St. Martin’s Lent: The Forgotten Catholic Tradition of Preparing for Christmas
Have you ever heard of St. Martin’s Lent? It’s an old Catholic tradition that I think deserves a little more attention, especially among families who love bringing the liturgical year into their homes.
We all know about the forty days of Lent leading up to Easter, but did you know that Christians once observed a similar penitential season in preparation for Christmas?
Beginning after November 11, the feast of St. Martin of Tours, this extended season of preparation was known as St. Martin’s Lent, St. Martin’s Fast, or the Forty Days of St. Martin.
Instead of rushing straight into Christmas festivities, Christians in parts of Europe traditionally used these weeks to practise prayer, fasting and almsgiving as they prepared for the celebration of Christ’s birth.
I love the idea of rediscovering this beautiful tradition. In a world where Christmas seems to begin earlier every year, honest to goodness I saw the first Mariah Carey viral audio Christmas reel in early October this year… perhaps we could all use a little more time to slow down, prepare our hearts and remember what we are celebrating.
Here’s a look at the history of St. Martin’s Lent, along with some simple ways to bring this forgotten tradition into your own family life.
What Is St. Martin’s Lent?
St. Martin’s Lent is an ancient Christian tradition of spiritual preparation for Christmas.
Long before Advent became the four-week season we know today, Christians in parts of Western Europe observed a much longer period of preparation for the Nativity of Our Lord.
This extended Advent began around the feast of St. Martin of Tours on November 11 and continued until Christmas.
In some places, the season was observed with fasting and abstinence, much like the penitential season of Lent before Easter. It was sometimes called Quadragesima Sancti Martini, which translates as the Forty Days of St. Martin.
The Council of Tours in 567 is an important historical reference for this tradition. It called for fasting three days a week, from the feast of St. Martin until Christmas. The practice was not identical everywhere, and customs developed differently across regions.
Eventually, this longer period of Advent preparation gradually gave way to the shorter Advent season familiar to Catholics today.
Although St. Martin’s Lent is no longer an official penitential season of the Roman Catholic Church, it remains a lovely tradition to rediscover.
Why Does St. Martin’s Lent Begin on November 12?
November 11 is the feast of St. Martin of Tours, a fourth-century bishop who is especially remembered for his generosity and charity toward the poor.
According to the traditional account of his life, Martin was a Roman soldier when he encountered a poor man shivering in the cold. Taking his military cloak, Martin cut it in half and gave a portion to the man.
That night, Martin had a vision of Christ wearing the portion of the cloak he had given away. In the vision, Jesus said that Martin had clothed Him.
This encounter helped inspire Martin’s conversion and eventual life of service to God. He was baptized, eventually became a monk and later served as Bishop of Tours.
St. Martin is remembered as a wonderful example of Christian charity, humility and generosity.
It seems especially fitting that an extended season of preparation for Christmas would begin with the feast of a saint so closely associated with giving to those in need.
After all, Christmas celebrates the greatest gift of all: Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Traditionally, the extended Advent season was associated with Martinmas, November 11. Families who wish to observe the tradition today can begin their own preparation on November 12.
Is St. Martin’s Lent the Same as Advent?
Not quite!
Modern Advent is the liturgical season celebrated by the Catholic Church in preparation for Christmas. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and has a twofold character: we prepare to celebrate Christ’s first coming at Bethlehem while also looking forward to His second coming.
St. Martin’s Lent is an older tradition of extended preparation that began much earlier in November.
Historically, this longer season included penitential practices such as fasting and abstinence. While these customs are no longer required of Catholics today, families can certainly draw inspiration from them.
Think of St. Martin’s Lent as an opportunity to begin preparing for Christmas a little earlier.
Rather than waiting until Advent to turn our attention toward the coming of Christ, we can use the weeks of November to practise generosity, simplify our lives and establish a little extra time for prayer.
Then, when Advent arrives, we are already in the habit of preparing our hearts for Christmas.
How to Celebrate St. Martin’s Lent With Your Family
You don’t need to recreate medieval fasting practices to embrace the spirit of St. Martin’s Lent.
In fact, I think this is a lovely opportunity to introduce children to the idea that preparing for Christmas involves more than decorating the house and making a list of presents.
We can prepare our hearts, too!
Here are some simple and practical ways to observe St. Martin’s Lent as a Catholic family.
1. Practise Generosity Like St. Martin
St. Martin’s story is the perfect place to begin.
Remembering how he shared his cloak with a poor man, consider making generosity a special focus for your family during these weeks.
You could:
- Collect food for your local food bank.
- Donate gently used clothing, books and toys.
- Make Christmas cards for residents of a nursing home.
- Prepare a care package for someone in need.
- Choose a family charity to support.
- Secretly do something kind for another family member.
- Look for opportunities to help neighbours and friends.
For younger children, St. Martin’s cloak makes a wonderful visual reminder. Talk about how even small acts of kindness can make a difference to someone else.
Printable Alert!! In the bottom of this post there is a subscription box. Part of my St. Martin’s Lent printable bundle is a page of little cloaks. Write acts of kindness on each cloak and have your child rip it in two (and recycle) once completed!
2. Choose a Small Family Sacrifice
Just as we make sacrifices during Lent, we can use this season to practise self-denial and grow in virtue.
The goal isn’t to make Christmas miserable! Rather, it’s to remind ourselves that we don’t need every little comfort or distraction to be happy.
Choose something simple and appropriate for your family.
Some ideas:
- Have one simple, meatless family meal each week.
- LEVEL UP: Have 3 simple meals a week, honouring the old 3 fasting days.
- Give up unnecessary purchases.
- Have a screen-free evening (or three!)
- Practise giving up complaining. With older kids – a complaining jar where they give a quarter or token for each complaint.
- Let someone else choose the family activity.
- Put phones away for 3 hours a day or three evenings each week.
- Choose one small sacrifice to offer for someone in need.
- +/Donate 3 food items to the local pantry each week.
Younger children might enjoy choosing their own little sacrifice each week.
Make sure sacrifices are age-appropriate and freely chosen. Printable: I have a 6 week printable with space to colour in 3 sacrifices per week.
3. Add a Little More Prayer to Your Day
What better way to prepare for Christmas than by spending more time with Our Lord?
You don’t need to introduce an elaborate new prayer routine. Even a few extra minutes together can help make this season more intentional.
Try:
- Praying the Angelus together.
- Offering a decade of the Rosary for someone in need.
- Reading a short passage from Scripture each evening.
- Praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory throughout November.
- Learning a new traditional Catholic prayer.
- Saying a family prayer before bed.
- Offering your daily work and sacrifices for a special intention.
You could also begin a family prayer list. Have each person choose someone to pray for as you approach Christmas.
4. Read the Old Testament Prophecies of the Messiah
One of my favourite ways to prepare for Christmas is to revisit the beautiful Old Testament prophecies that point toward the coming of Christ.
During St. Martin’s Lent, you could read a few passages each week and talk about how God prepared His people for the coming of the Messiah.
Here are some wonderful passages to explore together:
- Isaiah 7:14 – The prophecy of Emmanuel.
- Isaiah 9:1–6 – The promised Child and Prince of Peace.
- Isaiah 11:1–10 – The shoot from the stump of Jesse.
- Micah 5:2 – The prophecy of Bethlehem.
- Numbers 24:17 – The star that shall come forth from Jacob.
For homeschool families, this is a lovely opportunity to incorporate Scripture, history and a little Bible study into your November lessons.
5. Celebrate the Saints of November and December
November is filled with wonderful feast days, and St. Martin’s Lent gives us another reason to enjoy the rich traditions of the Church. If we are fasting, it is good to also remember the feasting to make it more fun for kids! Attending daily mass is always a wonderful way to FEAST (and my kids really love the mini-break from homeschool routine to see their friends!).
Some feast days to celebrate include:
- November 11: St. Martin of Tours
- November 13: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
- November 21: The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- November 22: St. Cecilia
- November 30: St. Andrew the Apostle
You could make a special meal, read a saint story, learn about the saint’s life or enjoy a simple feast-day activity.
Don’t forget to check out our November Liturgical Calendar for more feast days and ideas for celebrating the Church year with your family.
6. Make Room for a More Peaceful Advent
One of the loveliest things about St. Martin’s Lent is that it gives us permission to slow down.
Instead of rushing into all the Christmas festivities, use these weeks to prepare gradually.
You could:
- Declutter small areas of your home (use my 10×10 November decluttering challenge!)
- Organize Christmas decor but do not decorate yet, instead put fall decor away for some quiet, in-between time.
- Make handmade Christmas gifts.
- Start gathering books for your Advent reading basket.
- Learn traditional Advent and Christmas hymns.
- Prepare your Jesse Tree.
- Plan your Advent activities.
- Begin making Christmas decorations.
- Read a chapter of a Christmas book or spiritual reading together each evening.
This is also a wonderful time to introduce children to the story of the Nativity and the events leading up to the birth of Jesus.
There is something soooo special about allowing the anticipation of Christmas to build slowly!
A Simple St. Martin’s Lent Challenge for Families
If you’re looking for an easy way to put this tradition into practice, why not create a little family challenge?
Rather than trying to do everything, choose a few simple activities to complete throughout the season.
Here are 40 little acts of love, prayer and preparation to inspire your family. This is all available in the download below!
10 Acts of Prayer
- Pray a decade of the Rosary for someone in need.
- Read the story of the Annunciation.
- Learn the Angelus.
- Pray for the Holy Souls.
- Read a prophecy about the coming Messiah.
- Say a prayer for someone who is sick.
- Learn a new traditional Catholic prayer.
- Pray for your parish priest.
- Spend five quiet minutes with Jesus.
- Thank God for three blessings each day.
10 Acts of Generosity
- Donate food to a food bank.
- Give away a toy or book you no longer need.
- Make a card for someone who is lonely.
- Help a sibling without being asked.
- Make a little treat for a neighbour.
- Donate to a charitable cause.
- Do a secret act of kindness.
- Help with a chore that isn’t your responsibility.
- Visit or call someone who might be lonely.
- Give someone your time and attention.
10 Little Sacrifices
- Give up a favourite treat for a day.
- Have a screen-free evening.
- Let someone else choose what to watch or play.
- Practise not complaining.
- Do a chore cheerfully.
- Give up an unnecessary purchase.
- Choose a simpler meal.
- Be the first to apologize.
- Offer up an inconvenience for someone else.
- Put someone else’s needs before your own.
10 Ways to Prepare for Christmas
- Learn a traditional Advent hymn.
- Read a Christmas story together.
- Make a handmade Christmas gift.
- Learn about the Jesse Tree.
- Make a Christmas card for someone.
- Read the story of St. Joseph.
- Prepare your Nativity scene.
- Learn about the O Antiphons.
- Make a list of people to pray for this Christmas.
- Spend time reading the Nativity story from the Gospel of Luke.
You don’t have to complete all 40 activities in order. Choose the ones that work for your family and spread them throughout the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Want to make it even easier? I’ve put together a free St. Martin’s Lent printable to help your family keep track of your little acts of prayer, sacrifice and generosity. Print it out, hang it somewhere everyone can see it, and enjoy preparing for Christmas together!
When Does St. Martin’s Lent End?
The traditional extended Advent season concluded with the celebration of Christmas.
For families observing a modern St. Martin’s Lent challenge, Christmas Eve makes a lovely finishing point.
By then, we’ve had several weeks to practise generosity, grow in prayer and gradually prepare our homes and hearts for the coming of Christ.
And then comes Christmas!
The celebration of Our Lord’s birth is all the more meaningful when we’ve taken the time to prepare for it.
Rediscovering the Beauty of an Older Catholic Tradition
I love discovering these little traditions from the history of the Church. They remind us that Catholics have always found beautiful ways to mark the passing of the seasons and prepare for the great feasts of the liturgical year.
We don’t have to observe every ancient custom exactly as it was once practised to appreciate the wisdom behind it.
Perhaps the greatest lesson of St. Martin’s Lent is that Christmas deserves preparation, however you take it. We spend weeks preparing our homes, planning meals, finding gifts, shopping and organizing celebrations. How much more important it is to prepare our hearts!
So this November 12, why not begin a little earlier? Take inspiration from St. Martin, practise a little extra generosity, make room for prayer and begin the joyful journey toward Christmas. The best gift we can give Our Lord this Christmas is hearts prepared to receive Him!!
