As the air turns colder and the days grow shorter, a rush seems to overtake everything around us. The "Christmas season" barrels in right after Halloween, all bows and bustle, sweeping us into a whirlwind of to-do lists, shopping carts, and holiday obligations. Before we know it, we’re hurtling full speed toward December 25th, exhausted, frantically trying to wrap up the holiday season before it’s really even begun.
But, deep down, many of us feel it, that nagging sense that something is missing from the way we approach this time of year. The pressure to go, do, and buy creates a season that’s often a blur of stress and noise, leaving us feeling worn out and disconnected from the quiet beauty that this time of year could hold. What if there was a different way to enter these upcoming weeks? What if we reclaimed the seasons of Advent and Christmas as two distinct but deeply connected times of preparation and celebration?
Advent: A Season of Quiet Preparation
The season of Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and is the time set aside to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. We prepare for the birth of Christ on Christmas Day but also Christ’s second coming when he will set the world to rights.
Advent is all about slowing down, waiting, and longing for the fulfillment of God’s purposes. The season of Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year. It is a season that invites us to pause, to quiet our hearts, and to enter a time of preparation for the coming of Christ. Advent doesn’t demand that we start celebrating right away. Instead, it calls us to prepare, to wait with intention, and to experience the quiet anticipation of a promise not yet fulfilled.
Rather than diving into decorations and festivities, Advent gives us space to reflect on why we celebrate. It’s a gentle shift from the hurried rush we often associate with “the holidays.” We prepare, yes, but we prepare inwardly. We reflect on the hope of Christ’s coming, allowing our hearts to enter a space of longing and waiting.
Imagine, instead of racing toward December 25th, easing into the season, lighting a candle for each week of Advent, saying a prayer of anticipation, and letting the meaning of Christmas gradually settle into your spirit. It’s a time to slow down, focus on what’s to come, and make room in our hearts for the joy that awaits. Advent shows us that there is holiness in waiting and that preparation can be peaceful, reflective, and filled with the quiet hope of promises yet to be fulfilled.
Christmas: A Season of Joyful Celebration
Then, when the preparatory season of Advent is fulfilled, we enter Christmas with a heart made ready to celebrate, full of expectation and longing finally fulfilled on Christmas Day. Christmas, as it was traditionally celebrated, doesn’t end on December 25th—it begins there. The Christmas season, lasting 12 days until Epiphany, is a time of true celebration. All the preparation of Advent finds its fulfillment in these days, which are meant to be a joyful, extended feast.
When we let Christmas begin on December 25th, it becomes more than a single day of celebration—it unfolds as a season of wonder, joy, and thanksgiving. It’s an invitation to fully enjoy the gifts of friends, family, food, and fellowship without the underlying rush to wrap it all up in a single day. Christmas becomes a time to embrace the light that has come into the world, to truly enter into the “good news of great joy” that Advent has prepared us for.
The Beauty of a Double Season
When we see Advent and Christmas as two distinct but beautifully connected seasons, it opens the door to a different experience—one that is more restful, more meaningful, and ultimately more fulfilling. Embracing this rhythm allows us to savor each season for what it truly is: Advent as a time of preparation, expectation, and hope, and Christmas as a time of great joy and celebration.
Imagine the difference this could make: Instead of starting Christmas Day exhausted and burnt out, we could begin it having truly prepared our hearts, feeling renewed, having let our hearts fully experience both the waiting and the wonder.
This is why I created the companion guides The Liturgical Home: Advent and the newly released The Liturgical Home: Christmas—resources that walk through each of these seasons in a way that feels intentional and life-giving. My hope is that they guide you and your family into a slower, more sacred experience of both Advent and Christmas, embracing each season in its fullness and finding rest in the quiet spaces we often miss.
The Liturgical Home: Advent and The Liturgical Home: Christmas, you’ll find everything you need to celebrate these beautiful seasons. Designed for individuals and families alike, these guides weave together history, daily devotions, and beloved traditions and recipes from around the world, making it easy to honor Advent and Christmas in meaningful ways at home.
Inside, you’ll discover:
Daily devotions and prayers to guide you through each day of Advent or Christmas
The stories behind cherished Advent and Christmas traditions, like the Advent wreath, St. Nicholas Day, and more
Traditional recipes and activities from different around the world, perfect for bringing family and friends together
A deeper look into the significance of Advent and Christmas, helping you connect with its purpose and beauty
So this year, what if we did things a little differently? Let’s step off the fast track to December 25th and allow ourselves to journey through Advent with intention so that when Christmas finally arrives, we can enter it with open hearts and unhurried joy. Let’s reclaim the beauty of these special seasons and find, in its rhythm, a deeper and more meaningful way to celebrate.
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