Advent Calendar

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Advent: what it is and what does it mean? I'll be honest, I'm not really sure. I know it has to do with Christ's birth and involves the four Sundays before Christmas. So let's see what Wikipedia has to say: Advent is a season observed in many Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.

For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from three different perspectives. "Since the time of Bernard of Clairvaux (d.1153) Christians have spoken of the three comings of Christ: in the flesh in Bethlehem, in our hearts daily, and in glory at the end of time."[2]The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming.

Practices associated with Advent include keeping an Advent calendar, lighting an Advent wreath, praying an Advent daily devotional,[5]lighting a Christingle,[6] as well as other ways of preparing for Christmas, such as setting up Christmas decorations,[7][8][9] a custom that is sometimes done liturgically, through a hanging of the greens ceremony.[5][10]


Expectant waiting and preparation: are those things not at opposite ends of the spectrum, an oxymoron, I believe? How can you wait and prepare at the same time? I will have to ponder that for a bit. Perhaps I will expound on that more later. 


As you might have gathered, we are doing an Advent calendar this year. Just little things. Something to make the month special and to have fun with a little two and a half year old. I want it to be a tradition and to get more in depth as the kiddos get older. It's pretty us-centered this year, but I want it to become more other-centered and involve giving and being kind, but for this year, I wanted things that involved staying home. 

One of the things I want to do is spend some time on Sundays, reading the story of Jesus and maybe looking at other aspects of waiting and preparing in my own life. 


So today was Day one. 


And yes, the picture is sideways, and no I'm not even going to try anything to change it. There wasn't a simple rotate button and I'm running with the clock and my son to get this done before he really starts yelling and I have to get supper going. 

But yes, tonight after supper because D will be home then too, we are going to have a hot chocolate party, complete with these pretzel and toffee pretzel and peanut butter brownies.  Yes, we are. And if I remember I will record the event with photographs. That is my goal for the month, to record each day in pictures that I will then post on here. 

For other wonderful Advent ideas, check out Shari's post on what she does with her family.

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