Many people feel the way you do. We were, during our children’s childhood and still are, quite determined to be anti-cultural during advent.
The first year we lived in our home where we spent most of the years rearing our family, the neighborhood children came in after Thanksgiving and looked around and asked where our decorations were. We pointed to the Advent Wreath and explained it to them.
There was also the creche, with the empty crib and Mary and Joseph processing Sunday by Sunday in its direction. Nearby were the shepherds, and at a further distance, the Wise Men. Except for piano practicing, we played no Christmas Carols during Advent, nor did we have or attend parties. Then, on Christmas eve day, we decorated the tree, but turned on the the lights only to check to replace any that were not working. There had been the baking and decorating of cookies during the week, but no one had been allowed to eat them - not even a sample.
Then, on Christmas eve after dinner, we turned out all the lights, gave candles to those old enough to carry them safely, and stood around the Christmas tree for a blessing ceremony which included reading from the gospel of St. Luke and a Christmas carol. Following this, Daddy turned on the tree lights and we all gasped in wonder. Next, we sang “O come all ye faithful” and processed to the creche. Mary and Joseph had arrived on the 4th Sunday of Advent; the youngest child now placed the baby Jesus in the crib, and we sang Silent Night.
All accomplished - we turned on the lights and listened to and sang Christmas carols and ate cookies.
Finally, the children went down for a nap, Daddy and I played Santa Clause, and at 10:30 we woke up the children hustled them out the back way and went to Mass. Upon returning from Mass, the children found their stockings filled. Part of the beauty of this last custom was that Mom and Dad could sleep in in the morning.
I discovered that the mothers at the Catholic school our children attended would have loved to have the school Christmas program after Christmas, also, but the administration wasn’t interested.
God bless us all and grant us a holy celebration of the birth of Our Lord.