Many of us may look with disdain at the over commercialization of Christmas, at the way in which the true meaning of the season has been pushed aside or almost forgotten. As I drive to and from work each day I have noticed more and more Christmas decorations and it isn’t even Thanksgiving.
I celebrate Advent: four weeks that remind us to pause and think, to ponder God made Man and anticipate the Incarnation with awe and reverence. In my neighborhood, decorating is taken to an extreme level. We have lighted arches going from one side of the road to the other, Santa on a hydraulic lift landing on the roof, and blow ups of everything from SpongeBob to snowglobes. It is hard to find a manger or baby Jesus in the mix.
On my door, however, you will find a simple evergreen wreath (fake, the real ones don’t last in the heat) that I add a purple or pink flower each week to mark the Sundays of Advent. In the house you’ll find a purple cloth and advent wreath on the dining room table. As the weeks pass I add decorations around the house. When our children were children, our tree went up no more than a week before Christmas day. Now it gets done when our schedule allows.
It is so important not to get sucked into the world’s Christmas. Allow Christmas to happen slowly, to unfold, to reveal itself to you instead of rushing. It is okay to be counter-cultural.
In fact, by celebrating Advent we can evangelize. Think about it, who does not long for some calm during the “holiday season”? Advent provides that calm. Evangelize by embracing Advent and sharing it with others.
Copyright © 2013, Deanna Bartalini
Deanna Bartalini
Deanna G. Bartalini, is a Catholic writer, speaker, and educator. She serves on the retreat team at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center. Deanna loves teaching about Catholicism and how it fits into our daily lives. She writes at DeannaBartalini.com, serves as the editor of the NewEvangelizers.com blog, and is a contributor there as well as at AmazingCatechists.com. Deanna contributed to A Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion published by Ave Maris Press. She is the author of “Invite the Holy Spirit into Your Life: Growing in Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control” published by Our Sunday Visitor. Deanna is available to lead retreats and speak at catechist and ministry events.
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