It seems to happen every year: people make resolutions to get their Christmas shopping done early, to make sure everything is in place so they can actually find some spirituality throughout Advent… but in reality things get put off, no one’s sure when they “should” be doing anything, and the inevitable happens: Advent feels more and more rushed.

It’s a problem. We have a solution.

#PutJesusFirst is your go-to planner for all things Advent. It starts well before Advent begins and includes dates for everything from buying airline tickets to baking Christmas cookies with your grandchildren. That’s to take the stress out of the season.

Once the stress level is lower, the #PutJesusFirst planner helps you fill that time with other activities: it includes prayers and readings for every week, suggestions for family outings, and practical ideas for reaching out to others.

We all know Advent is the beginning of the Church year, a time of hushed anticipation and spiritual reflection. But it often gets lost in the shuffle of Christmas planning and Christmas shopping and Christmas anxiety... in fact, sometimes it feels like this holy penitential season gets lost altogether!

It doesn’t have to be that way. With a little thoughtfulness and preplanning, you can create the space and mood that you need to fully anticipate the coming of Our Lord.

For example, you might change the way you take on so much. So many parties. So much food. So many gifts. If you can be more thoughtful in your planning, then you’ll discover the ultimate secret of the season: that when it comes to material things, less is more.

Then there are the simple liturgical celebrations where time (chronos) stops and we enter God's time (kairos). It's mystical and yet very down-to-earth as we join with brothers and sisters all over the world to bring our hopes, fears, and joys to God along with the infinite self-giving of Christ in the holy sacrifice of the Mass.

While most of the activities in #PutJesusFirst are designed for families, they can easily be adapted for a couple or a single individual. We just know how chaotic it can feel to try and get families organized for the holidays, so we’ve included a lot of ideas for ways to simplify your life!

So this year, why not put Jesus first in your life? The planner is free and so are the prayers of the Daughters of St. Paul that come with it.

This year, let’s #putJesusfirst!

image: Batang Latagaw for Unsplash