How to Celebrate the First Sunday of Advent in Your Home
By Cupertino REALTOR® Michelle Carr-Crowe
Advent, (based on the Latin word for “coming”) is the season of preparing our hearts for the birth of Christ on December 25.
The Advent season begins the Sunday closest to Nov. 30. For 2013, Advent starts on December 1, and is celebrated the next three Sundays, and lastly on December 24, Christmas Eve.
Celebrating Advent is a matter of the heart, and does not require extensive cost or preparation.
The key elements are an Advent “wreath”, five candles, a Bible and possibly a Christmas storybook.
The Advent wreath can be any “circle” (even a paper one) and a total of five candles. Each week, a new candle is lit. So on the last night, all five candles are lit. While tapers are traditionally used for Advent wreaths, five votive candles are just as acceptable (and can often be purchased inexpensively). Even used candles can be okay. It’s about what’s in your heart and home, not what’s in your wallet.
The traditional colors for Advent candles are three of purple, one of pink, and the center one of either red or white. However, many Christians have used a variety of colors as symbolic of each week’s Advent theme.
For example,
Green for the God’s evergreen and eternal love for us
White for Jesus’ pure and innocent nature
Yellow for God’s promises and hope
Purple for Jesus’ royal nature as King and Lord of all
Red for Jesus’ blood sacrificed for us that we may enjoy eternal life with us.
Traditional Bible readings for each week can include (one per week)
Prophecies about Jesus
The Prodigal Son
Daniel in the Lions’ Den
The Shepherd Searching for the 100th Lamb
The story of Elizabeth and her son John
The story of Christ’s birth on Christmas Eve
Christmas stories we like to read with each lesson include (one per week)
The Story of the Christmas Cane
The Gift of the Magi
The Little Drummer Boy
The Meaning Behind the 12 Days of Christmas Song
The True Story of Silent Night
Songs for Advent (one per week)
12 Days of Christmas
Joy to the World
The First Noel
Away in a Manger
Silent Night
By including young children in participating, whether by leading the song, reading the story or Bible verses, we encourage them in their own spiritual walks with Jesus. Each week, we include a plan for applying the lesson (hope, sacrifice, etc.) in the world.
Even a fifteen-minute Advent time can warm the heart all week, and prepare one for Christ’s birth.
Image courtesy of stock images at www.freedigitalphotos.net.
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