We as Catholics have now entered the “New Year” of our Church calendar, the beautiful season of Advent. As our town and homes fill with red and green, our Church and school fill with purple and pink, illuminating this four week time of preparation for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Each class at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School is getting ready for the birth of Christ in its own special way, preparing hearts and minds for the coming of the Lord.
Stocking for Baby Jesus
All of our classrooms at Our Lady of Lourdes are filled with tinsel and garland, but the First Grade classroom has one very special Christmas decoration. On the first Monday of Advent, Mrs. Wilson hung a stocking on her desk with the name “Jesus” embroidered on the top. It is a visible reminder to students that He is the one we celebrate this season
Every time a student does a good deed for his or her classmates, they write it down and slip it into Jesus’ stocking for Him to read when He comes on Christmas.
A Garland of Deeds
This year, our Fifth Grade class decided to make their own classroom decorations for Christmas. But rather than traditional crafts, the class created a special prayer chain that continues to grow during Advent.
Each week, every Fifth Grade student writes a prayer describing how they praised God through their actions and good deeds. The students add these papers as chains on the special garland that adorns the walls of their classroom, a visible reminder of how they are actively preparing the way of the Lord.
Advent Angels
Every year, students in our Fourth Grade class prepares for Advent with a secret project. At the beginning of the season, they each draw the name of another student in the Fourth Grade class who becomes their Advent Angel. During the course of Advent, students pray for this classmate daily and and send him or her secret notes of encouragement and affirmation. On the last day of school before Christmas break, students present a special snack to their Advent Angel, revealing the secret in a fun and spirited way.
The Giving Tree
Students in Second Grade built a one-of-a-kind Christmas tree this year. This tree is still tall with a star on top, but instead green, it is purple and pink, and rather than pine needles, it is full of kind words. During the season of Advent, students are giving gifts of service and kindness to one another, then writing them on green paper and pinning them in the shape of a giant evergreen tree. As the tree grows every day, students hearts and minds are filled with the joy of the season.
