Observation and Principles

Squashed amongst the busyness of the Christmas season, advent has become little more than a daily countdown to Christmas day. Modern advent calendars have 25 boxes to open. Inside each box reveals a prize: a chocolate or a small toy.

If you look back a bit in history, Advent was a very special season of preparation and anticipation for the coming of Jesus Christ. This season is both to remember the birth of Jesus as well as to anticipate his second coming.

I did not grow up in a church that celebrated Advent. I don’t think that there is a “right” or “wrong” way to honor the season of Advent. The important thing is to re-focus on Christ and the hope that He has given us.

Advent begins 4 Sundays prior to Christmas and ends at sundown on Christmas eve. According to the traditional celebrations, Christmas lasts from Christmas eve to January 8 which is the day of Epiphany, celebrating the arrival of the wise men to honor the baby Jesus.

One of the most common ways to remember Advent is through the use of an Advent wreath and candles. Traditionally, An Advent wreath has 3 purple (or royal blue) candles, and 1 rose (pink) candle. If you are using the traditional candle colors, the rose candle is lit on the 3rd Sunday.

If you prefer, you could use red and green, white, or any other colors that you would like. The important thing is to remember Christ’s birth and hope for His return. Don’t get caught up in doing Advent perfectly.

You can use candle holders that you already own, purchase an advent wreath, or make your own.

Here are some links to instructions for making your own Advent Wreath:

• Make and Advent Wreath
  
• No flame advent wreath
• Christian Crafters Making and Advent Wreath
• or buy and advent wreath
  

If you use 4 candles in your wreath, you change all the candles to white ones on Christmas Eve. The other option is to have a 5th white candle in the center of the wreath.Advent begins on the Sunday nearest November 30 (the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle) and continues 4 Sundays. By tradition, Advent ends at sundown on Christmas Eve, and the Christmas season begins.

Each week, on Sunday, a new candle is lit, and on Christmas eve all the candles are lit. Each week has a new theme for devotions and activities.

Over the next few weeks, I will be writing about Advent. I will be exploring the meaning of Advent, providing devotionals and readings, as well as linking to possible Advent projects that you can use through this Holiday season.

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Photo: Christine McIntosh, used by permission CC-BY-ND 2.0