Advent is my favorite liturgical season. Epiphany? Well, moms of little kids can't think hard enough to have one. Lent is painful and sad-as it should be. Pentecost is my second favorite as I speak three languages. Ordinary time? Ordinary time? Honestly-what the hell is that? Therefore, Advent belongs to me!
I said it last year, Advent is the time of year when we wait for a miracle to come save us. I am always in need of a miracle. Save me from my lack of organization. Save me from the inability to keep my mouth shut. Save me from struggling with a daughter I have spent the last five years working on-and now she doesn't need me quite as much as she did. That's what I wanted, right?
Advent is the four Sundays before Christmas. The Advent calendars I have seen start on December first and go through the 25th. I love this time of year so much I had a "Christmas in July" wedding shower where everyone brought gifts for the holiday season. The Christmas Frances was one I bought a cute little calendar at Hallmark and we opened a window every morning to read the story of Luke. I'm sure it was more for me than her. Some of those calendars come with a little chocolate inside, but I would be way too afraid I would just eat all twenty five on the first morning. Either that or with three kids, who gets the chocolate each day? I'm not organized enough to keep up with who ate the day before. So no chocolate calendars here.
Advent is happy waiting-literally, like a child on Christmas Eve. It's active waiting. Not the solemn suffering reflecting of Lent. This is why December nearly kills us with the parties, the parades, the cookie baking, the card opening, and the shopping. We are keeping busy for the big event.
Mr. Rogers used to sing a song called, "Let's think of something to do while we're waiting." I loved that song and TRY to use it with my kids. The most important line to me is to find "Something to do that's specific to you." Everyone has a special way to wait.
What am I going to do while I'm waiting? What's specific to me? I'm going to blog while I wait-25 days of Advent Quacks. Last year I joked that there should be a "Page a page a day" calendar. Now there kind of is!
I hope you enjoy it! And if you don't mind-spread the word. If I'm going to make this commitment I want readers.
I love the story. My kids love Advent as well, but it is purely for the chocolate candy in the little boxes on the Advent calendars. Last night they were so happy to go to Target and get two bags of candy and load them up. Mom told them they needed to count out 50 pieces each, 25 to go in Will’s, and 25 to go in Katie’s. Wills is traditional; but Katie’s is a Dora one. Why do they make Dora Advent calendars?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, in our house, we have “… rules are in full affect”. For example, at the beach, first beer is at 11AM, no one keeps count, and Doritos are a food group. In other words, “beach rules are in full affect”. At Halloween, you can eat candy until you get sick. “Halloween rules are in full affect”. Well, last night, I was sitting in my cozy leather chair watching a game, and the kids were in the study watching the Grinch, and after a while I started to wonder why they were being so quiet. I went in and checked on them, and they were both sitting there, with the empty bag of Hershey’s Miniatures, and a pile of wrappers. I asked what the hell they were doing. Will’s response: “Advent rules are in full affect!” I think he missed the point.
Good for you. Keep your traditions. One day they will mean as much to the kids as they do to you. Until then, you are still the boss. Make them sit through it.