why advent?

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.