Christmas Time Is Here!
For a child has been born—for us! The gift of a son—for us! (Isaiah 9:6)
Growing up, we never followed the church calendar, so I was unaware of markers throughout the year such as Epiphany, Lent, Pentecost, and Advent. I was so grateful that all that changed when, years ago, Susan and I began attending a church in downtown Minneapolis that was aware of those markers, and celebrated them with joy and thanksgiving.
And thus was December infused with a significance and depth of meaning I hadn’t experienced before, without sacrificing any of the joy, celebration, or gift-giving. Actually, quite the opposite — the celebration of Advent, and all that it has meant throughout the centuries, and the increased understanding it has brought regarding what God has actually done in the Good News of Jesus, showed me that among all peoples Christians more than the rest should know what celebrations really look like. We ought not let anyone outdo us when it comes to recognizing and celebrating this holiday.
If you are unfamiliar with the notion, Advent is
a Latin word that means "coming" or "arrival." On the Church calendar, the season of Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas Day and culminates on Christmas Eve. It is a season full of expectation, longing, and hope.
Since the fourth century, Christians have observed Advent as a time to remember Jesus's first advent (His coming as a baby born in Bethlehem) and anticipate His second advent (His triumphant, future return).
(taken from The Dawn of Redeeming Grace)
Our family was taught early on that part of celebrating Advent includes a long-held tradition of candles on the table, helping keep this time of year and what it represents central in the home and family. Advent candles
originated in the early 1800s when Johann Hinrich Wichern, a minister in Germany, created the first Advent wreath from an old cart wheel to give the children in his ministry a way to count down the days until Christmas.
Red candles were lit throughout the week, and four white candles were lit each Sunday during Advent.
Many Christians now mark the four Sundays during Advent by lighting one candle each Sunday, with a fifth candle on Christmas Eve. The colors of these candles vary among denominations, but many Protestant traditions use three purple or blue candles, one pink candle, and one white candle. The purple or blue candles represent the themes of hope, peace, and love. The pink candle represents the theme of joy, and the white candle represents the light and life of Christ.
(taken from The Dawn of Redeeming Grace)
Be assured, it’s not that you must have candles to “properly” celebrate Advent, but what we have found as a family is that rituals help cement family traditions. They create helpful boundaries and reminders, and increase the joy of the event of sitting around a table, sharing a reading from the Scriptures and a devotional, talking about what Jesus means to us as we celebrate his incarnation and first coming, and long for his return. As Doug Wilson writes,
The buildup to Christmas should be one of anticipation, learning, and glad expectation. When we long for something, we love to think about it, and when we are thinking about something a lot, this is a good time to learn more about it. Just as Christmas is a time of year when mulled cider is welcome, it is also a time when mulled thinking should happen as well.
Thinking about Jesus, talking about Jesus, and reading about Jesus at the table throughout Advent, are good ways to fill your house up with the right kind of smell.
I love that — “fill your house up with the right kind of smell.”
I encourage you to try it this year. Choose a devotional and/or a reading plan. Create a new habit and ritual. Deepen your joy. I would highly recommend The Dawn of Redeeming Grace (from He Reads Truth) or God Rest Ye Merry: Why Christmas is the Foundation for Everything (by Douglas Wilson).
Happy Advent!
And Merry Christmas!
