Blessing of the Advent Wreath - Dear Jesus, as we light the candles on this Advent wreath, may the light of your presence bring joy to our hearts. Bless our family and our friends and be with all those who are in need this holiday season. Amen.

Week 1: Hope - Dear Jesus, you are the hope in our messy world. This Advent help us to slow down, listen to your voice, and focus on what's really important. We place our hope in you as we prepare our hearts to celebrate your birth on Christmas. Amen.

Week 2: Peace - Dear Jesus, you entered our world on Christmas as the Prince of Peace. This Advent as we strive to become the best version of ourselves, fill us with a deep abiding peace. Help us share that peace with everyone we encounter, especially those who need it most. Amen.

Week 3: Joy - Dear Jesus, help us focus on you during this busy season. May we stay aware of the joy you bring into our lives. We want to find you in the everyday moments and come with hearts of gratitude to your manger on Christmas.

Week 4: Love - Dear Jesus, may the light of your love always shine in our hearts. As Christmas draws closer, we marvel at your great love for us. Let your love transform every aspect of our live and touch everyone we encounter. Amen.

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires,

[mention your petition here]

through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen.

Let us ask God to send his blessing upon us and upon this sign of our faith in the Lord.

R/. Lord, give light to our hearts.

That this tree of lights may remind us of the tree of glory on which Christ accomplished our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

R/. Lord, give light to our hearts.

That the joy of Christmas may always be in our homes, let us pray to the Lord.

R/. Lord, give light to our hearts.

That the peace of Christ may dwell in our hearts and in the world, let us pray to the Lord.

R/. Lord, give light to our hearts.

Lord God, let your blessing come upon us as we illuminate this tree.

May the light and cheer it gives be a sign of the joy that fills our hearts.

May all who delight in this tree come to the knowledge and joy of salvation.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Did you know that the tradition of putting up a Nativity Scene was started by St. Francis of Assisi? His first Nativity Scene was created in 1223.

Many of us include Nativity Scenes in our Christmas decorations. Some ways to use the Nativity Scene as a way to pray during Advent include:

- Singing a Christmas carol that pertains to each piece of the scene as you put it up.

- Setting out the pieces of the scene gradually saving the Holy Family for closer to Christmas Eve, or not putting the Baby Jesus in the scene until Christmas Eve.

- Have the Wise Men travel across the room and arrive at the scene in time for Epiphany on January 6.

A Jesse Tree is simply Jesus' family tree. There are 24 ornaments, one for each day of December leading up to Christmas. They recount the story of salvation from Creation to the birth of Jesus. Several options are available online. Below are links to a few of my favorites.

https://holyheroes.com/pages/jesse-tree

https://www.catholicicing.com/jesse-trees/

Most people will recognize the O Antiphons as the basis for the verses of O Come O Come Emmanuel. The content of the Antiphons is drawn from Mary's Magnificat prayer. Each verse calls upon a title for Jesus and then invokes him to act according to that title.

These prayers begin on December 17 and continue through December 23. You could pray with these antiphons by singing O Come O Come Emmanuel during meal prayer time or bed time prayers and adding the appropriate antiphon each day.