I never know quite what to do with Advent except embrace it in all its fullness.
Joseph Bottum, in this month's journal First Things, laments that pre-Christmas and Christmas have overtaken any meaningful celebration of the Season of Advent. I think he is on to something, especially when I see Christmas stuff being put up before the end of October.
On the other side of the spectrum, Lutheran pastor Ray Gottschling suggests that all the "Christmas excess" that precedes December 25th is, in fact, appropriate. He sees it as the world's longing for the Promised Messiah in the only way it knows how. I think he is on to something too.
Personally, I love Advent. Perhaps it is because lighting our home Advent wreathe candles as darkness descends before dinner is over reminds me of the heart of our faith: Christ Jesus, the true Light of the World, has indeed come into this world's darkness and has overcome it (cf. John 1:5). Truthfully, I don't know if this is told best by simple Advent celebrations with a candle a week or by a Clark-Griswold-style Christmas light display the day after Thanksgiving. Perhaps both.
Sometime before December 2nd my Advent devotions will be available online. This year we're reading through Isaiah.
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