7 Ways I'm Adventing This Year - a 7QT

Last year Kendra shared an insightful post called "How to Advent in 3 Steps" and number 1 was a biggie:

"Don't Christmas yet."

Which should seem obvious, right? But it really got me thinking, how do we make the season of waiting (Advent) different from the season of celebrating (Christmas)? We are still just beginners when it comes to living liturgically; however, when I started to think about it, we are doing a few things that we haven't before. So just to prove to myself that we *are* doing something, here are the 7 ways we are making Advent different.

- 1 -

I'm getting off Facebook. I did this last year, and honestly, it was a relief. Like so many others before me, I found that 1) my social world didn't end, 2) it freed up time to do/contemplate other things, 3) I was also freed up from the "comparison bug". I really recommend it. (Plus when you return on, or after, Christmas, you return to everyone's Merry Christmas wishes - which is actually kinda nice!)

- 2 -

Img: Zephrinus

Making mass a thing. Last year we/I were such noobs that I completely forgot that going to daily mass is actually a most excellent way of preparing and praying for Christmas. (Confession: I also didn't know that the feast of the Immaculate Conception is a holy day of obligation. I do this year, so I will remedy that one for sure!) We won't be going *daily*, but we will definitely do the HDO and possibly one other feast day besides the Sunday masses.

- 3 -

We'll do our Jesse Tree again. Last year we used this book for our readings and for which ornaments to make. It was good for the first time around - but I didn't like that it didn't start with Adam & Eve in the garden. (Which, if one is using the Jesse tree to explain the story of salvation and/or Jesus' lineage, don't you think that leaving Adam and Eve out is a bit... well, odd?) So this year, I'm fixing that and adding a few more ornaments/stories in - since I'm not using any one resource to do this, maybe I'll write a post with all our ornaments/readings? Yes, maybe I'll do that (if for no other reason than giving me a place to have it all written down for future years!)

- 4 -

We'll also light Advent candles on Sundays. This will replace the candle that we (usually) light at dinner time. I found the beautiful candleholder above on Amazon and it's just the right size for our small home. I may even put some evergreen branches around it to make it more "wreath-like" (but I will not decorate with fake-sugared-fake-fruit. Just say no to fakeiness.)

- 5 -

St Lucia img: Heather Sleightholm

We'll observe a few feast days. We've more or less been observing Saint Lucia's since we moved into our home with a "Cookies, Cocoa and Christmas Lights" party. But this year, we'll also add in St Andrew's day on November 30th, and Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12th. We've got a book to read for each saint/day and a little activity or special food planned for that day too. I may or may not do anything for St Nicholas's day... it's just that 3 feast days in one month is already pretty ambitious for me. (I really should do it though, huh?) (I know, I know.) (We'll see...)

- 6 -

img: Blessed Is She

This one is just for me, and may turn out to be the most important preparation of all! I'm going to do my absolute best to get some morning time in, using this journal as a guide. I've heard the author, Elizabeth Foss, speak about Advent twice now - and her wisdom/perspective is so refreshing.

- 7 -

Ok, just kidding! There is no seventh thing. If the whole idea of Advent is to "prepare Him room" I probably shouldn't fill up the schedule with commitments! Right? Right. So, I'm going to go sign off FB, clear some space on the mantle and some space in my heart and begin the wait for the coming King. May you and yours have a blessed Advent.

Swing by Kelly's for some more!