I have been pondering this blog for a while and how to word it compassionately, but I just decided... eh, what the heck. I can deal with the comments as they come!
So, let us talk briefly about what I like to call: the Advent Nazi. What do I mean by that? I mean the person who forbids, shudders, and scorns anyone who mentions Christmas in the four weeks of Advent leading up to Christmas. No lights. No tree. No carols. Yelling at everyone that *Yes, Mary did know!* Etc.
My husband, David, is an Advent Nazi. I, on the other hand, am more like Elf. Ya know...
SANTAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay. So, how do we do it?
Once, David and I were fighting about putting up Christmas lights on the house (I wanted them, he did not, summoning the excuse that we should not put up lights in Advent and that he is holier than me, but really I think it was because he just did not want to put up lights and I am obviously holier because childbirth...) But anyway, we were in the grocery store, when a woman walked past him and called him a Scrooge!
I died laughing.
But I have been thinking... Advent is not supposed to be somber like Lent. It is supposed to be joyful preparation and anticipation ! Just take a moment and look at the Psalms...
Week One: To You O Lord, I Lift My Soul
Week Two: The Lord Has Done Great Things for Us, We are Filled with Joy
Week Three: Cry out with Joy and Gladness for the Great One is Among You, the Holy One of Israel
Week Four: Lord, Make us Turn to You, Let us See Your Face and We Shall be Saved
Yes, we pull out all the stops for Christmas day and the Christmas season thereafter, but should we not rejoice that this is the most wonderful time of the year where people who maybe forget about their faith the previous 11 months all of a sudden are reminded of the birth of a Savior through the lights and sounds and sights that we display -- commercial or not! That the season is full of songs of hope and peace on earth and goodwill towards men, charitable giving, and so on and so forth -- can we not rejoice in that instead of annoyingly reminding people Christmas isn't here yet? Can we welcome others into the joyful anticipation with us and gladly celebrate Advent while also making our beautiful Christmas preparations?
I get it! I totally get it, that Advent is the waiting period. But having been pregnant four times, waiting in joyful anticipation over 9 months each time, I can tell you that the preparations I make as a mom only enhance my own excitement at the birth of my child. And YES at month 9 when I have finished all of the preparation, I realize it is not his/her birthday yet, but...
I sing to my babies before they are born. I sing about them. I sing to them.
I talk to them.
I decorate. I buy them a gift that is just theirs for when they come home with me.
I watch the labor episode of *The Office* with Jim and Pam.
I change up the furniture as necessary. I stock up on food so I don't have to shop.
I pray. I go to Confession.
And I wait anxiously and excitedly for his/her birth.
I make the same preparations for the birth of my own child as I do for the birth of My King.
I put on the joyful music. We sing O Come O Come Emmanuel in the evening and pray. We buy gifts, just three, each for the kids. We go to Confession. This is the one time of year I actually enjoy baking. We watch fun Christmas movies and dunk cookies in egg nog and nostalgia! And I get just as excited as the kids when it comes to Christmas morning. They know it is the birthday of our Lord!
The Gospel this past Sunday says that there will be signs of the coming of our Lord. I look at our decorations as simple signs that we believe in and anticipate the coming of our Lord and everyone can witness that as well!
So..... how do David and I compromise on keeping the focus on Advent but joyfully anticipating Christmas?
I insist upon lighted evergreen in the house at this time of year, so.... We have an Advent tree. A little tree we decorate with purple, then pink, then purple again. We utilize prayers and the Advent candles. And we decorate the house, but leave the Christmas tree for the week of Christmas. We listen to Christmas music, but sing O Come O Come Emmanuel as our prayer. We have an Advent calendar. We shop, but keep the gifts to three each, plus a stocking of treats. Again, tying the *three* into the amount of gifts that Jesus received.
We compromised from literally NO decor or music and a wife who cried because if you wait until Christmas day to turn on the carols your joy is short lived since after Christmas day the rest of the world moves on to pop tunes again.... to saving the tree as our BIG DEAL decoration but making little preparations beforehand! David also hides baby Jesus so I can't put him in the Nativity scene until Christmas. Last year he lost Him though so..........we may have to find a new baby Jesus.
Anyway, I suppose all I am saying in this post is be a pregnant woman minus the morning sickness in Advent. Don't be ashamed to prepare your heart and home for the coming of our Lord, but work up to the awesome glory of that which is His Holy Birth!!
ALSO, this is a blog written by Linda Padgett. She has an Advent board with activities for each day in a bag to do with the kids. Charity, crafts, prayers, movies, etc. It is SUPER awesome.
I hope to do this next year:
Check it out and Happy Advent :)
No comments:
Post a Comment