A thrill of hope….

I can feel it already, and I’m 100% here for it. The Advent season is my World Series, my Olympics, my March Madness… why are all of these sports metaphors? I’m not even into sports, but just roll with me. People prepare for these sports seasons, they make plans, schedules, have parties, develop strategies-- and that’s me with Advent. It’s my jam, my soul delights in it, and I’d love to share why with you.

Advent- it means the coming or arrival of something or someone important. In Christian history, it’s a season beginning the 4th Sunday before Christmas and carrying through until Christmas Day. These weeks are often marked by themes, which vary, but are usually concepts like: Joy, Light, Hope, Love, Promise, or Peace. 

Long lay the world….

But y’all, we have filled up November and December, haven’t we? They’re bursting and bustling, and it just might be enough to suck the jolly right out of it for you. I know. I’ve been there. If you’re like me- raising kids, working, shuttling people from one scheduled thing to the next- then having your normal routine topped with all of the Christmas shopping, parties, gift wrapping, and attempts to make memories might bring out the Grinch in you and tempt you to yell that Christmas is cancelled. I get it, but it’s exactly why you need Advent. Stay with me…

Till he appeared….

The purpose of Advent is to prepare and focus your heart on the coming of Christ, both looking back to that first Christmas Day in a lowly manger, and looking forward to when He’ll return to us again. This season is about anticipation. Remember Christmas as a kid, before all the responsibility and busyness was on your own shoulders? The thrill of watching things around you become decked and flocked with celebration, the wonder and nostalgia of traditions, the tastes and smells of things only warmed up and served when Christmas carols are played… that’s what we’re bringing to our souls with Advent, all of those feelings, only deeper and more meaningfully. Centering our hearts around the anticipation of Christ’s coming to us, even in our unworthiness, and the promise that He will be with us again- fully, freely and forever-- that is the magic and wonder of Christmas that you can reclaim and experience anew each year through Advent. Don’t miss it. Adding Advent to your schedule won’t burden you, I promise, it will lift and carry away that burden, banishing the Scrooge from your spirit and decorating your heart with garland that smells like roasting chestnuts and warm cookies. Am I selling this?

And the soul felt its worth...

For our family, we chose to forego the Santa practice, even though James and I grew up in Santa-celebrating households, and instead try our best to help Christmas create its own magic and twinkling wonder for our kids. Don’t worry, we don’t vilify Santa, he’s just a character our kids think of like Frosty or Mickey Mouse. If you do Santa though, you can absolutely still do Advent! Our kids love it more than we imagined, it’s 25 nights of wonder, not just one, and they never let us forget a single night, or hesitate to gather for it. 

For our family, Advent looks like this— 

We set up and decorate our tree sometime between Thanksgiving and Nov. 30th, because our tree is a big part of our Advent practice. Don’t panic, your tree doesn’t have to be part of your process. Embrace the flexibility of options and do what works for your family! About 10 years ago I made a simple Advent board, and it has faithfully served us and grown with us over the years. A humble pine board, painted, with 25 clothespins glued to it, and two d-rings for hanging on the back. So simple! I ordered cheap little muslin bags on Amazon, and we stuff each bag with a short, printed Bible verse with a very brief commentary (provided here, because I gotchu), and 5 small ornaments, one for each kiddo (although one year I had to upgrade to larger bags because when we began we had 2 children, and now we have 5). Each evening after dinner, from December 1st through Christmas morning, we gather the children by the tree, lights twinkling and fuzzy Christmas blankets wrapped around little pajamaed bodies, we grab the bag that corresponds to the date, and the weekly theme tag, and we “do” Advent. James usually leads us, reciting our theme word and meaning, slipping the paper from the bag and reading the verse aloud, then reminding us with the next bit just how it relates to Jesus. Over the years, we’ve set aside the short verse papers and used devotional books instead just to mix things up. This is flexible! Next, we pray, thanking God for making a plan to come and save us, for sending Jesus, and asking Him to fill our hearts with anticipation and celebration of what He’s done for us. Then the kids line up. I won’t lie- there has been some shoving, some “no *I* go first tonight!”s, and some general bah-humbuggery over not getting whichever ornament that child has decided is the best that night. Ignore that nonsense when it pops us, and just smell something cinnamon-ny, okay? We’re all striving for holiness, and just not there yet.

The weary world rejoices….

As our hearts fill with truth and anticipation each night, our tree grows more full too. It’s a beautiful visual reflection of how the hope of Advent builds within us. Our kids also get the kinesthetic experience, for 25 days straight, of hanging an ornament, which drives the memory deeper for them because little people process better when movement and action accompanies hearing or seeing. Advent has not only helped us anticipate the gift of Christmas, but it has been a gift to us, giving us a fuller, more joyful and magical Christmas experience.

How would Advent work best for your family? Start simple and just try it out with nothing more than some verses and prayers, or dive in and create a system or tradition if that’s more your thing. Some folks just have a piece of candy for their kids each night instead of hanging ornaments. Some have elaborate calendars filled with Christmas activities, movies or experiences for 25 days straight (I tip my Santa hat to those mamas, because that’s next-level commitment and planning). Don’t have kids, or maybe you have teens? ADVENT IS FOR YOU TOO! Let me share some Advent devotionals I love, and maybe you’ll find rest in the pages there like I have—

God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas by Dietrich Bonhoeffer 

Unwrapping the Names of Jesus: An Advent Devotional by Asheritah Ciuciu  

Names for the Messiah: An Advent Study by Walter Brueggemann 

Or a free online resource for a short daily advent devotional: http://advent.dts.edu

Our advent guide https://drive.google.com/file/d/13BmMSfKs0itT1s3407XwyrZTnBuwkDes/view?usp=sharing

xo,
Kate

Kate Watson is wife to her high school sweetheart, James, and mom to (soon-to-be) 6 kiddos. She is creative & funny & wise & basically all of the good things and we are so thankful to have her as a guest blogger.