All the neighbors spent the past weekend stringing lights and garland, hanging bows on the doors and putting candles in every window. I counted 8 Christmas trees already decorated on our block. Though the traditional Catholic practice was to put up the tree on Christmas Eve, there is debate over this in many households (we usually put it up on Gaudete Sunday).
According to the talking heads on the radio the "Christmas wars" have already begun in ernest with some retailers refusing to acknowledge the Christian Holy Day, instead making it out to be a pagan feast with presents. I am already starting to feel a little like Scrooge-it's not even Advent yet, for crying out loud! But most people it seems have no clue that Advent even exists, that we are supposed to be waiting for Christ's birth patiently.
God planned his Son's birth perfectly, there was certainly no need for Mary to rush about like most women in their 9th month, "oh, is this it? Let's go back to BabiesRUs for more crib sheets!" We need to imitate Mary's calm attitude in our preparation for Jesus' birth as well.
I like to spend my days in Advent getting ready with one task per day or two. Since my Christmas cards are here, and my list of gifts is complete (I made the list, not that anything is checked off yet), I already have a head start. I have even printed out the directions for our first ever Jesse Tree. My friend Barbara suggested copying the images onto Shrinky Dink sheets for pretty permanent ornaments. I bought the Advent candles, but who knows where they are now.
Christmas will come in the same amount of time whether we act like crazy women, trying to get it all done now, or behave in a calm and soothing manner.
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