1. Mark Mary and Joseph’s Journey
Set up your Nativity scene by gathering the animals around the manger. Then place Mary and Joseph in the farthest spot possible from “Bethlehem,” such as your bedroom closet or a shelf in the garage. Daily move Mary and Joseph closer to the Nativity scene throughout Advent until they arrive at “Bethlehem” Christmas Eve. If you have children, they’ll love inching Mary and Joseph closer each day via the toy box, the piano, and the kitchen cabinets! Remember to keep baby Jesus stowed away until Christmas morning.
2. Hum a New Tune
This may be a tough one for those of you have “Away in a Manger” as the constant soundtrack through the entire month of December, but it’s worth trying! Choose to wait until Christmas to listen to Christmas music (and when the 25th comes, belt out your favorite carols with all your heart!). Instead, make a CD or playlist with songs appropriate for Advent. Don’t know any Advent songs? Check out www.cyberhymnal.org and click on “Advent” under the topics search option.
3. Darken Your Dinners
Transform your family meals by turning off all electric lights during dinner. Begin each meal with John 1:9, then eat by candlelight and use the experience to think about the darkness of life without Christ. Discuss what it means to wait for Jesus, the light of the world. To observe the Advent fast, you may also choose to eat simple meals during Advent meals as a way to focus on waiting for the Christmas feast.
4. Replace Cookies with Candles
In lieu of baking and delivering Christmas cookies to neighbors, friends, and co-workers during early December, give candles as small gifts instead. Wrap votive candles in small squares of taffeta, tie with a ribbon, then affix notes with the text of Isaiah 9:2 and John 1:9 printed on them. If friends are curious about your unique gift, talk honestly about the light Jesus has brought into your life.
5. Try a New Type of Tree
Instead of putting up your Christmas tree the Friday after Thanksgiving, consider having a Jesse tree instead. The idea of a Jesse tree is derived from Isaiah 11:1-a prophecy about Jesus that says “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” A Jesse tree is traditionally a bare branch or houseplant decorated with ornaments that remind us of stories from the Old Testament and people who went before Jesus.
Don’t think you have to go out and buy new ornaments! I made a Jesse tree with some of the ornaments I already had in my collection: apples to represent Adam and original sin; animals and plants to remember God’s creation; a harp to represent David; even a lobster to represent Old Testament dietary laws (you can get really creative here)! You can also make your own ornaments to represent Old Testament stories, such as a rainbow, big fish, altars, and a coat of many colors. And as you wait a bit to put up your traditional tree, you can also intentionally put up your other Christmas decorations a little at a time, while you wait for Christmas morning.
6. Shhhhhh!
Creatively reflect on the story of Zechariah (found in Luke 1:5-79). What was it like for him to wait in silence as he pondered the amazing news that the Messiah was coming? Set aside one morning in which you can take a vow of silence; for a few hours commit to keep your mouth shut and communicate only with God through quiet prayers and a listening heart. Focus on and enjoy God’s presence.
7. Wait to Open Presents
This is difficult, especially if your family has regularly exchanged gifts before Christmas, but by waiting for Christmas (or even the 11 days afterwards) you can truly experience what it means to wait. If you receive a gift from someone, politely say, “Thank you! I will wait until Christmas to open this, if that’s OK.” By waiting to open gifts, you can focus on the meaning of Advent and wait for Christmas to enjoy the symbolic meaning of gift-giving and receiving.
8. Knead, Shape, and Wait
Get up early one morning to make homemade yeast bread. As you wait for the dough to rise, quietly contemplate what it might have been like for those who were waiting for the Messiah to be born. Consider what it means for you to wait and watch for Christ’s Second Coming. (If you have kids, invite them to help you make cinnamon rolls with the yeast dough.)
9. Make the Common Uncommon
Transform plain, old tin cans into beautiful outdoor luminaries with your spouse or older children. First remove the label and wash any size tin can. Fill the can with water, leaving about ½ an inch at the top, then put the can in the freezer overnight. The next day, draw an Advent-themed design on a piece of paper, such as a star or an angel. Tape the paper to the can of frozen water, then use a hammer and nail to transfer the design to the can by pounding small holes into the tin. When the ice melts, you will have a lovely recycled can luminary! Place a lit candle inside each one and set them on your front door step at night. Use this project to think about the redemptive wonder of the incarnation-the Light of the universe, carried as a babe in the womb of a common girl.
10. Pray, Ponder, and be Poetic
Purchase a blank journal that you can use every Advent. Each day, write a prayer or poem that explores important Advent themes like darkness, waiting, hope, and light. Bring your journal out each Advent season; spend time each year reading the reflections already recorded there.
The point here isn’t to replace pre-Christmas chaos with the stress and frenzy of 10 elaborate Advent observances. Instead, you can choose your own Advent adventure by picking one or two things you’ll do to infuse the four weeks before Christmas with meaningful observances, lasting family traditions, and most importantly, growing intimacy with God.
Try a new to-do list this November. How about…
1. Slow down and breathe
2. Wait for Jesus with eager anticipation
3. Truly celebrate Christmas and what it means…when it comes!
No comments:
Post a Comment