First Comes Advent

Okay, so I had very good intentions this year. My plan was to wait until after St. Nicholas Day to put up the tree, the ornaments, the pointsettas and the like. I wanted to enjoy Advent a little. I wasn't and am still not feeling all Christmasy. I think we need a little Advent but I had requests. "When are you going to put up the Christmas decorations?" Okay, so I did. Up went the tree, the ornaments, the Santa Clauses, the pointsettas and the like. It was very pretty but it's not Christmas kept going on inside of me. I want my son to grow up knowing what Advent is and what the true meaning of Christmas is.

With all those decorations I felt so secular, caught up in the commercialism and as a Catholic revert, I felt still protestant and I didn't and don't want to be either of those. Nothing against any of my protestant friends. I just want to fully embrace the Catholic church, so I felt I didn't fulfill my intentions of celebrating Advent. I got caught up in decorating for Christmas. As a matter of fact, the day I put up the decorations was a long and exhausting day, not anything too joyful.

Our parish bulletin had an insert from our parish priest explaining Advent and what a good idea it would be to wait on those Christmas decorations. Great. Now what. My decorations are up. I knew what Advent was and was used to celebrating it right along with Christmas but I don't want to do that anymore.

Well, down they came. All except for the tree and some angels and manger scenes. I, also had put up an Advent wreath and candles, those of course stay because they are not Christmas decorations. But the rest of the decorations came down. I put them in a pile in our basement where they will come out around the third week of Advent, which is when the priest suggested the Christmas decorations come up.  I decided it wasn't too late to enjoy Advent and draw closer to our Lord during the season of preparation.

So, now my plan is to keep things simple.  Then I plan to when it is closer to Christmas bring out the remaining decorations. In the meantime I believe we will enjoy a little Advent. Some candle lighting, maybe a little bit of Jesse ornaments. I will have to be creative there. I have a teenager and I need to make the Jesse tree age appropriate but I have an idea. If it works I will share it with you.

In the meantime I found the most beautiful Advent webpage: MotherTeresa.org

http://www.motherteresa.org/11_Advent/2010Advent/index_advent2010.html

I hope you are enjoying your first week of Advent. Blessings to you.

Just a few of the decorations in our home.



Diane