First Week of Advent: Eight Ideas for the Slow Down Year.

22 Days until Christmas. For the first time in decades of Christmas planning and celebration, this year seems full of time. My December calendar is completely blank for non-work appointments since I cancelled my one dental appointment next week.

For all the reasons we are way too familiar with, we aren’t visiting friends or going to parties or concerts or plays or stores like all the other years. No one is stopping by. When we put up our smallish tree this year, (not by design, that’s how it came from the order: short) I consoled myself that no one would see it anyway.

Since all the things we can’t do this year are too often front and center, I’m turning toward embracing what is now possible since there is all this extra time. Here are a few…

1. Enter into Advent all day long instead of 10 minutes after dinner. I have a pile of Advent & inspirational books for the season and reach for them throughout the day when I might have been running another errand in previous years.
2. Plan something enjoyable each day to feed your Christmas spirit.  One of my favorite Christmas books is Madeleine L’Engle’s,  “The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas” http://amzn.to/18hq9wd where she introduces this fun idea to celebrate the season each day. I bought myself a paper calendar with little doors to open every day and look forward to that simple task.
3. Savor your favorite parts of the holiday that you can still do during Covid. No need to rush.  I love writing Christmas cards over the course of a week in the early morning with quiet carols in the background.
4. Trade in your usual bedtime reading material for seasonal fun and inspirational stories and books.  My Christmas book collection is large but the on-line library works fine too.
5. Curate your music. I don’t want mindless carols this month but holiday sounds that will bring me into worship. I’m trying out new-to-me artist and tunes. So far, so good.
6. Decorate intentionally. Less can be more this year if everything you put up is meaningful not just rote. In contrast, you might go all out and show off your fun stuff to an audience of one or two. I’ve put off buying a wreath for years and I’m picking one up Saturday!
7. Skip the movies that might trigger sadness or loneliness and go for ones that make you laugh or take you deeper into the story.
8. Move often, eat well. The “openness” of the schedule allows more time for taking walks and making slow food.

I jotted some notes this morning about some things I want to do next year and it sounds like fun already. But this one is here now with the possibility of additional hours to savor, a daily date with the star of the show, and new memories never before made. True gifts.

I’m all in to see how it will unfold. You?

Hope for the best,

Tish

The Advent Props

As usual, Thanksgiving seemed to slide right into Advent and I was packing up the turkey platter while trying to remember where I stuck the Advent Wreath at the end of last year’s season.

Found it! Stuck inside were two little songbooks and an ornate candle snuffer.

The Advent season is usually full of holy moments as the veil between this reality and the eternal one seems to lift a bit during these four weeks. I wonder what glimpses of the holy I will see this year, can’t wait! But yet I must as Advent is all about waiting….

So I’ve gathered my small collection of Advent props to set the stage, props are a big deal for me (more on Props).

For the morning, just for me.

Readings: I change-up my morning readings for Advent and add a devotional. I often use Preparing for Jesus  but there are many to choose from. This year I’m enjoying Finding Messiah

Music: A few years ago someone sent me this Advent CD Music in Solitude which fills my living room each morning but only during Advent.

Calendars: My dear friend and neighbor slipped this little calendar in my mailbox and I open it in the morning. When our kids were small we used a larger version every night during our Advent time.

For the Evening, for whoever joins.

The Wreath: Can be an “official” Advent wreath available on-line or religious bookstores or a circle of candles. It all works.

Songbooks: We have little paper ones that date back to when our kids were little and still wear the marks and scribbles. We sing a carol to start the Advent time.

The Bible: For the daily Advent readings scroll down

The Advent Book The large full-color book with beautiful illustrations features 25 unique doors, each opening to reveal a picture and a segment of the Christmas story. The Advent Book

Christmas cards: We love to open them at this time and reminisce about the senders and pray a blessing for them. Send us one!

The Red Snuffer: Especially a craved item for the younger set as it is so fun to snuff the candles out!

Wondering how this all fits together? Celebrate Advent

Hope for the Best,

Tish

First Week of Advent: Seven Ways to Slow Down the Season

23 Days until Christmas. Your to-do list for the next few weeks is probably longer and pricier than any other three weeks of the year, right? In spite of it seeming counter-productive, your Christmas experience this year will be so much more enjoyable if you slow down and stop to smell the holiday incense.

Here are seven ways to simmer the season:

1. Take 10 minutes a day to sit by the glow of an Advent Wreath and slowly unfold the story of the season.  Many Advent resources abound but for a quick refresher, here is the post I wrote about it last year. http://wp.me/pPRDV-vV
2. Plan something enjoyable each day to feed your Christmas spirit.  One of my favorite Christmas books is Madeleine L’Engle’s,  “The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas” http://amzn.to/18hq9wd where she introduces this fun idea to celebrate the season each day.
3. Schedule plenty of time for your favorite parts of the holiday so you don’t miss the pleasure of what you most enjoy. I love writing a Christmas letter over the course of a week in the early morning with quiet carols in the background.
4. Trade in your usual bedtime reading material for fun and inspirational stories and books.  I have a whole box of Christmas books to choose from each year plus Kindle Christmas e-books. Finally read “A Christmas Carol one year.
5. Decide now what to let go of.  Everything can’t fit in every year and when you say NO to something you are always saying YES to something else.  I gladly exchange cookie baking for a Christmas concert.
6. Choose ONE event to fully participate in instead of three or more to barely be present at. I think you know that feeling 😦
7. If you must multi-task, watch your favorite Christmas movie while you wrap gifts. Home Alone does not require full attention!

Stop back Thursday for more Christmas helps!

Hope for the best,

Tish