This is the first year I have celebrated the season of advent in my home. I'll admit, until this past year, I never really understood the significance of the advent season or why I should celebrate it. We had a children's Christmas production in my church a few years back that focused on Advent. The production included a catchy song that ensured I would never forget what the four candles in the advent wreath stand for: love, joy peace, and hope, but still the significance of the season was lost on me.
My attitude towards advent changed when I read a book several months ago entitled Celebrating the Christian Year by Martha Zimmerman. To my surprise I discovered that the beginning of the advent season is actually the beginning of the Christian year. That kind of makes sense, doesn't it? We begin the Christian year by anticipating the birth of our Saviour. I began to see that this is what advent is all about: preparing our hearts and minds for the coming of Christ.
December is a busy month in most households. There is lots to be done: putting up the Christmas lights, decorating the house, putting up the Christmas tree, baking, and buying lots of presents. We spend lots of time in our North American culture getting the house ready for Christmas, but how much time do we spend preparing our hearts and minds?
This year, for the first time, I decided to celebrate advent in my home. I got some candles, and put together something that sort of resembles an advent wreath. We have an advent calendar with a Scripture passage to read each day, something to pray for, and a chocolate to eat. Each Sunday in advent we gather together to eat a meal and follow a little service, with reading, singing, and praying, as we light the advent candle.
Surprisingly, the thing that has impacted me most about this advent season is not the candles, or the singing, or the praying, but the empty manger scene. Yes, I said the empty manger scene. The empty manger scene sits on our living room mantle, and every day I see it and I am reminded that Jesus is coming. The empty manger scene creates anticipation as we await the day, Christmas day, when the Saviour arrives on the scene. It is also a reminder, admidst the hustle and bustle, that Christ is what Christmas is all about. So, although I have spent less time shopping and decorating, I feel more prepared for Christmas than ever, and I have recaptured some of the anticipation I felt as a child that Christmas is coming.
Good thoughts Jill! James and I were just discussing how Advent has lost it's impact in the church...Sure we do our special "tradition" in lighting the candle but what does it actually mean to each of us as individuals and how do we practise the anticipation in our own homes.
ReplyDeleteI've tried over the years to find ways to celebrate advent everyday of the Christmas season but it seems that we get too busy to actually do each activity or we seem to peter out halfway through...I think it's funny that you suggested a meal every Sunday since that was exactly what James suggested when I asked him to think of a way that he would enjoy celebrating advent and making it special in our home. It's a little late this year but I'm going to be jumping on it early next year and preparing some unique Sunday meal ideas to celebrate the advent season next year:)
I think I'll be taking Martha up on her suggestion of the moving manger scene as well, including an empty manger until Christmas Eve night.