Advent

I love creating, developing, and practicing holiday traditions.  I find these traditions help build a sense of expectation and excitement.  They can help you focus on why you do what you do, reminding you that the day or the season is special and set apart for one reason or another.  

Christmas means so many things to so many people.  It is a time to spend with family; to think of and support the less fortunate; to reconnect with those you care about (or feel you should care about); and it is also a time where we remember Christ's birth and mission (but mostly his birth).   

Unfortunately, along side with those things I love about Christmas are things I do not love.  Of Gary Chapman's 5 love languages my predominant love language is quality time.  This means I love spending time with those I care about and almost resent it when the amount of time I have to do so is limited by other obligations.  Also, my least predominant love language is gifts.  They just aren't important to me to make me feel loved.  I like them - but they rarely carry significance.  This also mean gift giving is difficult for me.  If I know what you want, and can get it for you I will.  But if I don't know what you want (as in you haven't told me bluntly several times) I won't know what to get and it is sooooo incredibly stressful for me to try and figure out what you'd really like.  This poses a problem at Christmas time where there is such a focus on gift giving. (Incidentally, if anyone is wondering what to give me for Christmas, I'd absolutely love a letter :) - really really).

Another thing I don't like about Christmas is how the different purposes are prioritized. I know everyone's priorities differ, however, the last few years Christmas has seemed a little fragmented.   

Because of this I have been trying to adopt, create traditions so the pieces of what makes Christmas for me, become more unified - like so :

Note: family includs those I was blessed to be born to and those I have adopted

Last year I adopted the tradition of Advent. Here is a description of some  Advent symbolisim and tradition from the Eric and Elaine Huntsman Family :

The term “advent” comes from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming” or “appearance.” Advent is the season marking the four Sundays before Christmas and developed as a way of helping Christians prepare not only to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in his First Coming but also to help them look forward to his glorious Second Coming. Although Advent customs may be foreign to many Latter-day Saints, we have found that, like so many seasonal traditions, they are a wonderful way to turn our attention more fully to the true meaning of Christmas Elements of Advent liturgy existed by the time of Gregory the Great (Roman pope, A.D. 590-604), and much of the celebration was formalized during his papal reign. Many familiar Advent traditions, however, originated in Germany, where Martin Luther encouraged its continued observance as a way
of teaching children and families more about the significance of the coming of Jesus Christ. It is still widely celebrated by Roman Catholics, Anglicans,
and Lutherans and has become a common celebration in many Christian faith communities throughout the world.

One of the best known Advent customs is the lighting of the candles in an Advent wreath, a simple or decorated evergreen wreath with four candles placed in the circle and a single white candle in the center. The wreath itself represents the never-ending circle of God’s love, that he is the same and forever in his love towards his people. The green of the wreath, as in the Christmas tree, represents the hope of eternal life that comes through Christ and serves a reminder of the freshness of God’s love and promises. The light of the candles reminds us that Jesus is the Light of the World, that his birth represented the coming of the light into darkness, and that we are called to reflect that light in our lives. The outer candles are purple, the color of royalty, although customarily the third one is rose or pink. Traditions differ regarding the symbolism of the candles. One is that they represent the hope, love, joy, and peace that come through Jesus Christ. Each Sunday before Christmas an
additional candle is lit, creating a beautiful stepped-effect as the previous weeks’ candles burn down further. Scriptures can be read and carols sung as part of the lighting, which we do before family prayer. The four candles can also represent the different Old Testament covenants that God made with his servants, beginning with Noah and continuing through Abraham, Moses, and David. The central white candle is known as the Christ candle. It is lit on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and represents the new covenant made possible through Christ.

For Advent this year I have daily scriptures, songs, stories, activities, and snacks.  I will try and keep you posted about how it goes.

I still don't have Christmas where I want it, but I like to think I am getting closer.

Note: Check out the on-line quizes to see which are you and your friends primary love languages are and how knowing this can help you care for each other better: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/assessments/love/