Liturgical Living: More than Crafts and Cupcakes

Holly Dodd presents ideas for liturgical living for families who have outgrown arts and crafts.

Happy Birthday, Mary!  

My first foray into liturgical living was a batch of cupcakes iced in blue frosting. We had just begun a new Catholic homeschool curriculum and one of the first lessons included celebrating the Blessed Mother’s birthday on September 8th. We baked the cupcakes and brought them to Mary (or rather to a statue of her outside my parent’s home). I can't remember if we sang or prayed, and then we shared the cupcakes in her honor. It was simple, fun, and memorable. Until then, I don’t suppose I had even considered that Mary had a birthday at all. I mean, as a human woman, of course she had a birthday; I had just never thought of celebrating it.  

Liturgical living unfolded in my home from that day forward to include many more treats and cute little art projects. We often included prayers, but more than anything, these tiny celebrations sprinkled throughout the year brought our faith and the saints to life in my home. This was a great start for my family, especially since we are a big family, and back then, we had a lot of little people.   

Today my children are (almost) all taller than me and almost half are living out in the world on their own. Of course, they still love to have tasty treats now and then, but many of the “liturgical living” ideas out there are geared more for younger families. We aren’t making many paper crafts these days.   

But liturgical living is more than crafts and cupcakes. Liturgical living is leaning into the rhythm of the liturgical year at home and in your parish church. If your children are too old for crafts and cupcakes, or maybe you have no children in your home at all, you can still nourish your faith through living “liturgically.” 

Simple Ways to Celebrate the Liturgical Year (that don’t include crafts and cupcakes)  

Celebrate Sundays and Fast on Fridays 

The cycle of the liturgical year has a weekly rhythm as well. Take time for a celebratory treat on Sunday and abstain from meat (or fast) on Friday.  

Pay Attention to Liturgical Colors 

The liturgical colors change with the seasons. White/gold is celebratory, purple is penitential, red denotes martyrdom or the Holy Spirit, and green is worn during ordinary time. If you have a home altar, you can change out the colors to match the liturgical season or day. You can also consider coordinating your clothing choices with the liturgical colors of the day when attending Mass. Simply taking the time to investigate the color of the day might open your mind to learn something new about your faith each day.  

Attend Solemnity Masses 

Many solemnities, like every Sunday, are obligatory, but some are not. A few solemnities (Saint Joseph (March 19), the Annunciation (March 25), the Nativity of John the Baptist (June 25) and Saints Peter and Paul (June 29) are solemnities that are not holy days of obligation, but you can still attend! Your parish should still be celebrating these in a significant way. If your parish doesn’t typically do anything special, reach out to someone in your parish office and suggest that they do. The feast day of your parish patron can also be celebrated as a solemnity in your home parish.   

Besides solemnities, the liturgical year also includes many Feasts of the Lord (for example, the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd) and Marian Feast Days (such as the Nativity of Mary on September 8th). Paying attention to these days and attending Mass is a great way to live liturgically.   

Frequent the Sacraments 

Don’t neglect your opportunity for reconciliation. Canon law requires confession of grave sins at least once a year, but frequenting reconciliation more often can help you (and your family) lean into the rhythm of the liturgical year. Many parishes offer extra opportunities for Confession during Lent and Advent.    

Attend weddings, Baptisms, and funerals at your parish when you can. Expose yourself, and your family to these beautiful liturgical rituals.  

Get Involved 

Volunteering for a liturgical ministry in your church can keep you in tune with the liturgical seasons. Investigate opportunities for your family members to become lectors, altar servers, or even ushers, to serve your parish and live liturgically.  

Pray the Liturgy of the Hours 

Liturgy is more than just Masses and feast days, the daily office is also liturgy. These days there are lots of online resources for praying the Liturgy of the Hours at home. 

Liturgical Living is for all ages, and it’s so much more than cupcakes.  

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Copyright 2026 Holly Dodd
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