As Christmas morning greets the family of Scott and Ashton Smith, the pitter patter of young feet can be heard through their New Roads home.
The four children are awake and ready to tear into what Santa has left under the tree on his annual Christmas Eve odyssey. They will awaken their weary-eyed parents, who might be showing signs of a bit of fatigue after spending much of the previous night preparing for the Christmas morning storm.
Shortly after the final present is opened, however, rather than continue frolicking among the new toys and clothes, the family gathers to pray, to pay homage to Jesus. Together, they conclude in prayer the Advent calendar, which will include reflections and a Gospel passage from St. Luke.
After prayer, it’s off to St. Mary of False River Church in New Roads for Mass.
“We don’t want (the children, ranging in ages from two years to eight years old) losing sight of Jesus in the midst of Christmas,” Scott Smith said. “We’re very intentional about that. And very much we have to be intentional about that because of the natural progression of things to distract them. There are so many distractions Christmas morning.”
Smith said he stresses to his children Christmas is not about receiving gifts. Rather, Christmas is the feast of Jesus’ birth and the family is celebrating that birth, which is why they receive gifts.
He also explains gifts are not exclusively presents to be opened but also come in the form of hugs and kisses.
“When they get older, we will be able to talk to them about gift giving,” Smith said. “They will understand more of it.”
An additional unique and tasty tradition continues Christmas evening as the family gathers around and cuts Jesus’ birthday cake. So what does Jesus like on his cake?
Smith said it is normally a sheet cake, often store-bought, although this year that might change. Usually, the cakes are made with an almond extract.
“So many traditions,” he said.
Although Christmas culminates Advent, Smith said his family begins spiritual preparations begin long before Christmas Day. Typically the weekend after Thanksgiving the family begins its annual Marian Consecration, which lasts until Jan. 1, the feast day of Mary, Mother of God.
Leading up to Christmas, the Advent wreath is lit before dinner, with each child jostling to light the appropriate candle or candles for that week.
The Advent prayer calendar is then opened, and the family will read the reflections and Gospel passage for that day.
Following dinner, the readings and prayers for the Marian Consecration are prayed. The children pray the Marian Consecration for Children, authored by Dr. Carrie Gress.
Smith and his wife will pray the St. Louis de Montfort’s Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary: New, Day-by-Day, Easier-to-Read Translation, which Smith wrote.
On Sunday evenings, the family congregates around their outdoor holiday decorations, which are also traditionally put up the weekend after Thanksgiving, to light an outdoor Advent candle. Smith displays four Advent candles, three painted purple and one pink, as well as drapes the appropriate color lights around each of the candles.
“We look forward to these traditions every year,” Smith said, adding that the family has been following the same tradition for the past five years. “You need that rededication, focus and prayer with the Marian Consecration. I know why God gave us this liturgical season. It helps us focus on Advent, and Advent helps us focus on Jesus.”
Smith’s reward is watching his young children grow in their own faith, although he joked of the unique challenges he encountered when the children were younger, including “reading a couple of pages (of reflections) and you might have peas in your face. You wonder if you are making an impact.”
But he is. Smith said through annual repetition the readings are stored in each child’s long-term memory.
“Lucy (the oldest at eight years old) gets it,” he said. “She’ll reminds us if we forget something. By doing the same things each year, as they get older that will bear fruit.
“I know we are laying the groundwork.”