Advent

My friend Chris McGregor has a nice post about Christmas on his blog called "Reclaiming the Center." I responded with a run down of what we've been doing to "reclaim the center" this advent season. Here's what I wrote:

This is our first year to really focus on advent (even though I grew up as a PK, advent was completely foreign to me). Barry and I really wanted to try and reclaim some church tradition that somehow has been lost. As I researched advent I really became very excited - the idea of the anticipation of Christ’s birth, but not just that, the anticipation of Christ’s return.

I was unsure where to begin so I took a trip to the local Christian book stores, with not much luck. Veggie tales in the manger was not what I was looking for. From there I headed to the Catholic bookstore. They had so much stuff (not just catholic publishers, but a wide array of Christian publishers). Will helped out with choosing your typical advent calendar, which he has loved. I found a book of prayers we read with each meal, Praying With the Word by David Haas. The prayers accompany scripture for each day. The prayers are well written and cause much reflection. We are also using an advent wreath, lighting it with every meal (symbolizing the light of Christ coming into the world). I try to do an activity with Will with each day of advent, hopefully to create a sense of anticipation. On the 12th day before Christmas we will begin making an ornament each day until Christmas. Often called the Jesse tree, this tradition remembers all those people who went before Jesus and helped to prepare the way. The Jesse reference is King David’s father, Isaiah 11:1. We are beginning with Adam and Eve and will end with an ornament of the Christ child. Last but not least, the Creche (nativity). We purchased an inexpensive manger and figures. Will takes Joseph, Mary, and donkey on a journey on the days before Christmas with them arriving Christmas Eve. Now one has to remember things may go wrong with this particular activity. Losing a figure may become a problem. Will was so excited that he wanted to play with the figures all day everyday, with that, he lost Mary. He thought no big deal lets just substitute Mary for another figure, his McDonald’s Anakin Skywalker. The only thing he wanted to do was get to that manger with Mary or without her (fun with Will). Advent has been fun, hopefully we’ll find Mary and she’ll make it to the manger.

*Praying With The Word: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany* by David Haas
*All Through the Day, All Through the Year: Family Prayers and Celebrations* by David B. Batchelder
*Before and After Christmas: Activities and Ideas-Advent and Epiphany* by Debbie Trafton O’Neal