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| screenshot from search for 'advent calendar' |
When I went looking, I noticed that there were several options. *several* options! I could purchase a calendar where each day offered chocolates – or cheese – or gin (!!) – or brick toys, or action figures, or tea, or jewelry, or… you get the idea. There are a LOT of options for Advent calendars!
(I joked with another friend, after having treated myself to a new novel, that what seemed to be missing from the market was a book-a-day Advent calendar. Hmmm - maybe not everyone reads as voraciously as I do?)
I also noted that some options existed for fill-your-own calendars; with spaces for candies or prayers, for candles or biblical verses. A conversation with friends and colleagues suggested a lot of love and planning goes into those calendars, trying to combine the secular seasonal enthusiasm with the liturgical anticipation. As their children aged, so did the contents, catering to the spiritual needs and development of the individuals.
Basically, these home-filled Advent calendars allowed the filling elves (parents!) to make each Advent not just an adventure, but an experience. The spiritual journey is emphasised alongside the sweetness of candies; the richness of our preparatory season infused with the excitement of opening each daily door.
It reminded me of the opportunity we all have, as we journey through Advent: to choose how we will spend this time. We can be intentional about including prayers and scriptures into our days, guiding our hearts through each today. It can help us to not rush through Advent only focused on the 25th, but to choose – carefully – the adventure that is Advent.
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