The Advent Season is a perfect time to refocus our attention on the God’s greatest gift to mankind: our Savior, Jesus Christ!
Christmas is a month away and the season of Advent begins this Sunday, November 30th. As you read this, my family is dancing around the house, listening to Christmas carols, drinking lots of hot cocoa and peppermint mochas while decorating our home and tree. Yep, we are one of those crazy people that start listening to Christmas music and pull out all of the Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. And after a year like this one, I think we are all ready to get 2020 over with and usher in a new year as soon as possible. Christmas time reminds us we are almost to the finish line of 2020!
Growing up, our family celebrated the liturgical season of Advent, so when I became a mom, I wanted to make sure I incorporated this tradition with my family. If you don’t celebrate Advent, let me encourage you to start. It is a wonderful way to keep Christ at the center of your Christmas celebrations and preparations. And it is so simple to do! I promise! You won’t be adding more things to your already busy and hectic holiday schedule.
Advent is two-fold. It celebrates the first coming of Jesus, His birth, and His incarnation. But most importantly, Advent also looks forward to Jesus’ second coming! And aren’t we all ready for Jesus to come back! The whole idea of celebrating the Advent season is to celebrate Jesus’ first miraculous coming AND to remember His promise to come again! In Latin, Adventus means “to arrive” or “to come.” This is what Jesus did 2,000 years ago. But in Roman times, Adventus was also a military term for a “glorious entry.” An emperor would enter the city after a military victory. This is exactly what Jesus will do in His second coming!
The easiest way to celebrate Advent and to use it as a time to prepare our hearts and minds for the birth of Jesus and His glorious promise to return, is to use an Advent Wreath. Each week, light a new candle and read and meditate on certain scriptures. Yes, it is that simple, but when you take the time each Sunday to read a new passage and light a candle each day before a meal, it forces you and your family to slow down, refocus, and meditate on the reason for the season.
The Advent Wreath has four candles, one for each Sunday of Advent. In a nutshell, our family would light a new candle each Sunday of Advent and would focus on the following passages and themes:
- First Sunday: Prophecies of Jesus’ Birth (Main Passage Isaiah 9:2-7)
- Second Sunday: Preparation of Jesus’ Birth (Main Passage Luke 1:26-56)
- Third Sunday: The Joy of Jesus’ Birth (Main Passage Luke 2: 1-21)
- Fourth Sunday: Promises of Jesus’ 2nd Coming (Main Passage Acts 1:10-11)
During the week as we sat down to share a meal, we would light the candle again, re-read the passage, discuss it, read other similar passages, memorize scripture, sing Christmas carols with the same themes, and pray. You can make it more elaborate, you can make it part of your morning time basket, or you can save it for family dinner time. That’s really it!
In this week’s podcast episode, ADVENTtures: Preparing for Christmas, I go into more detail and explain the activities you can do, the scriptures you can read, and the carols you can sing each week and each morning.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN
Subscribe to Coffee With Carrie during the month of December, and I’ll send you as a gift the weekly Advent Devotional I created and use every year.
Put on some Christmas music, pour yourself a cup of peppermint mocha, and join me for this little coffee break. Let’s turn your Christmas preparations into an Advent Adventure.
LIST OF RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:
Advent Wreath: Traditional wreath with evergreen sprigs
Nativity Advent Wreath: Nativity Scene instead of evergreens
Make Beeswax Advent Candles: This is a fun activity and great gift idea too!
Advent Candles (3 purple & 1 pink)
The Story of Christmas Book Set Advent Calendar: Read one each day when you light the advent candle.
The Adventures of Christmas: Helping Children Find Jesus in Our Holiday Traditions by Lisa Whelchel
