It\’s Still Christmas!

While most people have already taken down their Christmas decorations and \”moved on\” to the next thing to occupy their time and minds, we are barely half-way through celebrating Christmas. We are only on Day 5 of the Octave of Christmas. That means that Christmas is such a Big feast that it takes 8 days to actually celebrate and embrace the Reality. Then, there will still be another week of the Christmas Season, which, this year, concludes on January 8 with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Advent was very short this year with only one day of the Fourth Week. The Sisters did not have much time to change from the Advent purples to the Christmas reds and greens, especially in our Chapel and our Refectory (dining room). So, simplicity was the key element to decorating, but the results were just as stunning.

We would like to share some photos of the ingenuity of our Sisters.

First, is our Chapel which is usually decorated from floor to ceiling with greenery, ornaments and lights, etc. This year there is a simple single strand of white lights on the tree. Of course, the beautiful poinsettias make anything look elegant and lavish.

The Sanctuary is prepared for Benediction on Christmas night. We use an elaborate monstrance for Exposition on special days such as Holy Days.

Our Chapel will look like this until January 8.

Second, is our Refectory which the Sisters in the Novitiate decorate. They had a clever idea this year to use simple bows to dress-up the walls. Instead of the multiple piece large Manger Scene, they displayed a simple, but tastefully, made banner.