Celebrate Christmas / Advent Season with Catholic Online

The Church has her own special liturgical year and calendar in which she presents again the history and unchanging mysteries of our salvation, from Creation to the Second Coming, together with the entire life of the Savior. The mysteries do not change, but we do. A little older and wiser, we have the opportunity to review and renew these mysteries. When the familiar feasts come around we grasp something more about them because we have lived another year and apply them more deeply to our lives. This is a year of formation, like a school in which we, like pupils, learn faith, hope and charity. We learn God's will and to do God's will. Each Sunday and feast will present a special lesson to us for our daily living.

Advent is an especially lovely season and we can make great use of it. With the beginning of the season of Advent, we begin a new liturgical year. The First Sunday of Advent is therefore the Church's "New Year's Day". In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Sunday begin at sundown of the day before when the faithful celebrate First Vespers. Advent begins the Christmas cycle.

Advent comes from the Latin word for an "arrival" or a "coming". Advent means that the Lord is coming. Jesus Christ, our brother in our humanity and our God in His divinity is about to arrive. But He is comes to us in different ways. First, Jesus came to us at a specific point in history at Bethlehem about 2000 years ago. But in the Church's great feast of Christmas He mystically comes again. Second, the Lord, Alpha and Omega, will come to judge the living and the dead in the Second Coming. Third, the Redeemer comes to us in grace. He speaks to us in our consciences, he comes to us in the Eucharist and in the Word of God proclaimed. He arrives in the person of the begger, the needy, the suffering, the oppressed. We must be ready to receive and welcome Him when He comes, however He comes.

Advent is a time of joy tinged with penance. Joy, because we can imagine nothing more sweet than the Christ Child and His Mother Mary's bliss at His coming to light. Penance because we must strive to be properly disposed to receive so great a gift of His presence. In the millennial tradition of the Church, we faithful have done penance before great feasts. Christmas and Easter each have their penitential seasons in anticipation, Advent and Lent. The liturgical color used in the Latin Church for the liturgy during both Advent and Lent is purple, a sign of penance. In some places people may see blue used, which is done without the Church's approval. The Latin Church also emphasizes the penitential dimension of the season by directing the use of sparse ornaments in church and by legislating that instrumental music should not be used, except to sustain congregational singing. This is a kind of liturgical fast, which makes the joy and celebration of Christmas all that much more powerful by the contrast of the lean and muted season of Advent. Advent is a time of great joy, because we look forward to the beautiful feast of the Nativity, but it is joy stitched through with somber and focused spiritual preparation by doing penance.

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Advent & Christmas 2024

Begins Sunday, December 1, 2024

Ends on Sunday, December 24, 2024

"And the angel answered her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.'"

Search Search Advent & Christmas

Christ the King

Sunday, November 24, 2024

Christ the King Day is a Catholic celebration that takes place on the last Sunday of the liturgical year in the Catholic faith. continue reading

Advent 2024 starts on Sunday, December 1, 2024

Advent starts four Sundays before Christmas every year.

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
[holy day of obligation]

Monday, December 9, 2024

Blessed Virgin Mary in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, ... continue reading

Advent 2025 ends on Sunday December 24, 2025

Advent ends on Christmas Eve, the day before Christmas, every year.

Christmas
Birth of Our Lord Jesus
[holy day of obligation]

Monday, December 25, 2024

Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. continue reading

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
[holy day of obligation]

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God is a feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the aspect of her motherhood of Jesus Christ. continue reading

Epiphany

Monday, January 6, 2025

The Epiphany signifies the visitation of the Biblical Magi to the Baby Jesus. continue reading

Advent Reflections

Reflection for every day of Advent

Advent is a period of waiting, like Lent. We are called to obtain the Sacrament of Reconciliation, to pray and fast, as we await the arrival of our ... continue reading

Advent Calendar

Every day of Advent

An Advent calendar has become a tradition for many families when celebrating Advent and the Christmas season. continue reading

Advent Candle

24 Days of December

An Advent candle is a neat way to mark off the days until Christmas. Such candles are commonly found in churches and sometimes in homes. continue reading

Advent Wreath

Each Sunday of Advent

The wreath's symbolism of the advent (coming) of Light into the world is clear. The gradual lighting of the four candles, one on each Sunday of the ... continue reading

Advent & Christmas Classes

14 Free Classes - Mobile Friendly

You’re joining our global classroom. Thousands of students from all over the world, each with their own unique story, learn at their own pace on ... continue reading

Advent & Christmas PDFs

FREE - Printable - Catholic

Free Advent & Christmas PDFs for anyone, anywhere; Use in your Parish Church - School - Bulletin Inserts. continue reading

Christmas Gifts

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Make This Christmas Special with Gifts from Catholic Online Shopping. continue reading

Nativity Scene

Holy Family

The Nativity Scene is a meaningful expression for our religious faith. With it, we provide a captivating visual focus during the Christmas season. continue reading

St. Nicholas

December 6th

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Saint Nicholas. continue reading

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Advent? What is it all about

The word Advent derives from the Latin word meaning coming. The Lord is coming. We may reflect that every year at this time we celebrate his coming... continue reading

More Advent

Why is it Important
Advent Conversion
Advent Prayers
Advent Reflections
An Advent Search for God
Collections for Advent
Divine Preparations
The Lord Will Come
Time for Preparation
What the Catechism says

The Christmas Story

To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role." The angel Gabriel at the moment of... continue reading

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O Antiphons
Last Eight Days
12 Days of Christmas
Origin of 12 Days
The Epiphany
Christmas Prayers
The Manger and the Cross
Christmas Cookies
A Blessed Christmas
The Christmas Gift

Advent Daily Readings

The weeks of Advent remind us to set aside some of the hectic business of the holiday season, and to quietly reflect on the promise of the baby... continue reading

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Mother of our Lord
Jesus Family Tree
About Isaiah
Christmas Gift Guide

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Mary Speaks From the Heart
A Young Mother Gives Birth
Mary Remembers
A Life of 'Yes'
Jesus’ Mother is Our Mother

A Birth Foretold
The Witnesses Gather
The Plan Unfolds
Redeemer in the Womb
The Real Christmas Gift

Ideas to Make Your Christmas Special
Traditions From Around The World
Christmas Quotes
How to Handle Christmas Stress

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Bishop Strickland's Christmastide Message: A Call to Repentance and Courageous Discipleship

As we begin a new year, Bishop Strickland offers us a powerful reflection to carry through Christmastide and beyond. His words remind us of ... continue reading

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The Deacon Saint Stephen the Proto-Martyr is a Model for all Christians

In the Catholic Church, Christmas is celebrated for eight days (Octave, from the Latin Octava) and opens up into a wonderful liturgical ... continue reading

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Light Your Free Candle for Pope Francis. May He Rest in Peace.

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Love is Born on Christmas Morn, and the World is Born Anew Watch

The Gospel passages proclaimed at the Vigil and the Midnight Mass of Christmas root the Nativity of the Lord, in the family history and ... continue reading

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Rediscovering the True Importance of Christmas for Catholics

As the world becomes increasingly secularized, the true significance of Christmas can often be overshadowed by commercialism, distractions, ... continue reading

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5 Ways to keep Jesus in your Christmas celebrations this year

Christmas is a magical time of year when decorations line the streets, children are suddenly behaving and the Post Office struggles to keep ... continue reading

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Get your oven mitts ready, it's time to bake Christmas cookies! Watch

Logs are burning in the fireplace and a sweet holiday tune escapes from the stereo. Christmas is here and it's time to break out those eggs ... continue reading

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