Advent

The month of December is filled with great anticipation so many families like to celebrate Christmas throughout the month of December instead of only on the 25th.

There are many ways to commerate Christmas beyond the one BIG day. Advent calendars -- or countdown to Christmas -- is a jolly and merry way to incorporate

The word advent means coming or arrival. The focus of the entire Christmas season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus and the anticipation of the return of Christ (second advent).

Advent is the season leading up to Christmas day.  It begins four Sundays before December 25th (sometimes the last weekend of November, sometimes the first Sunday in December).

Advent is one of the few Christian festivals that is observed at home as well as at church.  Advent is a natural time to involve children at home in activities that directly connect with worship at church.

The season of Advent represents the long years that the Israelites awaited the coming Savior.

At the heart of the Christian faith is the declaration that our Lord Jesus Christ became man for our salvation.  This affirmation is expressed succinctly in the term incarnation. This word is of Latin origin and simply means invested with flesh.  Simply put, Christmas is the celebration and observance of the incarnation. Such an event calls for rejoicing, bright lights, and happy gatherings. It also calls for reverence, reflection, and a deep sense of awe.

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.

There are many different ways to observe the Advent time.  It is common in many homes to mark the days of Advent (or countdown to Christmas).

The next few days I will share various ways to celebrate Advent or -- like my family -- countdown to Christmas day.