taking an adventurous crack at explaining advent

so let's talk about the 'why' of an advent calendar shall we?!

disclaimer: i'll lay out some technical terms about advent but please realize, that while i am married to a pastor, that does NOT make me a theologian or completely knowledgable about this. it's what i've learned, researched & asked questions about. 

what does advent mean?
the word advent means "coming" or "arrival"; particularly of something of importance

what does advent celebrate?
it is marked by the spirit of expectation, anticipation, preparation & longing.
the waiting time & preparation for Christmas and the anticipation of Jesus returning.

when is advent celebrated?
in the church advent begins the 4th sunday before christmas.
BUT...advent calendars always begin on december 1.

how do you celebrate advent?
this is where it gets a little complex...
there's the evergreen wreath & candles
there's the colors of advent
there's something called a jesse tree
and then there's the regular 24 day advent calendar which is what i'm using.


what is an advent calendar?
it's a way to keep the family, especially young children, involved in the celebration. it is a calendar with windows or pockets to be opened every day of december. the intention of use for the calendar vary so drastically and this is the very basic edition that they all stem from. you can have anything from spiritual pictures of the old testament story of the prophecy of Christ's birth to a piece of chocolate to an ornament to a gift to give others. but i've found that mostly people use it to at the very least create traditions and or even distract their kids from the uber consumerism that has become Christmas.

if you want to know what my intentions for our advent calendar & celebration are start with this post.
OR if you're in need of some ideas for you advent calendar or just festive things for your holiday season check out yesterday's post.