Advent helps us prepare for Christmas
"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you ..."
- Luke 2:11 (NIV)
When I was a young girl, I was given a Christmas wreath consisting of four candles placed within a circle with red ribbons intertwined with green garland.
This wasn't just your usual Christmas wreath. This one was known as an Advent wreath.
It was exciting to me, as each week as Christmas approached we lit one of the candles on the wreath and, in keeping in the spirit of the true reason for the season, read a passage of scripture depicting the Advent of the birth of Christ from of the book of Luke. As the candle burned brightly, we pondered the blessed event.
Another Advent activity I enjoyed - and still do - is keeping an Advent calendar. Each calendar has a picture that depicts Christmas in some special way and a small box that you open each day from the first to the 25th. As we open the box, we receive a surprise on the other side.
About 10 years ago, I discovered one that contained a morsel of chocolate behind each box.
Others I have discovered contain a whole host of items, from coffee to jewelry.
I grew up with the ones that simply had a date behind each box to remind us the day was approaching. I enjoyed them just as much.
Over the years, I had different artwork on my calendars. Some had traditional winter scenes of sparkling wonderlands. One year I even had Charlie Brown and the gang singing Christmas carols on the main scenery. My favorites are that of the glorious manger scene.
However we like to enjoy our countdown to Christmas, it is important we keep in mind that Dec. 1 to 25 is known as Advent, which means, "coming." As the "holy day" approaches, what we celebrate is the coming of Christmas Day and the blessed birth of our savior, Jesus Christ.
With this in mind, in keeping with the Advent celebration, we can view the whole seasonal celebration with the joy and enthusiasm of the true meaning of Christmas.
• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413.