One of the many things I love about celebrating Advent is that you are celebrating for an entire month. Ideally by celebrating Advent, you're longing not for the day of Christmas to come, but for the Christ of Christmas to come-and reflect on how much He's already done and is doing in the world. As a result, when the day of Christmas comes and goes, you neither feel let down (if the day was bad) or saddened (if it as too short). Ours was just right.But I still have two problems.
1.) Taking down the Christmas tree. We're going on vacation for a week and plan on taking down the Christmas tree after we get back. And then the lights after that. What activity is more anti-climactic than removing Xmas decorations?
2.) What to do with the music? I've been listening to Xmas music for a month. But as soon as Xmas day comes, I feel weird listening to the same carols. Shouldn't there be "day-after-Christmas" type music?
Maybe I should keep celebrating Advent and do the few devotions Amy and I missed until our decorations are completely down. Maybe then the Xmas music wouldn't be too un-Christmassy in early January? Or maybe I could go Greek Orthodox, celebrate Epiphany, and dive into the waters in Tarpon Springs in hopes of retrieving a cross. But that's a bit too similar to vying for the garter at a wedding. And I'm not Greek.
2 comments:
Technically, we are now in Christmastide, if we attended more to the church calendar, and many of the songs of Christ's birth would be perfectly appropriate for the next twelve days. So, go ahead and indulge! I don't mind Christmas music for after Christmas. I just don't want to hear it in mid November.
Definitely. . . and after the 12 days of Christmas, you could pretend you live in New Orleans. Then, until lent starts, you can party, make king cakes and celebrate from now until Fat Tuesday.
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