When Do Families Decorate for Christmas?
Every year, as soon as Thanksgiving leftovers are packed away, neighborhoods begin to sparkle with twinkling lights and inflatable Santas. Stores blast carols before December even begins, and social media fills with perfectly trimmed trees. For many families, decorating early is part of the fun. But for others, like ours, the timing of Christmas decorations carries deeper meaning.
In our home, we wait. Not because we don’t love Christmas, but because we love what comes before it: Advent.
Waiting in Advent
Advent is a sacred season of preparation and expectation. The Church teaches that it is a penitential time. It is a period of prayer, reflection, and repentance as hearts are made ready for the coming of Christ. It is a time to quiet the noise of the world and focus on spiritual renewal.
While the culture rushes ahead to Christmas, Advent invites stillness and hope. Our family keeps decorations simple during these weeks, lighting Advent candles and reading Scripture together. The simplicity helps us remember that the true light of Christmas is Christ Himself, who entered a dark world to bring salvation.
Gaudete Sunday: A Joyful Turning Point
We wait until Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, to begin decorating. “Gaudete” means “rejoice,” and it marks a shift in the season. The rose candle on the Advent wreath glows with joy, reminding us that the Lord’s coming is near.
This is when we bring out the tree, hang decorations, and play Christmas music. The decorations feel more meaningful because they come after weeks of prayerful waiting. The joy of Christmas bursts forth naturally, not from impulse or pressure, but from the heart.
The Light of St. Lucy
Around this same time, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Lucy on December 13. Her name means “light,” and her feast beautifully connects with the growing brightness of Advent as Christmas draws near.
In some Catholic traditions, families begin putting up outdoor lights or candles in the windows around St. Lucy’s Day. The lights symbolize Christ, the Light of the World, shining in the darkness. Placing lights in the windows can also recall the ancient custom of welcoming the Holy Family, an outward sign that hearts and homes are ready to receive the Savior.
For our family, adding lights around this feast feels fitting. It bridges the quiet reflection of early Advent with the joyful anticipation of Gaudete Sunday, reminding us that even in the darkest days of winter, Christ’s light is already breaking through.
Resisting the Pull of Consumerism
It is easy to get swept up in the commercial side of Christmas. Our family tries to resist the pull to shop 'til you drop. We remind ourselves to keep Christ in Christmas and not compulsive consumption.
Through patient faith and hearts rightly ordered towards Christ we take in the season fully. The slower pace helps us savor the true joy of Christmas when it finally arrives.
The Beauty of Waiting
Waiting is not always easy, especially when the world around us is already celebrating. But there is beauty in the wait. Advent teaches patience, hope, and trust in God’s timing. When Christmas finally comes, it feels like a true celebration, one that fills the home and the heart with lasting joy.
For our family, decorating on Gaudete Sunday and lighting our home around St. Lucy’s feast is not just a tradition. It is a reflection of Catholic faith, a reminder that the light of Christ shines brightest after faithful waiting, and that every candle, every string of lights, points to the true Light who came into the world.
It is a reminder that the best celebrations come after faithful waiting and that the light of Christmas shines brightest when it follows the quiet glow of Advent.
