The Liturgical Calendar

I was asked how the Liturgical calendar has played into our celebrations of Advent and Christmas and I have to admit, rather sheepishly, that it didn't this year. Having not come from a liturgical church background I'm still not up to speed on the Liturgical calendar and it's symbolic colors and dates. I do notice the changing vestment and banner colors and I'm aware that the white for Christmas symbolizes newness; but understanding the calendar and teaching it to our children is something I'm just now beginning to do. We successfully followed through with our Advent wreath, for the first year ever, and I plan on working on Jesse Tree ornaments to help deepen our understanding of Advent next year. But even without fully grasping all the liturgical symbolism, this was by far our most peaceful Christmas as a family.
The celebration of the birth of our Lord has always been deeply meaningful to us, but there was an extra layer of meaning this year as we celebrated our first Christmas in the Church. After Mass on Sunday our youngest kids realized we could celebrate Mass on Monday and Tuesday as well, and started clamoring for "3 days of Mass in a row". (Sidebar: we've attended church as a family every week since our kids were born. Depending on the children's program at our "home" church in each town, the kids displayed varying degrees of enthusiasm about attending each Sunday, as is true with most kids. But since we first began attending Mass almost exactly one year ago, their enthusiasm has only grown. They're becoming little Catholic Mass freaks! If one of the younger kids isn't acting out part of the Mass, one of the others is singing or humming one of the liturgical songs. It's great!)
Matt and I have both been trained as Eucharistic Ministers and were asked to assist Father during the Christmas Vigil Mass. Nothing could have prepared us for the tangible presence of Christ up at the altar after the Consecration. The best way I can describe it is to say that it felt like my soul was trembling. I wanted to lie prostrate and just worship Him. To hold the chalice and pronounce "The Body of Christ!" to each fellow believer, offering them the cup of Christ's Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity was humbling in the extreme. The sense of grave responsibility as my hands wrapped around the chalice, and the spiritual connecting of souls as each person looked in my eyes and agreed "Amen" before receiving His precious blood. Yes, this Christmas was so much more meaningful for us.