Here we are in Advent already and what a short Advent it will be too! There are four Sundays in Advent and this year the fourth Sunday is also Christmas Eve.
During Advent we wait for Jesus Christ and we do this in three ways; in the past, in the present and in the future. We accompany Mary and Joseph on their journey to Bethlehem and welcome the baby Jesus who was born in a stable. We prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christ’s birth this year and try to make the occasion more than just presents and food. Thirdly, we think about and anticipate the second coming of Jesus Christ when He will come in power and glory and his kingdom will be established here on earth as it is in heaven.
The first way I find the easiest despite Christmas having become such a secular festival. The second way isn’t too difficult either. I know the story of the birth of Christ and it is in my mind so much during December. I read the accounts of it in the Bible, I sing carols and Christmas songs and I attend church services. We talk about it at home. The third way is the hardest. I try to keep Advent as a time of reflection. I think about my behaviour and any bad habits I might have and think how I should improve myself. I remind myself of Christ’s instructions to us about how we should act and think. The trouble is, I very easily get caught up in the pre-Christmas madness and find myself panicking about things that are of no real importance at all. Do I have presents for everyone? What if I forget someone! If I don’t start writing the cards soon they won’t get there on time! Will I have enough food for everyone? Look at those dirty windows! When will I get an opportunity to clean the house? I’m never going to get everything done on time! My quiet, reflective mood disappears and I moan and complain to anyone who’ll listen to me. It was much easier to keep Advent as Advent when I was younger. People didn’t start their Christmas shopping ’til much nearer the festival. Decorations weren’t put up as early as they are now and things were much simpler. Now that sounds like an old person speaking!
Last year we held an Advent service in church which I enjoyed very much. No carols but Advent hymns, solemn and beautiful. This year we will have a Carol service on the 20th and we will go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve as usual. We have an Advent Crown or Wreath at church and as each Sunday passes we light one more candle until on Christmas Eve all four are lit.
We have an Advent Crown at home too, and an Advent Candle and Advent Calendars! We mark each day as it passes and Christmas comes ever closer.
My music choice is J S Bach’s Cantata for the First Sunday in Advent.
May I wish you all a happy and peaceful Advent!
My dear friend Lisa wrote a lovely comment on this post but it has mysteriously disappeared! I have looked for it and cannot find it on my WordPress account. Fortunately, I had a copy of the comment in my e-mail folder but I cannot copy it into the comments below so I’ve put it here!
Clare, it may (or may not) be that you sound like an old lady(!), but it’s the truth! And I was that way myself for many years, and only lately am I increasingly seeing how strange it is that everyone is celebrating Christmas before it comes, only to be sick of it right after New Year and want to put away all the decorations and be free of it all. But it’s impossible to resist getting into the early spirit of things when we’re all decorated at the library, playing Christmas music and will have our party at work on Friday. So we have to do the best we can, I guess. At home, I’m putting out my decorations a little here, a little there, slowly. (and trying to do fall cleaning, plan making cookies, do all the cards, finish shopping etc. – impossible!) I hope your Advent journey brings you through all the busyness and confusion in the right way. xoxo
Your Advent Crown is so pretty! The two of you are quite artistic, I think. And thanks to Gallivanta for the Literary Advent link – I like it.
Thank-you very much for your lovely comment, Lisa. I can imagine that your library is very jolly and festive at the moment. Have a wonderful party on Friday! I think one of my main gripes is the commercialisation of Christmas and seeing Christmas food for sale in the shops at the end of October! So many people here decorate their homes at the beginning of December and then throw out their Christmas tree and decorations on Boxing Day the 26th December – only the second day of Christmas! I hope you manage to get all your Christmas preparations done on time and you have a little time for rest and pleasure xx
Lisa can be found here at Searchingforabalance.blogspot.co.uk
Another comment has disappeared in the same way, this time from Annika Perry!
Clare, this is a delightful thoughtful and reflective post. You have a beautiful advent candle at home…so Christmassy! We sit down every Sunday to light ours; a moment of stillness in the crazy busy days, of being together. The sense of anticipation builds and I always feel it’s extra special when the fourth advent falls on Christmas Eve! Haha! Yep, everything Christmas seems to be pushed further back into December or even earlier – I try to rein it in until the actual month and only had the tree up last weekend as we had a little family party. People throw the tree out on Boxing Day!!! How sad! Here’s to enjoying the peace, absorbing the joy and time for one another.
Thank-you very much, Annika. Yes, I like the fourth Sunday in Advent being on Christmas Eve too. Two celebrations on one day! ‘Here’s to enjoying the peace, absorbing the joy and time for one another’ – yes, yes!! I couldn’t agree more, Annika!
Annika can be found here at annikaperry.com
Laurie Graves said:
Lovely, Clare! I, too, enjoyed the season in a stress-free way when I was young
Could it be be because my mother and grandmother did all the work? 😉
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you, Laurie. Haha yes I will have to agree with you there.
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Laurie Graves said:
😉
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Liz said:
There is a huge amount of pressure on everyone these days to pull off a spectacular Christmas – the best food, the best presents, the most decorations etc etc. It seems like the ultimate test for us all in keeping our patience, and our focus on the core christmas messages of peace and goodwill. I have 100% confidence that you are up to this challenge, Clare! 🙂
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you so much for your confidence in me, Liz! 🙂
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susanpoozan said:
keep to the faith and give yourself space for reflection.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you, Susan. May your Advent be blessed and peaceful.
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margaret21 said:
I agree with all that you have said, despite no longer having a faith. I used to love the Advent hymns in quiet, sombre churches; the low-key preparation of a few things that had to be done ahead (the Christmas cake first, then, on Stir up Sunday the pudding). The busyness, when it came,was fun, because it was a comparatively short burst of activity. This year, one of the churches in Ripon had erected a brightly lit Christmas tree outside its doors …… in November. May your Advent continue to be peaceful and meaningful.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much, Margaret. I am surprised and disappointed to read what you tell me about the church in Ripon. What ever next!
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bitaboutbritain said:
You paint such a wonderful picture, Clare. I agree that things seemed simpler in the past, that we all get too stressed about trivial things and that it’s all too much too soon. Christmas is something to be anticipated, I think, such a magical time and such a fundamentally Good Thing, still with a message, even (bizarrely) for those of us with no faith.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much, Mike. Yes, the message is strong and relevant to us all.
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Anne Wheaton said:
A beautifully calm piece of writing amongst the usual frenzied December posts I keep reading. Wish you hadn’t mentioned dirty windows though!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you Anne. Just a hint of that low winter sun on my windows makes me frantic!
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Helen said:
My Windows need a good clean too – blocking out winter warmth!!
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Clare Pooley said:
🙂
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derrickjknight said:
A timely reminder of what Christmas means. (I’m pleased we’ve just had our windows cleaned 🙂 )
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you Derrick! 🙂
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Gallivanta said:
My only Advent activity is reading the literary calendar which Liz wrote about in one of her recent posts. https://bookriot.com/2015/12/01/literary-advent-calendar/ It has been so hot (and dry) here recently, that’s about all I can manage to do. It’s lovely to see the Advent Crowns at home and church. I do wish you a peaceful Advent. All will be well, and remember no one washed the windows before Jesus was born…. 😉
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much, Anne. I’m sorry it is so hot – such exhausting weather! I remember seeing Liz’s literary calendar and meant to return. Thanks so much for the reminder!
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Gallivanta said:
I am just going to check today’s reading!
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Jill Weatherholt said:
This is a beautiful post, Clare. It’s a perfect reminder to all of us to slow down and reflect on the real meaning of the season. Thank you!💕
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you so much, Jill ❤
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Jane Sturgeon said:
❤ lovely Clare and may we pause awhile as we read your words. ❤ and more ❤ xXx
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you so much, Jane ❤ ❤ xXx
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quietsolopursuits said:
There’s a great deal to reflect on contained in your post. Sometimes we forget the reason for the season, and let pressures well outside the true reason for Christmas take over. It was simpler back in the “old days” when it was about family and friends joining together to celebrate the birth of Christ, and not very one trying to out do every one else.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much, Jerry. Yes, it was simpler and much cheaper too!
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Lavinia Ross said:
Those are beautiful Advent crowns, Clare! I agree, Christmas was much simpler when I was young. It is so commercial now and devoid of any meaning.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you, Lavinia. Yes, the commercialism is quite over-powering.
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Lavinia Ross said:
I am enjoying the music too!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you!
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Andrea Stephenson said:
I have to confess that I don’t really know much about advent traditions or its meaning Clare – for me it was always an advent calendar. I’m sure for many people now it’s a chocolate every day from a calendar – although I still prefer the ones with pictures, I still remember the excitement of getting to the last, usually larger, window! Your advent tradition sounds peaceful and lovely.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you, Andrea. I still prefer the pictures too. I remember the excitement of that last window too although the picture was always the same! I shared the calendar with my younger brother and sister but I don’t remember arguments (I don’t think we dared in case Father Christmas decided not to visit!)
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New Hampshire Garden Solutions said:
I find that a solitary walk in the woods does me a world of good in many ways. It’s a good way to find that quiet, reflective mood again if you’ve lost it.
I like the crowns!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much, Allen. We have a plan to walk in our local woods on Friday and I’m looking forward to it so much! It is supposed to be very cold but that will be fine!
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tootlepedal said:
Beautiful music.
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Clare Pooley said:
It is! Thank-you, Tom.
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Helen said:
Seeing the Advent Candle reminds me of when I was a little girl – one of our teachers had one, which she lit at story-telling time before we went home. I haven’t seen one for years!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much, Helen. I have been buying Advent Candles for some years – probably from about the time you were listening to your teacher reading stories to you! What a good idea she had! I get them from our local newsagent or the stationers but you can get them on-line too.
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Helen said:
I will look them out 😊.
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Clare Pooley said:
🙂
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Richard Sutton said:
You seem to be very well prepared Clare. I specially liked your opening paragraph and your desire to set aside time for reflection. (No doubt the very best preparation of all). It’s so refreshing to hear of your celebrating Advent with thoughts about the Second Coming of Christ. The First Coming was wonderful, but we look forward even more to the Second Coming. There’s a lot of ‘unfinished business’ in this world waiting for that glorious Day.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you Richard. I agree – there is plenty of unfinished business!
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KerryCan said:
I wonder if the advent crown is a British tradition–I don’t know of any similar tradition in US churches. Other US readers–does your church or family do this? It’s a lovely tradition and I like knowing what it means. And I wonder if the idea of making New Years Resolutions grew, in part, from, that business of looking to the advent of the future. Our resolutions are often focused on being better people . . .
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much for your thoughtful comment, Kerry. I believe the Advent crown originally came from Germany and was a Lutheran idea. My mother always made one for us at home but I don’t think our churches started using them until about 25 years ago or maybe less!
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Ste J said:
The craziness at this time of year needs its balance with quiet reflection on many things. It is a strange that working as I do in a cinema (for the moment), it is actually a quiet and rather boring time until Star Wars rears its overhyped head. I remember an advent calender I had when younger and the first door revealed a fish which was unexpected and if I remember rightly all the other doors had equally random things behind them.
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Karen's Nature Art said:
Thanks for the reminder to slow down and reflect on why we celebrate Christmas to begin with. Blessings and peace to you and your family this Christmas!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you, Karen. May I also wish you and your family a very blessed and peaceful Christmas xx
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Ari said:
How lovely, and what beautiful decorations that celebrate this time
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you, Ari!
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roguemillennials said:
I like the three-fold breakdown – past, present and future!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much!
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Cynthia Reyes said:
Thanks for a lovely post, Clare and for reminding us what Advent stands for. I always like your Advent posts.
We light a candle at church during every Sunday of Advent and it’s a special season for us. In recent years, I’ve been endeavouring to honour Advent more deliberately at home, but I still have a way to go. We lit the first candle but forgot to light the second at dinner last Sunday!
I seem to give thanks to God more often, and I try to honour each activity by doing each one more deliberately. Even my weird creche took a lot of thought, because one of my Advent principles is to ‘work with what I have’ — so I have to find something here at home or in the garden. But I’m also like you – I do get into the worry about cards and gifts and don’t always slow down and reflect as much as I’d like. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s the effort that counts, and every Advent gives me a new opportunity to try!
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much for your kind and thoughtful comment, Cynthia. So far, I haven’t had as much time to honour Advent as I would have liked mainly because my mother hasn’t been able to use her land-line phone for over a week because of a fault. She can’t/won’t use the mobile phone I gave her so I have been very worried and have had to visit her rather a lot. We have had ice and snow too and she has to go outside to fetch in her coal and logs each day and feed the birds. She is a very independant lady but is also partially sighted and quite frail now! Fortunately, the phone-line was mended this afternoon so I can relax a little.
I like your principle of ‘work with what you have’. I was always taught to do this by my mother; she was a great example to me in the way she adapted recipes around what she had in the store-cupboard and she would adapt and use household equipment instead of buying a specific tool. I did like your creche very much – I too, wish to be able to find a Middle-Eastern Holy Family for my crib/creche.
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Cynthia Reyes said:
Your mother and mine sound alike in making do with what they had. But how tough to not have her phone. As we get older, that connection is very important. I’m glad the phone is working again. Thanks for liking my creche too, Clare!
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Charlotte Hoather said:
Great festive post Clare, you sound very organised to me. I love the whole Christmas season, I’ve been so busy this past term, it’s my audition tomorrow for opera school so I’m trying to relax tonight and just catch up with my blog friends. I hope you have a stress free run up to Christmas.
All my best wishes, Charlotte 🙋🏼💕
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much, Charlotte. Best of luck for your audition! I am sure you will do very well. I hope your Christmas is a relaxed and happy one. With love, Clare xx
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Weekend Swell said:
Quite enjoying your recommended advent music! J S Bach’s Cantata. thanks
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much for taking the time to comment.
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Ari said:
Wow those photos are stunning. I really love the holly one. The bright colours really popped against the more wintery background and I’m pleased to see I’m not the only one who likes finding fungi. 😀
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much, Ari. I love fungi and get quite excited when I find something which is a different colour to the usual brown! I like being able to identify things but there are so many brown toadstools! 🙂
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quercuscommunity said:
Is it really Christmas on Monday? Once again, after moaning about the length of the run-up, I find myself short of time. 🙂
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Clare Pooley said:
I never give myself enough time to get ready! 🙂
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quercuscommunity said:
Yes – my problem too. 🙂
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Clare Pooley said:
🙂
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Vivien Ayinotu said:
Nice post about advent. I admire the fact that you have advent crown, advent candle and calendar st home. I’m going to emulate that. Your observations are simply truth, no old lady talking.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you very much, Vivien! I hope you have a very Happy and Blessed Christmas!
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Vivien Ayinotu said:
Merry Christmas 🎄 to you and your family.
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Clare Pooley said:
Thank-you!
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