It's Advent. Specifically, somewhere between the second and third Sundays of this approximately four week season. In our own hearts, household and lives we 'celebrate' this season. It's one of waiting, preparing...quietness, introspection...and, actually, some sense of penitential awareness and action.
Coming from a family where Christmas started on the day after Thanksgiving -- well, it took me some years to fully live into this time of 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord'. But assisted by a little 'push' from excessive December busy-ness, which made it pretty much impossible to do anything until after Advent IV, I've become a big fan.
Contrary to popular belief, the next season (Christmas!) doesn't begin 12 days before it. Nope. You don't get to the 12 drummers drumming until 11 days after The Day, making Christmas actually and not too surprisingly, the 'First day of Christmas'.
Discussion with friends who join us in this liturgical tradition sometimes involves bemoaning the fact that we don't live into the 12 days of Christmas fully and properly! Excessive, lengthy celebration is the hallmark of 'getting into the spirit'. After the long, dry wait...shouldn't we give a present on each and every day of the 12? And, as we haven't sung a single Christmas carol until Christmas Eve (or maybe Lessons & Carols if it falls late enough), shouldn't we sing our hearts out for days -- not just listening to CD's, but actually filling our lungs with air and joyfully caroling?
The true twelve days coincide with a period of time that most people think of as 'Christmas is over'. Without intentional Christmas celebration, I think we may not live beyond that and thus fall short. Any excessive ideas out there?
Advent resources:
St. Margaret Mary parish's simple, but lovely, daily advent calendar.
Finding God site's calendar -- more basic, but very thoughtful. A meditation with scripture links for each day.
BBC Radio's Bach Advent Calendar. It's all about Bach. But it has enchanting stories of his life. And the music played is appropriate for Advent.
7 comments:
...it's only been a few years for me since from before Thanksgiving, through all of December, blurred into a malstorm of planning, prepping, rehearsals, set-ups,warm-up rehearsals,calls,performances and tear-downs...leaving me in a sick, dazed pile on the floor after the run back up the valley from Moms' the day after[2nd day of Christmas]...I like the idea of the 12 Days...when you wait "long", it's nice to celebrate "long"... in my new "less busy", no more trips to Fresno, lifestyle, I'm looking forward to doing more with the 12 Days...BTW, when you read the Cat-mas Carols, did you notice there is a 12 Days one, I believe Mz Minka is rather fond of it...some of my better work, if I do say so myself...
Catsinger, when (by necessity) I was in my speed read mode, I stopped in and let my gut split over your Cat-mas Carols. Honestly -- if I wrote them, I would be giggling and rolling on the floor every time I reread them or thought of them. Marvelous!
hmmm..though I don't remember the 12 days. Must check on that.
DD, I realize now that it is the 12 Gifts of Cat-mas in my demented version...but the spirit is there anyway...I noticed on my sitemeter that you had dropped by this evening...yes Miz Minka managed to install it for me, long distance, even though I have, as she would say, "a MAC" [ and then chortle derisively ]
it was the reason something I sent her by e-mail was not complete...MACs can also blamed for global warming, the price of gas and the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973, if you believe her...
"After the long, dry wait...shouldn't we give a present on each and every day of the 12?" You don't?? It's become a tradition in this family. Started when some Anglican types I know first got me seriously pondering the 12 days.
Catsinger: The "screeching" mentioned by Dragonbug on an earlier post was undoubtedly enabled by a MAC.
I noticed the "preparing somewhat quietly..." comment in the upper left hand corner.
Does this count?
Of course, it does! Just look at all that 'Advent blue'...with a little Advent purple worked into it.
Plus -- you're supplying light and it's accompanying energy to your neighbors...who can turn off all their lamps and save money!
My dearest Dragonfly...it was YOU that showed me the incredible, lovely, peaceful joy of "celebrating" the Advent Season in a quiet, reflective manner. Many years ago you wrote an article in the Evangelist that truly touched my heart...and Advent became something different than it had every been before. Thank you! Love and hugs,
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