Interested in small ways you might slow down this Advent season to experience a deeper sense of stillness and anticipation? The Seton Teaching Fellows community in Cincinnati (Maria Reecer, Kate Dittmer, Sarah Freund, Jacie Lusetto, Lauren Witt, Alyssa Shrage, and Alyssa Chavez) shares their ideas for embracing this liturgical season with your community, your students, or on your own:
1. Experience a Candlelit Dinner: Take time to not only light the Advent wreath but allow candles to be the only light at dinner. “Lighting Advent candles and eating with candlelight allows us to enter into the season of darkness and recognize the light of Christ in our lives,” says the Cincinnati team. “It is also peaceful and beautiful and offers us a safe space to enter into together.” In a school setting, create this atmosphere by sharing a snack or festive treat by the light of electric candles!
2. Create a Jesse Tree: Make and decorate a Jesse tree throughout Advent. This tradition allows children of any age to experience the season in a way that speaks to their senses. In Miss Reecer’s middle school class, students each made an ornament to present with a corresponding Bible verse. Miss Freund’s Kindergarten class will also put ornaments on a tree and read about them together each day.
3. Join Hallow’s Advent Prayer Challenge: A Fellow’s schedule is busy, but Hallow and its prayer challenges provide an excellent opportunity to grow closer to Christ through the structure and guidance of a simple-to-use app. “It helps me intentionally enter into the liturgical year through my prayer,” says Maria Reecer. “I am praying specifically with the Lord’s love for me and the beauty of the Incarnation.” With so much of our STF community—and Catholics globally—praying the same challenge, this daily practice is a beautiful way to communally share in the journey of Advent.
4. Grayscale Your Phone: Simplifying your phone and fasting from social media are two concrete ways to encourage a peaceful heart of preparation during Advent. “Rooting out extra distractions from our life this season allows us to prepare our hearts to make space for Christ’s coming,” says the Cincinnati team. “We are also offering up this fast for our students, which provides us with an intentional way to pray for them.”
5. Grow Close to Our Lady: As the first to welcome Jesus into her heart (and womb!), Mary makes an excellent guide through Advent as we learn from her how to prepare for Christ’s coming. ”Throughout Advent, I am growing in devotion and love toward our blessed mother!” says Jacie Lusetto. “I’m finishing my consecration to Mary to learn how to draw closer to her during this season of waiting,” adds Alyssa Schrage.
6. Fill a Giving Manger & Grow in Virtue: Increase your good deeds and grow in the understanding that virtue helps ready our hearts for Christ. In Miss Dittmer’s class, students add one piece of straw for every kind action during Advent. “By the end of the season, the manger will be soft for Baby Jesus!” says Miss Dittmer. Both Lauren Witt and Alyssa Shrage intend to reflect on the Advent themes of hope, joy, peace, and love. Spend time reflecting on these virtues and how growing in them can help you prepare for Christ’s coming.
7. Light an Advent Wreath: Like the Jesse tree, Advent wreaths appeal to children of any age. In nearly every class, our students will be lighting a wreath. In Miss Freund’s second grade class, they will light the week’s candle and learn what that candle symbolizes. Concerned about open flames? In Miss Schrage’s class, each student has their own coloring page and will color a candle each week. Miss Dittmer even made her own battery-powered wreath!
8. Find Good Spiritual Reading: The Church has an abundance of insightful Advent books and reflections. If you need ideas, consider praying with St. Francis de Sales’ Sermons on Advent like Lauren Witt or join Kate Dittmer in reading Come, Lord Jesus by Mother Mary Francis.
