For us Christians, Christmas is the great celebration of joy, and we should be filled with this feeling. Therefore, we must prepare ourselves deeply for this celebration. And this preparation must begin with ourselves, preparing our hearts and our spirits for the arrival of the Christ Child.

And to get into the Christmas spirit, there has been a long-standing Catholic tradition of decorating the home with Christmas symbols and signs that commemorate the birth of Jesus.

One of these symbols is the Advent wreath, placed in homes four weeks before Christmas, and whose purpose is to lead us to important reflections about the holiday. The wreath contains four candles, which are lit gradually as the "Sundays of Advent" approach.

Another Christmas symbol is the Christmas tree, usually a pine tree, which manages to survive the European winter, symbolizing our faith in God, which even overcomes death. The colorful baubles recall the fruits of grace and salvation brought by the baby Jesus. The presents at the foot of the trees symbolize the gifts received by Jesus from the Three Wise Men, and the lights mark Him in our lives, who is the Light of the World. Wreaths are also placed on the doors of houses, symbolizing the arrival of the Baby Jesus.

Nativity scenes are also symbols present in the Catholic Christmas. They remind us of the importance of family, the domestic church and the foundation of humanity. Before the nativity scene, each person should remember the importance of each of its members: Joseph, a just man who dedicated his life to teaching his son; Mary, who said yes and became a maternal figure for all humanity; and the Child Jesus, a pillar and example of obedience to God and his parents. The shepherds also teach us to love with humility and to always adore Jesus. The Magi represent the pagan peoples who, guided by the star, are called to praise the Child God.

For all these reasons, we decorate our homes for Christmas as a reminder to prepare our lives and our hearts to receive our Savior.