ADVENT 2021
Advent
What is advent?
Advent comes from a Latin word meaning “coming” or “arrival”
The season of advent has always been one of hope and expectations. From the first Sunday of advent until Christmas eve, we await the celebration of Jesus’s birth.
I grew up in a Ukrainian Catholic church, but never experienced advent this way until I was raising my own children. Most likely introduced to me through Focus on the Family, I developed my own version of advent.
Beginning the four Sundays before Christmas, this year that is Sunday November 28, an advent wreath of your choosing holds colour coded candles. Every space you visit will have their own colours, symbols and meaning. Again, when I started advent I did what I could, with what I had. What you will soon realize is that the stuff is not so important as the heart that you bring to advent, the attitude.
Each Sunday after evening dinner is eaten, cleaned up and the routine to prepare for the week is complete, my children and I would gather, enjoying made from scratch Christmas cookies, Christmas oranges and tea or hot chocolate. Christmas music playing softly in the background conversation was encouraged. Dreams, hopes for the upcoming week, holiday season. Discussion over concerts, and gift giving processes. Christmas stories were read and plans to add more decorations made. All the while surrounded by candlelight.
On the first Sunday one candle. Colour size did not matter, just the glow. With each successive Sunday, another candle added to the glow. Every night I gathered my children for this special Christmas only tradition, for the four weeks before Christmas day. I had purchase at “Regal”, you know, you remember that catalogue order company that had great cheap stuff…. The advent candle holders were the sweetest little angels, dressed in white with red trim. Painted so happy and fun. Today my candles are what ever I find on sale at the store, seasonal scents, tealights most often in little glass holders. I usually by the tealights on sale boxing day this year. Pack them away and enjoy them the following year.
My five advent tealight holders have words on them. The words do not match up to the advent words assigned to each week. I don’t use the words assigned either. Again, each book, each article, each region has its own interpretations. If you choose to create such a tradition for your family, I encourage you to adopt your own colours, themes and such to have more meaning to your family.
My advent begins on that first Sunday, fours weeks before Christmas Day. This Sunday is the beginning of FAITH. My reflection all week is on my faith. What do I believe, why? What does that mean? How does it define me, my life, my interactions, day to day living…..
Remember during advent you experience the materialistic busy that the season brings. Concerts, parties, presents, gatherings, stress, noise anxiety. But, when one participates, practices advent each night for even a short time the stress, and anxiety can be easily managed. Focus is found on what is truly important.
One year I changed the focus for the kids from, what do you want for Christmas? to what would you like to give? It was difficult for a short time. Once we started into the list of who are we giving gifts to, why, and what do we want to give, what can we give. Then take the steps to make it happen it was the beginning of wonderful Christmas memories for many years.
When the kids went to school after the holidays they were of course asked what did you get? They politely answered but returned the question with ‘What did you give?” it really throws people off, even adults.
Week two is PEACE. With a deep rooted faith in my God, the creator of all things I am at peace, or I should be, but it is hard, difficult in this world. It is hard to let go. Remember He is in charge. Week two is all about finding that peace. Practising letting go. Reflecting on what am I holding onto. Why?
Food is a really big part of holidays and celebrations. Trying new recipes and whipping up a batch of the family favourites is very time consuming but so worth every minute when wonderful memories are created and enjoyed together. I had hoped to do a big family Christmas baking day. But it looks like I may be on my own. I am disappointed but I completely understand there are only so many hours, days and weeks. Time is finite. I want you to reflect on your favourites. Pick three, promise me you will have these during your advent time. Whether you bake them yourself, order from a local bakery or pick something up from the local grocery, enjoy your favourites and the memories that come with them.
Week Three HOPE. Because I have a faith in a good and loving God, I am at peace and hold on to hope for the future. He is in control It will all be well. I can dream, and enjoy today because I have hope for a future surrounded with love, comfort, security.
Christmas decorating can get horribly expensive and crazy. I adore Christmas lights but I don’t really like noisy, bright flashy front yards. I can’t imagine being a neighbour who must endure a parade of cars night after night with music blaring out of cars that are synced with the house they are passing by. Not for me, I can appreciate the creativity and work that goes into it. I do like the gentle twinkle of coloured lights on a house. I enjoy taking an early evening walk through the neighbourhood to see the lights. Lights on the house, lights coming for a tree in the front window. Decorations are a favourite. My garage has more than twelve hinged Rubbermaid tubs of decorations. My house loves Christmas. I didn’t know it when I purchased it but once we spent a full year here, I knew that my house loved Christmas. Decorating for me begins after Hallowen. It is a long process that take weeks beginning with stripping the house of all the everyday knick knacks. Then I must oil the woodwork. Over sized window and door frames, tall baseboards that fill my home with its 1905 character and charm. After the wood is oiled, the trees are put up. Each room has its own tree. Living room and dining room area, family room, 3rd floor bedroom, 3 bedrooms on the second floor. 7 trees in all. Each tree has its own theme, decorations.
I purchased at Sears after boxing day sales turned into clearance sales, table top trees for each of my four children, the following year lights were purchased on sale, then each year after that an ornament to decorate the tree. When each of them moved out they had ornaments to take with them. I, against the original plan, kept the trees and lights.
Once the trees are up, I fill in the tabletops, nooks, crannies and any ledge possible with ornaments of all sizes shapes, design and style. A wreath on the front door, child made wreaths on the bedroom doors and new to us wreath on the gate and Christmas pine garland with lights and BIG RED bows on the front fence at the sidewalk. That décor my husband usually does in October. But at the time of writing this Saturday November 6, it is still not up. So here is hoping, I invite you to do a drive by over the holidays to have a look. We have lights on the house too. The neighbour does not mind the glow, he has actually said he appreciates it for those nights he must navigate the hallway.
Week Four LOVE. When one is under the security, comfort and love of a good God, one can give love away unconditionally as one receives it. Love week is wonderful to not only reflect on but to also act on. Christmas is equates with gift giving. Gifts don’t have to be expensive. They don’t have to even cost any money. They can be gifts of time, attention, sharing what you already have. A phone call, a smile, a simple gesture. Week four, love right before Christmas is a week to redefine love.
1 Corinthians 13
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Advent for my household has been a time to enjoy Christmas, to focus on building memories while avoiding the hustle and bustle of the commercialized holiday.
Once the four Sundays have past Christmas Day is JOY. The joy of the season has come. What ever that means to you. For me it is the birth of Christ. Emanuel God with us. My little nativity sits on the fireplace mantle all through the advent season. I intentionally leave baby Jesus in my Christmas stocking. On Christmas morning I place the wee babe in the manger and draw the shepherds and angels closer. I leave the wise men off in the distance because they really are not here yet they come in about 2 years time. But they are part of this wonderful story.
Advent is four Sundays plus Christmas day, five candles that I call faith, peace, love hope and joy. I invite you to enjoy advent with me this year. I am putting together an advent tea gift box. A gift of tea for each day of advent is included in the gift box. Loose leaf tea of course to enjoy while you sit with your candle. Tea accessories such as spoon, infuser, cozy and pot holder, ornament, recipes and a more. Preorder the advent gift box today. The full advent gift box $100 a wonderful gift for you or a gift for a very special person. Or $25 for the loose leaf tea alone.
Covid has been hard on all of us. Each one of us has our own covid story. Sitting quiet each evening, participating in an advent tradition, is certain to become a healing time, a practice with rewards beyond measure. Join me this holiday season for Advent each evening beginning Sunday November 28.
