ADVENT 2006

Advent is the time consisting of the 4 Sundays prior to Christmas. This year the First Sunday of Advent is Decmeber 3rd and the fourth and final Sunday is December 24th. Traditionally it was a time of prepration leading up to the good news of Christmas. The liturgical or church colors are either purple or blue (symbolizing "royalty"). One of the celebration rituals includes lighting a candle of the advent wreath each of the 4 Sundays of Advent, with the fifth candle or the "Christ candle" being lit on Christmas Eve or Day.


I actually prefer Advent to Christmas because it's about preparation, waiting, process, the mystery of seizing an unbelievably-too-good-to-be-true promise in the midst of the tensions, turmoil, and goodness of daily life. Our daughters have an Advent Calendar made by Playmobil. Each day in Advent they open a box - receiving a toy of course - but it shapes the time. It might just be a ploy to teach morality such as patience, perseverance, and anti-greed; but I think it teaches them and me of something bigger and deeper. Life without an ultimate goal, telos, or promise is empty. It's like a boat drifiting without a destination. Advent reminds me of the promise that shapes the way in which I see life, meaning, and the universe.

Here's some online Advent Calendars I'm checking out this year....hope you enjoy

St. Margaret Mary Parish, Naperville, Il.

Woodlands Junior School, Kent, UK

Electric December

Stepping Stones School

Up to Ten (kid friendly with games!)

Calendrier de l'Avent (in French)

Information regarding Advent

CRI/Voice Institute

Spirituality Resources for Advent at Textweek.com

Wikipedia Entry