Do you recognize the signs that Christmas is already on its way? Sure you do. Children are back in school, the Halloween candy and costumes are on display, and very soon, the holiday decorations will be nudging their way into every nook and cranny of your favorite stores. My L.L. Bean catalogue arrived yesterday with the suggestion to, "Wrap up your holiday shopping early with the best possible gifts at the best possible prices."
These, of course, aren't the only signs of Christmas, but they are our most visual, and if honest with ourselves, are representative of what our culture has narrowed the season down to: presents. It has been said that the love of money is the root of all evil. The same could be said for the fear of not buying presents for everybody in our lives. Neither money or presents are evil, but focusing all our attention or life's purpose on acquiring either or both, does distort our faith perspective and view of the world.
That said, retailers, in their aspiration to achieve increased profits, have really done us a favor: they have redefined the Advent Calendar.
Did you have an Advent Calendar as a child? Or perhaps you have one for your children now. Most Advent Calendars are made of cardboard and are filled with small flaps that are raised, one per day of Advent, to reveal a picture or a scene related to Christmas. Some are much more elaborate, but the idea is the same. each day brings us closer to the arrival of Christ's coming, and each day we prepare our hearts and our lives to receive this most special of gifts from God.
What retailers have done for us is to expand and extend this Advent Calendar. Although their motive is profit, our intent, as people of faith, can be self-defined as an opportunity to prepare more peacefully and more fully for this season that is meant to be joyful, and frequently is not. This mental adjustment may take some though, but bear with me.
How many times have you wished, in the middle of December, for the chance to sit down, relax for a few moments with a cup of tea, and breathe, perhaps remembering a favorite Christmas experience and the pleasure it still brings to your life? Have you wanted to be more leisurely in choosing gifts for your loved ones, but never took the time because it wasn't really the season yet? Have you hoped for quality time with your family, a real meal together without interruptions and distractions and so much tension all you do is get irritated with one another? All of those wishes, dreams and hopes can be transformed into reality, now, because the main thing to remember about Advent is that it is our preparatory time before the Christ arrives.
There is absolutely nothing wrong, and everything right about giving ourselves permission to enjoy the luxuries of pondering Emmanuel, God With Us, and preparing ourselves to receive God again before the traditional Advent Calendar takes hold of our schedules. I suspect we would all feel better about the swift onslaught of the holiday activities if we felt we had honored the relationship with God that sparked the whole process in the first place.
With this in mind, I share with you my favorite Christmas card message: "Wishing you all the joys of this shining season as we welcome Christmas once again."
It was Gerhard Lang who printed the first advent calendar in Germany in 1908. It was inspired by his mother who made him a simple advent calendar and taught him to count down the days until Christmas. Her mother placed 24 pieces of small candies for which Gerhard would take a piece each day. The very first calendar he made did not have windows instead, it had colored pictures attached to a piece of cardboard representing each day of advent. Afterwards, little doors were added which was opened each day with a religious picture on it or verse or a piece of candy.
At the height of World Ward II, German Advent Calendars were not manufactured because of the strict rationing of cardboard. However, in 1946, Richard Sellmer initiated the manufacturing of advent calendars again in Germany. He had to secure a printing license from the U.S. Military and bought the paper he used in the U.S. Military zone. Advent calendars were handmade back then. In 1950, Advent calendars started selling and became a hit in the United States.
The first advent calendar made by Richard Sellmer was called ?The Little Town?. It has pictures of many buildings in the town, which when its windows and doors are opened, one would find pretty things inside representing each day of advent. They also made the very famous lamp shade advent calendar that would fit any lamp and would turn around under heat with 24 windows open. Later on, a Carols Calendar was created with a song for each day of the advent. By 1954, the White House calendar was created with the view of the White House in Washington. After awhile, they produced several kinds of pull out advent calendars.
Presently, the most common type of advent calendar is printed on a cardboard with 24 small doors. These calendars vary in several themes but the most common are the religious ones like Mary and Joseph approaching a stable, nativity scenes, churches, Bethlehem, winter wonderland, and many others. There is also the Santa stocking advent calendar which has a picture of a Christmas tree on it and you hang an ornament on the tree for each day of Advent. A magnetic calendar wherein you can place different figures from the nativity scene each day was also created by Fontanini which can be placed on the refrigerator. For people who are garden fanatics, there is also the garden lovers advent calendar collage with a beautiful painting of a flower in every window.
Teaching our children of the importance of advent and the use of advent calendar is a great way to prepare them for Christmas. It also adds more meaning for families everywhere in the world if we put in a good combination of tradition with the use of advent calendars and advent wreaths.
Both Cory L. Kemp & Melanie Smith are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Cory L. Kemp has sinced written about articles on various topics from Women, Women and Customer Service. Cory L. KempAs an ordained minister, I have worked in educational ministries in several congregations, as well as pastoring a church in the Midwest. My writing has focused on nonfiction essays, and I have recently submitted a theological memoir for publi. Cory L. Kemp's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.
Melanie Smith has sinced written about articles on various topics from Heartwarming Stories, Parenting and Women. For more Christmas trivia, visit . You may also visit. Melanie Smith's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.