Advent

An Advent calendar is a special calendar that counts and celebrates the days of Advent in anticipation ofChristmas. Some calendars are strictly religious, while others contain more secular content. The tradition of the Advent calendar has existed in some form since the middle of the 19th century. For Christians all over the world, the Advent calendar has been used as a devotional tool to countdown the days of the Advent season that culminates with the celebration of the birth of Christ. Advent calendars have commonly been used for the education and entertainment of children, with daily scriptural readings that sometimes come with a chocolate treat.

I was raised Catholic and although I am not as avidly religious as I was as a child, there are a few things about the Church I still like...one of the celebrations I like is the Season of Advent....Christmas should mean so much more than just shopping!!  So my next few blogs are going to be associated with Advent...history of, symbols of, etc...maybe even a Zentangle or two thrown in!!

ADVENT

The word Advent is from the Latin adventus for "coming" and is associated with the four weeks of preparation for Christmas. Advent always contains four Sundays, beginning on the Sunday nearest the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, (November 30) and continuing until December 24. It blends together a penitential spirit, very similar to Lent, a liturgical theme of preparation for the Second and Final Coming of the Lord, called the Parousia, and a joyful theme of getting ready for the Bethlehem event.

Since the 900s Advent has been considered the beginning of the Church year. This does not mean that Advent is the most important time of the year. Easter has always had this honor.

The traditional color of Advent is purple or violet which symbolizes the penitential spirit. Religious traditions associated with Advent express all these themes.