Advent: Waiting to celebrate.

Advent is my favorite of the seasons, perhaps because we're called to live it so differently from the world.  Most "holiday" parties take place during Advent; most holiday cards are sent during Advent; most of the trees are put up, most of the outdoor lights are lit, most of the cookies are eaten, most of the carols are sung, during Advent.  Not to mention the holiday displays, which appear before Advent even begins.*

Although we can enjoy those things in charity, it's a good idea for us to avoid contributing to this general hubbub.  We fast before the feast.  Advent is a time of prayer and penance and waiting; a "little Lent."  In the Eastern Church the fasting is pronounced:  meatless days, for example, except on the great solemnities and feasts that fall in that season.  In the Western Church we haven't been called to such obligatory austerities, but it is still in the spirit of the season to put off the celebration until Christmas Eve. 

So what can we do?  The easiest is just to take care to do all the ordinary things during the Christmas Season, not before.  Wait till Christmas Eve and afterwards to eat the Christmas cookies.  Sing "O Come O Come Emmanuel" and "O Come Divine Messiah;" save "Angels We Have Heard On High" for after Christmas.  Have your Christmas party on January 3rd instead of December 15th.  Mail your Christmas cards after Christmas.  Leave the tree bare till Christmas Eve. 

I don't want to spend Christmas Eve baking cookies and writing Christmas cards.  Well, no problem.  Advent is a time of preparation, isn't it?  Cookies freeze well, so bake them early and put them in the freezer.  Write the Christmas Cards during Advent but mail them after Christmas.  Shop during Advent and give during Christmas.  Not so hard. 

Add to the "putting-it-off" spirit by some Advent traditions such as the family Advent wreath, and there you go --- getting in the spirit of the season. 

My small self-deprivation this year is to decline all sweets, especially Christmas cookies, until after Christmas Eve Mass.  It's small, especially since we're not a sweet-baking family, but it helps me.

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*Let them all be anathema, except let there be a special dispensation for craft-stores.  People need extra time if they're going to MAKE Christmas stuff.

Comments

[MrsDarwin]

I abhor the pre-Christmas sales, the marketing, the commercialism (and the commercials!), the lights up the day after Thanksgiving, etc., etc. Even many devout "reason for the season" Catholics get sucked into the whole mess, and then complain that Christmas is stressful. I've never found it to be so, but we keep it fairly low-key here -- it _is_ primarily a religious celebration. If I want to celebrate family and togetherness, there's always Thanksgiving.

[MrsDarwin]

BTW, I'm glad that we don't have to register to comment anymore, because I was too lazy to do so... Shame on me!