Liturgical Year 2017-2018
This was the year of the curly willow (I know, the random things I decide to build around). Basically I hadn't used the willow in a while and worked it into Lent first, then needed something extra for Advent and Christmas, and finally said, heck with it, lets work it in every season! It was subtle, but it worked well.
Christmas was a challenge, as this was one of those years where the 4th Sunday of Advent = Christmas Eve. I borrowed from what worked well last time, that was set up Advent as Christmas, then just add white poinsettias and lights and baby Jesus. I took a three phase approach this time though, adding pink, the stable, and Bethlehem week 3. This also allowed to creatively hide the star behind a banner for a quick, easy change on Christmas Eve.
As for Lent-Holy Week-Easter, the key element was the river. This was an idea I had banked for many years and decided to finally go for it. It went from purple with a "dry" be (aka burlap) to red with the burlap, to just the burlap Holy Thursday and Good Friday, to white, blue "river" and lots o flowers on Easter. Worked out perfectly!
Last note is Ordinary Time. A few years back a Hmong group of Catholics joined our parish (as in LOTS of Hmong). I hadn't really reached out to them via any decorations or feasts or anything in the years since they joined. So I traveled to the Hmong market here in town and bought some green ribbon with traditional Hmong patterns in it. That then became my green stripes on the banners for the Summer and Fall.
Christmas was a challenge, as this was one of those years where the 4th Sunday of Advent = Christmas Eve. I borrowed from what worked well last time, that was set up Advent as Christmas, then just add white poinsettias and lights and baby Jesus. I took a three phase approach this time though, adding pink, the stable, and Bethlehem week 3. This also allowed to creatively hide the star behind a banner for a quick, easy change on Christmas Eve.
As for Lent-Holy Week-Easter, the key element was the river. This was an idea I had banked for many years and decided to finally go for it. It went from purple with a "dry" be (aka burlap) to red with the burlap, to just the burlap Holy Thursday and Good Friday, to white, blue "river" and lots o flowers on Easter. Worked out perfectly!
Last note is Ordinary Time. A few years back a Hmong group of Catholics joined our parish (as in LOTS of Hmong). I hadn't really reached out to them via any decorations or feasts or anything in the years since they joined. So I traveled to the Hmong market here in town and bought some green ribbon with traditional Hmong patterns in it. That then became my green stripes on the banners for the Summer and Fall.