party on, good catholics, party on!!

Ever feel like the world looks at us as Catholics and sees nothing but a list of rules and restrictions? Yeah, it’s true. They do. But it’s almost one of the times of year when we as Catholics are actually called to be the biggest partiers of all—CHRISTMAS! This holiday season, we’d love to encourage you to invite your teens and their families to enter into Advent and Christmas with a celebration attitude that lingers as long as possible, just like every guest at a really good party. When so many in the world find themselves already starting to feel blue at 11:59 pm on December 25th because the magic of the season has come and gone, we can be assured the fun continues. After all, Christmas isn’t just a day, but TWELVE days (more if you celebrate all the way to the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd).  And if we’re being honest, celebrating to the fullest for that long is actually quite a challenge—one that requires planning ahead.
 
So how does one plan for a great party? First, there are guests. And decorations. And music. And food, and games, and presents, and, and, and…. the possibilities are endless. As any professional party planner would tell you, these things don’t just figure themselves out.  It takes intentional time and effort.  Insert the wisdom of the Church here: not only are we offered 12 days to celebrate, but we’re also offered an entire preparatory season to intentionally and continually get ready. So here’s the theory: this Advent and Christmas, encourage your parishioners to join us in using this party-planning checklist for a celebration they won’t forget!

(Notice that for each numbered Advent to-do there's a matching Christmas celebration)
ADVENT (a.k.a. pre-party) CHECKLIST:
  1. Invite the guest of honor. When we want to celebrate someone, we go out of our way to invite them in a special way. How and when can we take intentional prayer time to do the same for Jesus this Advent.
  2. Invite other guests. Advent and Christmas are a beautiful time to accept our call as evangelizers. Who can you invite into the celebration by praying together, inviting them to church with you, or opening your home to company?
  3. Plan awesome party games. People of good will may disagree on if/how to play the game of Santa Claus. Whatever your decision, the question to ask is does it continue the theme of your party?  How can you and your family “play” Santa in a way that celebrates Christ? What other fun plans can you make to increase the fun for the whole Christmas season? Is there something you can commit to doing for and with others for all 12 days? Plan ahead now so you’re ready then.
  4. Create the perfect playlist. Have you ever noticed that leading up to Christmas the whole world starts singing about the incarnation of Christ and acts like it’s totally normal? Great news, Christmas music lovers—when we look at Advent as party planning mode, we really should be double (and triple) checking that our party soundtrack is going to be a good one!
  5. Decorate intentionally. Again, people of good will might disagree about how and when to decorate for Christmas. The point here is to stay on theme. Do your decorations celebrate Christ? How long does it take you to put them up in a peaceful and joyful way? Do you incorporate traditions like a nativity or a Jesse Tree to build anticipation?
  6. Get out your apron, party host. If you’ve ever cooked for a large event, odds are that while you tasted an irresistible amount as you went, you also happily saved the majority in anticipation of the party itself. So, too, can we be people of anticipation in our spiritual celebration of Advent. What sacrificial fasting can we do now as we prepare ourselves for the feast soon to come? What extras can we prepare (spiritually and in the kitchen!) to be ready at the time the party comes?
  7. Last but not least, we have one more thing on our party-planning checklist: gift giving and party favors. Just as we pour over picking out the most generous and thoughtful gifts when we throw someone a party, are we giving equal consideration to Christ as we prepare for His celebration? Throughout the gospels, Jesus tells us over and over and over again that we love him by loving our neighbors, by caring for “the least of these,” by truly offering everything we have to those in need.  2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us, “Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” So let us set out with determination to give those around us the best of ourselves in thoughtful joy. And in the way of party favors, which say, “even at the end of giving so much of my time and effort for you, I still have more to give,” let us carefully pace ourselves through this preparation season so as to not become so exhausted we run out of energy and time to continue our steady determination in preparing for Christ’s arrival.
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CHRISTMAS (a.k.a. PARTY!) CHECKLIST:
  1. Treat your guest of honor like royalty throughout the party. For 12 whole days, we’re encouraged to take extra time with Christ, just as we take every single opportunity possible to soak up time with the favored guest at a party. Keep seeking out moments to let Him know you cherish this celebration!
  2. Abide with the party goers. Schedule lots of intentional family time, dinners with friends, coffee dates, bible studies, retreats, and other opportunities to be with the people who matter most as you seek Christ in holy fellowship.
  3. Be a good sport. As you play your party games (Santa, outings, adventures, board games, intimate moments), ask yourself if the way you enter the game elicits the Fruits of the Spirit in your life. Do you have increased love? What about joy? And peace? And patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? 
  4. Crank up the tunes! No one pours over making just the right party playlist only to turn it off a few minutes into the party. So stay strong friends, stay strong…believe in the playlist and keep it rolling loud and proud all the way to Epiphany.
  5. It’s full on decoration time. Before a party we clean the house and set everything up, and then during the party we allow the mess as it happens. Who wants to spend party time doing dishes and miss all the fun? Let the 12 days of Christmas be the peak of your decoration and mess. Do it up big for Jesus’ arrival and then enjoy being in that decorated moment. On January 7th, the putting away and cleaning will still be waiting for you. And sometimes the aftermath of a party can be a chore, but cherishing the memories made sure eases the pain.
  6. FEAST! The church recognizes special liturgical occasions & seasonal celebrations by calling them Feast Days. As Jesus said when asked about why his disciples lived a celebratory lifestyle instead of following the Mosaic fasting laws, he replied, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” (Matthew 9:15) So for 12 days, let us be lavish with our celebration of Christ!
  7. Enjoy giving! In a world that says we should each do what’s best for ourselves, this is our moment to go full-on surprise party. Because giving gifts and giving ourselves is the fulfillment of plans we’ve been making for the past four weeks, we are downright giddy with joy for the privilege of giving--surprisingly counter-cultural.
  8. BONUS: Lastly, we have an extra for the party time list, and it may surprise you... be a gracious receiver. Guests at a party are often more comfortable if they can do something to help—if they can bring a treat, pitch in with the set up and clean up, offer the host a thank you present, etc. So say YES to accepting the love and support of others this season, believing that the message of Christmas means that you, too, are a beloved child of God. As we hear in James 1:17, "all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change." Now THAT’S something worth celebrating!