration

Yes. Exactly. Because, with the Feast of the Presentation, we formally end our Christmas celebrations at the monastery. The hectic pace and pressures of the secularized ‘Holiday Season’ too often tries to encroach itself even into the cloister despite our best efforts. Holy Mother Church, in her liturgical cycle, counters this mad trend and allows to bask in Christmas for forty full days.

Wouldn’t you like to cradle the Infant Jesus in your home actively for forty days?

How about in your heart forever?

The way we celebrate this in our festivities and decorations promotes and strengthens this desire.

You see, for us in the monastery, Christmas begins at Midnight Mass on December 25. And, unlike what we witness in the world, it doesn’t end on December 26th. It doesn’t even really depart from us when Ordinary time resumed on January 10th this year after the Baptism of the Lord.

Decorating

Our High Altar and Main Altar decorated for Christmas
We don’t even begin getting the decorations out of storage until just before Christmas Day. Then the entire monastery is abuzz with activity as trees are put up, lights strung, wreathes fluffed and hung, and nativity sets carefully placed in central areas. Anywhere the eye can look, the nuns are feasting on reminders of the true meaning of Christmas. All the prayerful Advent preparations are now unleashed in a feast for the mind, soul, and eyes as we see trees, garland, lights, holly, angels….It is almost time to greet the Infant King. The Chapel explodes in a celebration of light for the Light of the World is about to enter time. A simple but unmistakable forest of evergreen (symbolic of the Resurrection) appears in the Sanctuary. A humble, but much loved, Nativity Scene graces the altar steps and an empty creche awaits a Guest.
Chapel Nativity Scene with Gift Basket


Likewise the Oratories, Chapter Room, Refectory, and Kitchen are decorated along with the cloister hall, the statio hall, the foyer, the guest parlor and dining room, the Chapel Hall, etc. Even the Sister’s Cells are adorned in a poor but charming fashion...we use old, but beautiful greeting card fronts, and post them on the doors with a small bit of garland and holly. There is no escaping the signs that we must prepare our hearts to welcome Christ.






The True Gift of Self

One great advantage of a monastery Christmas is that we aren’t scrambling in the shopping malls to fill out a gift list. Nor are we worrying about what we will get. We focus instead on what we will give Jesus for his Birthday celebration. While the world is mentally preparing their New Year’s Resolutions about dieting and exercising, each Sister is prayerfully contemplating what she can give her Spouse in the coming year.
The Sign on the Basket in which we place our gifts for Jesus at Christmas
Where can she live the Rule better? How can she live her vows better? How can she love God and her Sisters better? How will she sacrifice for priests better? Whatever she discerns is between her and the Divine Infant. And before Midnight Mass, the Sisters all assemble in the Statio Hall (Hall of Silence) and place their written gifts, what they will give Jesus this year, in a special basket
The Basket placed at the feet of the Infant King with our written promises to Him as Birthday presents.
to be placed beneath the crib in the Sanctuary. Having deposited their Birthday Presents for the Christ Child, the Sisters process in with lighted candles singing “Silent Night” acapella into the glowing Chapel.







Placing their candles next to the Nativity Scene, they gather around the empty creche.
Sisters gather around the manger to offer prayer intentions
Rev. Mother then places the statue of the Infant King in the manger and the basket of gifts to Our Lord is placed at His feet.










Midnight Mass
Sisters sing hymns and carols an hour before Midnight Mass
All the Sisters offer prayer intentions and then assemble in the pews to sing Christmas Carols for the hour preceding the Midnight Mass.
Midnight Mass (yes, at midnight!) is a magnificent way to enter into Christmastime by receiving our Lord Himself, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Father Elevates the Host at Midnight MassMother Blesses each Sister after Midnight Mass
Afterwards the Sisters receive a special blessing from Reverend Mother then gather in the kitchen to share some Christmas treats. Adoration continues in the Chapel.

The Octave

During the Octave (the eight days of Christmas), we literally celebrate Christmas Day every day. Then we have the privilege of basking in Christmas and spending extra time in Chapel and with Our Lord in Adoration. During Advent, the Sisters cease receiving or sending personal mail in order to better prepare for Christmas. While they do receive their Christmas mail on Christmas Day and read it, it is the custom not to immediately write any personal mail until after the Octave is over so that we can truly spend it with Jesus.

Even when Ordinary time resumes, we do not abandon all thoughts of Christmas.
Simpler chapel decorations until Feast of the Presentation
The extra decorations of common areas are taken down and put away but we deliberately leave up precious icons of this wonderful time of year, the Nativity Sets and Trees, until after the Feast of the Presentation.
Simple Christmas Tree in the Refectory
This allows for a gentler and more prolonged absorption of Christmas and serves as a wonderful antidote to “We just put the tree up and now we have to take it down?!”

Yes, monastery Christmases are thee premier way to spend the holiday with the Christ Child Himself. So often ignored and neglected in the ‘Santa Claus’ world, here we can welcome as the Infant King and keep in our hearts forever.




Borsato Nativity Set in Chapter Room
HAIL INFANT KING!