Advent: What Can We Do?

 Yesterday I began to lay out some thoughts on "Why Celebrate Advent?"  Today I want to give some ideas for what we can do to make Advent part of our own practice, and perhaps also our family's tradition.

First, some more thoughts on the significance of how Advent can shape our celebration of Christ's birth.  The prevailing themes of the Advent season and the symbolism behind the activities which churches and families share are varied among many traditions.  

I've often meditated/mused on different words that came into many Advent celebrations.  Words like  Expectation, Anticipation, Fulfillment, Hope, Preparation, Peace, Joy, Sharing, and most of all, Love all reflect aspects of what Advent is all about.

These themes are varied but whatever the words chosen; they became a means of reflection about the reason for Christ’s coming.  

We often celebrate Advent with symbols, such as using a center-piece of an Advent wreath, which incorporates 5 candles – four around it, and one in the center.    

On each Sunday marking a new week in Advent, a candle is lit (including candles from previous weeks) until we arrive at the center candle (usually a white candle) which stands for Christ.  

The practice of lighting Advent candles began in Germany. They lit candles surrounded by evergreen branches in their windows on cold winter nights to signify their hope for the coming warmth and light of spring!  Later, German Lutherans kept the practice alive and gradually the symbolism of the Advent wreath was added: evergreens represent everlasting life (because they do not die during winter) and Christ as the light of our life.   

The wreath became a symbol of God's eternal love.  The candles represent Christ, the light of the world!  Many traditions use purple candles around the wreath, but it is not a requirement to do so.  

There are also "more safe" kid friendly ways to do this using votive candles, sugar/sand and mason jars:

The symbolism of lighting the candle each week reminds us of the way God prepared the world for his Son’s coming; and the realization that God continues to prepare the world for when Jesus will return again.

Of course Advent is the perfect time to read an Advent devotional (I have one available through Amazon as an e-book:

http://www.amazon.com/Advent-Sojourn-Elliott-Pollasch-ebook/dp/B00FN1130C/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1416925005&sr=1-1&keywords=an+advent+sojourn, 

I have read a couple of dozen different books from various authors to help me take time to think, muse within my mind and heart.  I also love to take time to write, or journal, listen to great Christmas music, spend some extra time in worship and prayer.  Using an Advent devotional like this one isn’t meant to replace anyone’s personal time of meditation and reflection – it is meant to enhance it.  

My own practices come from simple traditions.  Every morning during Advent I grab a cup of coffee, my bible, and several devotional books.  I read, pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to help he see the beauty, and wonder, of Christ Jesus’ coming.  Then I journal – which for the last few years has been done online as a part of an Advent blog.  

http://elliottpollasch.blogspot.com/

Create Your Own Advent Calendar

An Advent Calendar can be as simple or as ornate as you'd like. Here are some ideas:

• Use an actual calendar like the large desk calendars with space to write in. Every night, write in a new verse reference for you and your family to look up and read together the next day. You can either cross out the days, or somehow put a sticke on the square to count down the days.
• Cut out a Christmas tree shape from cardboard or posterboard. Each day, add a sticker, or a verse of scripture that represents that day’s reading.
• An alternative to a calendar - make an Advent paper chain. Every day write down scripture, or something that represents an Advent theme and connect it together.
• Use a corkboard.  Many households have corkboard message boards.  Decorate it and transform it into an Advent calendar and post new messages and/or verses every day.
• Make an Advent tree. Use a small (3-foot or so) artificial tree and each day hang a new ornament. These can be tiny gift boxes , mini stockings or mini mittens holding verses and/or candy. 
• Nativity figures. Instead of a calendar, let the Christmas season be a time for the children to construct the nativity scene one person, or animal at a time. 
• Use old Christmas cards to create a tree shape on your wall or door. Glue verses or other messages written on colored paper inside, perhaps with a note to pray for the person who sent you the card.

There are many more creative ideas out there…be imaginative, involve the whole family.

 For those who think this is too much time out of there already busy day I suggest a simple remedy:  set your clock to wake up 15 minutes earlier to incorporate some of these things into your day, or take a couple of minutes with your kids at a meal together and read a few passages of scripture, or a page from a book.  

The key is not in the busyness of creating “one more thing to do” before Christmas, but rather to slow down, celebrate, reflect on what is going on in the days leading up to Christmas that allows to keep Christ Jesus as the focus in all that is done.  Keep it simple, fun, and short.  It will be well worth the effort.

Peace