Advent

Advent is the Liturgical Season of Preparation for Christmas.

Color: Purple

Advent is the first season of the Liturgical Year and lasts for approximately four weeks, ending on Christmas Eve.

My experience is that in our modern world, we tend to prepare for Christmas and celebrate Christmas during the same weeks leaving Christmas Day, especially after the morning hubbub of opening gifts is done, a bit anti-climactic. Setting aside some time on Christmas Day and in the days and weeks after to celebrate can allow Advent and all the preparations for Christmas to unfold more slowly and peacefully.

Advent can be a beautiful time to delve into some simple traditions, but don’t try them all at once!

Advent Wreath: Placing an Advent wreath (usually a circle of greenery with four candles – 3 purple and one pink) at our dining room table for the season both offers symbols of the season to keep present in front of our eyes and tends to draw us back to family dinner around the table.

Nativity Set: We’ve always enjoyed setting up our stable and animals early in the Advent and allowing Mary and Joseph to travel around the house, arriving at the stable on Christmas Eve, bringing the Baby Jesus figure out only after Christmas Eve Mass.

My Thoughts On:

Celebrating Advent with the Family
Marian Songs for Advent

Also See:

Karen Edmisten’s No-Panic Advent Series

USCCB: What is Advent?