By Pr. Rhoda Klein Miller
The most coveted prize at our seniors lunch this week was a nutcracker holding a countdown till Christmas. Do you have a Christmas countdown tradition? I remember from a young age watching a large tri-fold card go from the box of decorations to the top of the china cabinet. It was our advent calendar, an illustration of a city street on a winter’s night. Upon close inspection, you’d notice small perforated squares with numbers. As each day of December passed we would lift a flap to reveal another layer of the picture. We’d find a fireplace behind a window, an owl under tree branches, angels in flight hiding in the starry sky, and opening the barn door numbered 24, a glowing scene of baby Jesus in a manger. In my teens calendars containing waxy chocolate shapes replaced my interest in mystery pictures. Now Advent calendars are a branding scheme and marketing ploy, containing everything from limited edition teas to million dollar jewellery. Don’t let the simple joys of the season be overtaken by commercial pressure to gain or impress. Advent is a season to develop patient expectation. Our anticipation should focus on celebrating the promises fulfilled in Jesus and the longing for the next advent, His imminent return (John 14:3).