I think we can all agree that the Christmas season is getting moved earlier and earlier every year. I’m sitting here writing this a week after Halloween, and I’ve already seen pictures of people getting their homes decorated for Christmas. Stores are starting to play holiday tunes as I think to myself, “Why are we on Christmas already?!”
Now I get it– Christmastime is one of my favorite times of the year. From the cooler weather, to the Christmas-tree smell, lights, hot chocolate, family time and Christmas movies… it’s all so inviting.
But as Christians, I think we have to be cautious not to fall into the trap of celebrating too early. Because if Christmas is all about remembering the birth of Jesus, we need to prepare our hearts for that before we start celebrating it. We can’t fully celebrate something unless we prepare properly.
A Time of Preparation
I think it’s ironic to note that everyone embraces Lent to prepare for Easter, but Advent is often glossed over without a thought. People put up Christmas trees and lights, bake cookies, and frantickly finish their Christmas shopping as holiday tunes play on the radio. When Christmas day comes, we go to Mass and have a fun-filled day opening presents with our families. But by December 26, we’re more than ready to take the tree down, get rid of the lights and do a full house-cleaning.
However, in reality, the Christmas-season doesn’t begin until the evening of December 24th and lasts all the way until January 13th, the feast of the Baptism of Jesus. But so often, many of us are so burnt out on Christmas that we don’t fully partake in the true Christmas season. Why? Because we haven’t prepared. We’ve jumped right into Christmas without embracing Advent, the season of preparation.
Now I know I’m not going to change society. The Christmas season in the secular American culture began right after thanksgiving ended.
But I want to challenge you guys, my readers, to be different. As Christians, I want to call you to embrace Advent this year… to prepare your hearts so you can celebrate Christmas in a more beautiful and authentic way.
And I want to show you how we can do it together.
[ctt template=”11″ link=”K8D3p” via=”yes” ]”The Christmas season in the secular American culture began right after thanksgiving. But as Christians, I want to call you to embrace Advent this year… to prepare your hearts so you can celebrate Christmas in a more beautiful and authentic way.” [/ctt]
Advent Explained
First, I want to start with: what is Advent exactly? Isn’t it the thing where we light cool candles in Church and one of them is pink and that Sunday is always super exciting?!?
Well, yes, but it’s so much more.
According to the United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Advent is “a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas.”
Did you know it’s actually the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year as well? While the calendar year begins January 1st, the Catholic Church’s year begins on the first day of Advent. It think it’s fitting that the Church begins each liturgical year in a time of preparation. We are readying our hearts.
This year, Advent begins December 2 (next Sunday) and ends December 24. So with Advent quickly approaching, I wanted to share some ways we can embrace Advent and the time of preparation this year and not just jump straight into Christmas.
How To: Advent
- EMBRACE THE BIG 3: We all know Lent is a time of fasting. During that season of preparation for Easter, we are called to pray, fast, and give alms to prepare our hearts for the Resurrection. But we often forget that Advent is ALSO a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. By embracing Advent as fervently as we embrace Lent, we can partake more fully in the celebration of Christ’s birth.
- Prayer- Use the Advent season to dive deeper into relationship with Christ. Read scripture. Meditate on each Sunday’s gospels. Dedicate some time to journal every day (the Blessed is She Advent journal is a great resource for all you gals out there). Whatever you decide, find a way to deepen your prayer life.
- Fasting- Yup I know… everyone’s favorite! We all so passionately give something up for Lent, but we forget this during Advent. To truly embrace the season, why don’t we decide on something we are going to fast from for the four weeks leading up to Christmas. Let’s learn to die to ourselves a little more so we can make Christ more fully alive in our hearts.
- Almsgiving- Get outside yourself. Volunteer. Help others. This is one thing that the secular world gets right with its Christmas-season. Christmas is a season of giving. And so is Advent. GIVE of yourself to others. Emulate what Christ did for you when He came into this world. Christmas will mean so much more when you truly take the time to ponder what Christ did for you by being born.
- GET AN ADVENT WREATH: Advent wreaths symbolize our preparation for Christmas. With four candles on an evergreen wreath, we light each candle on each Sunday in Advent. There are 3 purple candles and one pink. The purple candles represent the prayer, almsgiving and sacrifices we are supposed to undertake during this time of preparation. The pink candle is lit on the 3rd Sunday in Advent to rejoice that our preparation is halfway done. Advent wreaths are a great reminder to ourselves about what season we are in and what we are doing. As the world around us is already celebrating Christmas before Christmas, the Advent wreath reminds us we aren’t celebrating yet. We are praying, fasting, and almsgiving- preparing our hearts for the celebration to come.
- GO TO CONFESSION: During any time of preparation, we want to cleanse our hearts and make them pure like Christ’s. Advent is no different. Many parishes hold Advent penance services. Look them up in your parishes bulletin and make a conscious effort to go!!! Purify your heart so you can receive Christ more fully when He comes.
- DON’T START “CHRISTMASING” UNTIL CHRISTMAS: Now I hope you know I’m not saying you can’t put up your tree, string lights, bake cookies, or sing Christmas carols during Lent… of course you can! You can still do fun things, but save some things for Christmas. I know some people who don’t put up their tree until Christmas Eve. Others wait until the official Christmas season to plan family gatherings. Maybe you can refrain from any Christmas goodies or desserts until Christmas. Whatever it is, find a way to make the true Christmas season special. Don’t get burnt out before the actual celebration.
What Are You Waiting For?
As I mentioned previously, Advent begins next Sunday, December 2nd. In the next week, decide how YOU and YOUR family are going to prepare for Christmas.
How can you make a conscious effort to be different- to fully embrace this time of preparation so Christ and His coming can be fully alive your heart?
From the depths of my soul,
Josie
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