We have our reasons, but we are going to go another year without a Christmas tree and without taking down all our breakable ornaments from the attic. I have simplified, with only some paper chains, a few lights, some paper ornaments and--what I simply can not do without--my nativity display. (One of them is suddenly missing Baby Jesus. That can't be right.) And then I added two things, which I have taken advantage of the spareness to incorporate into the holiday, long wanting: an advent wreath and a Jesse branch. Really, they are both part of adding (or perhaps reintroducing) advent into our holiday celebration. According to the Celtic prayer book that I always keep handy, we are starting advent today, and celebrating with a prayer and lighting of the candle(s) each week. Then from December 1st-25th, we will (make and) add a nativity-themed ornament to our Jesse branch (a branch from the yard mounted to the wall above our hearth) each day, ending with Jesus on Christmas. We can add the shepherds and magi as we continue the last thing; a special prayer and verse of a song each day to mark the 12 days of Christmas, which officially end the 6th of January.
When I was thinking advent wreaths--several months ago, in fact, I came across this one: Homemade Advent Wreath. If you know me much at all, you will understand how the idea of using old bottles would appeal, but it was a little too cutesy-country for me. So I just tackled it my own way, with no solid plans but some ideas and some supplies. What happened is what you see in the photo. Once we reach the fourth week, we will celebrate the lighting of the Christ candle with the turning on the bottle from "hope" to "joy." Get it? Yay! I am happy to be lighting the first advent candle tonight, and I look forward to years of celebrating not just Christmas, but advent, the nativity, the creche, the King in the manger.
Meanwhile, I am doing a lot of thinking about bad expectations and broken expectations. Boy, do I live in the middle of a muddle of poor expectations. Perhaps I won't enumerate them here... or now. But suffice it to say that I hope to go into the holidays--chock-a-block with family, stress, activity, the world, meaning--with a renewed sense of what my expectations are or should be, how I can introduce change to them, and even see them change, as I am honest with myself about why I have all these strange expectations in the first place. Could it be I am generally selfish and self-serving? It could be. Oh yes, it could be.
By the way, had you any inkling that the metal, plastic, paper, or glass ring around the bottom of the candle used to catch wax drippings is in fact called a bobeche? It is a French word, and clearly I need some bobeches before I fire up my advent wreath.
When I was thinking advent wreaths--several months ago, in fact, I came across this one: Homemade Advent Wreath. If you know me much at all, you will understand how the idea of using old bottles would appeal, but it was a little too cutesy-country for me. So I just tackled it my own way, with no solid plans but some ideas and some supplies. What happened is what you see in the photo. Once we reach the fourth week, we will celebrate the lighting of the Christ candle with the turning on the bottle from "hope" to "joy." Get it? Yay! I am happy to be lighting the first advent candle tonight, and I look forward to years of celebrating not just Christmas, but advent, the nativity, the creche, the King in the manger.
By the way, had you any inkling that the metal, plastic, paper, or glass ring around the bottom of the candle used to catch wax drippings is in fact called a bobeche? It is a French word, and clearly I need some bobeches before I fire up my advent wreath.
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