An Intentional Advent
Alicia Reese
November 30, 2021

This past Sunday marked the beginning of the season of Advent. That’s right, Advent, not Christmas. I am entirely guilty of completely skipping over the Advent season more than a few times in my life. Once Thanksgiving ends (usually earlier than that) all I want to do is pull out all the Christmas decorations, put them up everywhere while I listen to Christmas music, and then drive myself crazy thinking about and buying gifts for everyone. It becomes stressful, often overwhelming. Before I know it, the wrapping paper has been torn off and discarded. Just like that, the whirlwind of Christmas eve and day are over. What was it all for? 

As I've gotten older, I still want to pull out all the decorations and put them up, but now I also want to make the joy, warmth, and excitement last. I want to savor it. And I have learned that that is exactly what Advent is for, the preparation, the anticipation of the season is truly an invitation to slow down, to really enjoy what this time of year has to offer. But how to I do that?  

Well, I am taking some advice from Sybil MacBeth in her book, The Season of the Nativity.  

  • I have set up my Christmas tree, but there are no ornaments on it yet. For the next few weeks, I’m going to add a few ornaments at a time. Slowly my tree will fill up and since unpacking my ornaments is one of my favorite parts of this season, this will allow me to truly savor the experience as well as the memories of each ornament I hang. 
  • I am endeavoring to create a biblically correct creche. Right now, my creche consist of a donkey, some sheep, and a manger. Mary and Joseph are not even in sight of it, the shepherds are farther away, and the magi are even farther away! Each week I will move each of them closer to the location of the creche, but even on Christmas eve, the magi still will not have arrived yet. 
  • I will light my Advent candles each week, even if it is a day late (like this week).  
  • I will make time for Advent reading or coloring. I will be using All I Really Want by Quinn G. Caldwell for my reading, and Christmas Quiet by Maisie Sparks and Lauren Younis for my coloring. 

And of course, I will reread all my favorite Christmas season books and rewatch all my favorite movies! 

~I wonder if you too have struggled to savor the holiday season. 
~I wonder what you could do that would help you savor this season. 
~I wonder how you might feel on boxing day if you did. 

I pray that however you make your way through this season, you find, feel, and know the hope God imparts to you, the peace God wants for you, the joy God has because of you, and the everlasting love that God has for you. 

God, in this season of the Nativity, of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, remind me that this is a marathon, not a sprint, because to rush through it would mean missing the wondrous and magical gifts it, and You, have to offer. Help me to slow down, to savor, and to spread your hope, peace, joy, and love to whoever I meet. Amen.