Devotion

Advent is a time to prepare for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. Advent is celebrated on the 4 Sundays before Christmas and this Sunday is the first Sunday in those 4 weeks this year. 

Many churches and families light a candle in an Advent wreath on each of these Sundays. The first candle is often named the candle of hope. It celebrates the hope that Christ gives us through his coming. Many wreaths also have a candle in the middle of the wreath. This is the Jesus candle and is lit on Christmas Day, the birthday of Jesus.

Many families have rituals and preparations that they go through to get ready for Christmas. One tradition in our family is that our Christmas tree only goes up on the first Sunday of Advent. As a child, I found this frustrating but it is something that continues in our house today. Another tradition is the mixing, wrapping in cloth, tying, and boiling of the traditional Christmas pudding, a number of weeks before it’s eaten. We also follow the German tradition of putting coins in the pudding before it is cooked. The finders of a sixpence receive a wish for the year and those finding a threepence receive two wishes!

We also prepare our hearts for the coming of the Saviour. Advent is a time to reflect on what Christ has done for us. It is a time to think about what it means to be saved through the birth of a baby. I find music enables me to reflect, revisit the Christmas story, and celebrate this special time of the year. Other ways to reflect are viewing artworks, reading the Christmas story, engaging with devotional reflections, and spending time in prayer. 

May you be blessed as you prepare for this special time in which we celebrate the birth of the King who brings us life and hope.

Jayne Zadow

PYP Coordinator