A week after Thanksgiving, my mom used to unpack a 2-inch, plastic, infant Jesus. She'd lay the baby in a green, cardboard cradle she had constructed with a hot-glue gun. Then she'd place the crib in the center of our Advent wreath on our kitchen table. It was just Jesus in the cradle; no hay nor swaddling clothes. But as Christmas drew nearer, Jesus suspiciously got more and more comfortable. For when my siblings or I said or did something nice, something that would honor Jesus, such as vacuuming the family room without being asked, my mom would hand us a piece of straw to put in the "manger." Our goal, though we didn't always meet it, was to make sure Jesus was cushy on a bunch of straw by Christmas Eve.

This family tradition reminded us of whom Christmas was really all about, and helped us prepare for His imminent entrance.

HISTORY LESSON
The word "Advent" means "coming" or "arrival," and usually refers to the four weeks before Christmas as Christians await and prepare for the celebration of Jesus' birth. The season starts on the Sunday closest to November 30 and ends Christmas Eve. Historically, Protestants and Roman Catholics alike celebrate the season.

Only in the past 50 years has Advent become a four-week season of anticipating the arrival of Jesus' birth. "Believers in the Middle Ages prepared for Christ's second coming as well as His first," says medieval historian Anne Clift Boris, Ph.D. "However, celebrating was something yet to come, since during the Middle Ages this was a fast, not a feast."

In American culture, we can so easily focus on counting down the number of shopping days, attending another Christmas party or stringing up the lights that we neglect the purpose of the season. Just as a bride prepares for her wedding day, or an expectant parent chooses names, Christians would be wise to remember Advent as a time to ready themselves for the returning Savior.

How can we prepare or remind ourselves of Christ's birth and promised return? Instead of just getting wrapped up in presents, we could create new ways to celebrate our Savior's birth. Fast. Feast. Read through the prophesies surrounding Christ's birth, then find where He fulfilled them. Consider writing Him a note in your journal about some of the reasons you are thankful for His coming.

Preparing our hearts may take many forms. We would do well, however, to remember that traditions are not necessarily for the sake of comfort, but to help us experience and understand truth. With this goal in mind, here are other unique Advent traditions.

ON THE MOVE
Wendy recalls her Connecticut family displaying the Nativity scene on a table with a drawer on the side. The baby Jesus stayed in that drawer until Christmas Eve. Wendy's mom placed the animals in the stable, but set the three kings on the far side of the room. She also set Mary and Joseph in another part of the room. "Each week of Advent they were moved closer to the stable, like from the mantel to the coffee table or to the piano," says Wendy. The month was marked by the movement of the figurines closer and closer to their ultimate destination. "By Christmas Eve, Mary and Joseph arrived at the stable, so Jesus 'was born,'" Wendy recalls. On January 6 (Epiphany), Wendy and her siblings finally moved the Magi pieces into the stable to adore the newborn King.

THE GIFT
Erik and his wife, Jennifer, wrap a Jesus figure from their manger scene and put it under their Christmas tree before adding any other presents. The couple ties the present up with a special bow and tries to make that box the prettiest-looking gift. Then on Christmas Day, they unwrap baby Jesus first and place Him in His proper place in the crèche. "It sets the tone for the morning," says Erik. "That's why we even open gifts, because Jesus is the greatest gift."

WASSAIL
Every year, on one evening during Advent, Chris' family congregated around their Christmas tree. They turned off all the lights in the house except the strings of little bulbs sprinkled around the tree and the flickering glow of the candles they held. Then Chris' mom led them in singing Christ-centered Christmas carols.

Recognizing that the gospel message comes out clearly in carols, Randy's Bible-study group took their singing to the streets. One night during Advent, they walked around his neighborhood singing carols door to door. When a neighbor opened the door to listen, Randy invited them back to his home later that night for cookies and coffee. Evangelism of any kind prepares our hearts for Christ's coming, and Christmas makes this easy to do.

KNOCK, KNOCK
In Mexico, communities reenact Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay. Nine days before Christmas, a group of Mexican children knock on doors and ask if there's any room at the inn. They get rejected until they reach the home in each neighborhood designated as the innkeeper's. Upon receiving a hearty welcome, they pour into that house and celebrate with a party. During the festivities they break a piñata loaded with candy.


Advent allows all of us to set aside time to reflect on Christ's birth and His return. The secret to celebrating Christ and preparing our hearts is looking for meaning and freshness in the season. This year, be ready. Don't let the holiday sneak up on you.

You can contact the writer at Jennifer.Abegg@ccci.org.