Since becoming Presbyterian, I’ve learned to celebrate aspects of my faith that I was unfamiliar with growing up. Advent, in particular, has become a very special time for me and for our family.
Meaning of Advent: (from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming”) a season observed in many Christian churches, a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
Throughout the Advent season, we read scriptures each night at the dinner table. And, we used an Advent Calendar for children. It’s made out of felt and has little characters that are pulled out of the pockets each night and placed on the felt calendar (shaped like a tree.) The children took turns pulling the characters out of the pockets and had no trouble remembering each night whose turn it was.
We also put out a nativity scene at the beginning of Advent. It was empty and as Christmas approached, we added the pieces of the nativity scene. On Christmas morning, Baby Jesus arrived. The children were estatic. It was more exciting for them than the fact that the cookies and milk we’d left out for Santa on Christmas Eve were eaten.
Here are a few photos from Advent at home and a few from some of the celebrations we had at church.
