The War on Advent

Some people talk about the War on Christmas. Supposedly, people aren’t allowed to say “Merry Christmas” anymore because it’s offensive to do so. But outside of the odd attention-seeker, the War on Christmas seems to be a relic of the past. A passing Jew saying to me “Happy Hannukah” isn’t offensive to me, so why would the inverse be offensive? But in reality, there’s a “War on Advent” that is occurring. If you observed people’s behavior, you’d think that Christmas lasted from Black Friday to New Years’ Day. What’s up with that?

Even though most Christian denominations recognize the season of Advent (which starts four Sundays before Christmas Eve and ends on that day), its importance goes unnoticed in the popular eye. Advent is a time of fasting and spiritual contemplation. Like Lent, Advent prepares our hearts for a coming feast day, Christmas. Yet while Lent is ever-present in the popular imagination (no doubt thanks to Mardis Gras), I hardly hear anything about Advent.

Whenever Advent comes around, the great Christmas season shopping palooza swallows it up. You hear stories of how people trample and fight each other on Black Friday to get the best possible deal. Meanwhile, Christmas hymns like “Silent Night” and “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful” play on the radio. Even my family isn’t immune to this phenomenon. I remember growing up seeing my mother rushing during Christmas time, trying to get her hands on the best deals available. Because my dad was busy with work at that time of the year, she had to prepare for all the Christmas get-togethers and parties our family attended. It was a thankless task. And while our Decembers have gotten less busy over the years, she still has a lot on her plate.

Needless to say, this is different from how Advent is supposed to be practiced, even for people who believe in it. Why is it difficult to celebrate Advent? Well, Advent is the holiday that’s all about waiting for the coming of Jesus into the world. It’s all about expectancy. But who wants to wait for anything nowadays? We want everything now! But patience is a virtue, one that makes us better people. By preparing spiritually for the coming of hope into the world, our souls are better off.

Another positive side of Advent is that it relieves us of our commitment to the frantic spirit of the age. It calls us to slow down, think, and pray. It calls us to look beyond our present circumstances and think about the Incarnation and Second Coming. The world tries to control us at this maddening pace, but Advent goes against all that.

A good place to start reviving the spirit of Advent would be the music. There are plenty of Advent hymns that go completely neglected. Here’s a good list to start with. Advent is also a time during which we ought to repent for our sins and ask God for His forgiveness. I’ve accumulated plenty of those over this year, especially the sins of sloth and gluttony. Please pray for me, my dear readers! And Happy Advent!