Advent preparations

Advent preparations

Pull Christmas out of the crawl space
blow dust off pine cones
fluff up ruffles
arrange wired ribbon
hang Christmas plate
and Mom’s embroidery
test music box
find Christmas candles
and chip last year’s wax off the holders
unpack green and red mugs
untangle lights and find the empty socket
for the candle-carrying angel
twist a starry night
around the creche where baby Jesus
is now taking visitors
relax the two-hundred pre-lit tips
trim with coordinated balls
and reflect, as I vacuum needle, cone and glitter bits
If only preparing my heart for Advent
was so simple and straightforward a process

– Violet Nesdoly – December 2, 2012

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The world of Christendom is now commemorating Advent: “a season observed in many Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. The term is an anglicized version of the Latin word adventus, meaning ‘coming.’ It is the beginning of the Western liturgical year and commences on Advent Sunday ” – from Advent (on Wikipedia).

The commencement of Advent—Advent Sunday—was yesterday.

I put up my Christmas decorations during the weekend just past, and realized how much the decorated house shifted my mood from apprehensive (so much to do…) to joy, excitement, and expectation.

But there are other shifts to be made… shifting attention from the commercial and cultural aspects of the celebration to the spiritual is one I am working on. The newsletter I got from fellow Canadian poet D. S. Martin a few days ago helps in that department. In it he quotes the poem “That Holy Thing” by George MacDonald, and then links the index of Christmas poems that he has featured on his excellent blog Kingdom Poets. I’m going to be checking these out in the days ahead as I focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Why don’t you join me?