A couple of years ago I hated Christmas. I hated black
Friday. I hated the advertisements, the excess. Even poor Santa and the
Christmas tree received the wrath of my anger against the holiday. Sure, we
threw Jesus in there with children’s plays and nativity scenes but it still
seemed like busy work and somehow still so…commercial. I had succumbed to the
idea that the commercialization of Christmas is what Christmas is all about-and
it depressed me.
Then almost heroically, Advent walked into my life. The Holiday
became a Holy Day. A time of intense anticipation of the coming King who will
set all things right. A revelation that the one we call Lord, our Redeemer
and Provider came almost completely unannounced, humbly and as a tiny, crying,
wiggling baby surrounded by stinky animals in a candlelit barn.
There's not a whole lot commercial or flashy about that.
Shopping and gifts and nice things are not inherently evil
but when Thanksgiving Day is spent buying things we don't need with money we
don't have, when keeping up with the Jones' means putting ourselves and our
families in financial strife and when loving things is easier than loving our
neighbors, we have lost our way.
I believe as Christians, we
are called to live out a different reality. We are to stop believing the lie
that we are more when we have more and that materialism and our identity as
consumers is what Christmas, and life, is all about.
When we began to participate in Advent, I had to examine my
heart and become more intentional with what Christmas truly is and how it
should look. I literally wrote out a list of what I wanted to happen during
Advent and the changes I wanted to make in the actions of my family. My prayer
is that during this season, our hearts and lives would reflect a state of
gratitude and generosity. That we would see a need and give, joyously and
without judgment and our time would be spent with family and friends, not
chasing "the deal of a lifetime."
So how did we make this change tangible?
We have an Advent calendar and a special Advent devotional
we do each day. We fill a shoebox for Samaritans Purse and donate toys to Angel Trees in department stores through the Salvation Army. As far as gifts are
concerned, I always thought it strange I was buying things for people they
could just buy for themselves any day of the year. So I began to donate to
organizations like World Vision in their names. Buying local and supporting
small business owners. Hand-making presents or giving gifts that required
families and friends to be together like Zoo Passes or date night gift
certificates.
Lola receives 3 gifts at Christmas-a want, a need and a
surprise. For example, she picks out one present she wants, another gift is
something she needs (like a pair of shoes, new jeans, etc.) and then a
surprise, something she may or may not have asked for. (Unfortunately, I cannot
take credit for this idea-I copied Emily Anderson, a mother of 6 who knows a
thing or two.) This is not always easy. The temptation of excess and superfluous is in every store, but I want Lola to understand that her value is found in being a
child of God, not in a collection of things. I want her to learn that comparison and
relentless discontentment will void her life of joy. I want her to understand
the needs of others are real and the biblical principle of being a good steward
of the monetary resources we have been given. I want to raise a child who is a
joyous giver with a thankful heart. I believe generosity and thankfulness are
learned behaviors and must be practiced. And through my teaching, I am
learning. I am seeing where my heart is unthankful, where I give out of
necessity or obligation and not with a joyous spirit. By making these
deliberate changes during the holiday season, God is doing a lasting work on my
heart.
So what is the difference between Advent and Christmas?
Maybe it's simply a different state of mind. Or more accurately, a different
condition of our hearts. You don’t have to be Scrooge during the holidays or
insist that others in your life celebrate the same way. Enjoy Santa, see
Christmas lights and drink hot chocolate! But instead of a holiday season
filled with busyness and the pressure to but the latest gadget, experience a
Christmas filled with anticipation, thankfulness and generosity. The shift from
Christmas to Advent is a process. Each year, we are growing. Learning.
Imitating others in community who seek Advent for their families. No act is too
small and it's never too late to make the change.
