Growing up, I often heard the word Advent but never understood what it meant. I never grew up with any advent family traditions. For me, it simply meant Christmas was around the corner. But the season of Advent has much significance for church and family.
Advent is a Latin word that means coming or arrival. The church practised Advent tradition during the Christmas season, to anticipate and experience the waiting for the coming of Christ into this world.
In today’s context, we do not like to wait. People see waiting as wasting time. We could be doing so many things instead of waiting, or while we wait, like scrolling through random stories on social media.
But the season of Advent reminds us of the long-awaited coming of Jesus Christ as a baby in a manger. It also prepares us for his imminent return as the King of kings.
In our family, we want our children to learn the value of waiting. So we use some advent family traditions to train our hearts to wait and to enjoy putting our hope in Jesus.
Setting Up the Christmas Tree
Our Advent begins with setting up the Christmas tree during the end of November. My wife’s birthday falls on the 25th of November. It has been a good time to start setting up the tree. We read a passage about the birth of Jesus, sing a few carols, and pray together as family. We also invite some friends who are without family in Delhi to join us.
Singing Carols
We try to teach our children some classic Christmas carols and hymns. These songs have rich meaning and theological depth that set our longings, gratitude, and praise in song before the Lord.
Advent Devotional
Once a week, we read a short Advent devotional to help us meditate on the hope of the gospel. We also share something from Scripture that helps us to fix our eyes on Jesus.
Serve
Jesus came into this world to serve, not to be served (Mark 10:45). Advent is a great time to remind our children of the Christian virtues of generosity and hospitality. We either help them get involved in what the church is doing for the underprivileged in the city. Or we create some opportunities for them to be generous.
Palagarams
We did not misspell this word. Palagaram is the Tamil word for sweets and savouries. Deepa has traditional family recipes that were passed down to her over generations. At Christmas time, she prepares these and gives it to our neighbours and friends.
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is probably my children’s favourite day of the year. We place our gifts for each other around the tree, as visible signs that point to the greatest gift we could ever receive—the birth of our Saviour. During this time, we read a bible passage, sing carols, share with each other what we are most grateful for, and give our gifts to each other.
Christmas Day
As a pastor’s family, we recognise there are many in our community who are unable to be with family on Christmas day. So usually, we invite others to spend the Christmas Day afternoon with us, over a good meal and some fun games.
We want Advent to become more than tinsel and treats for our children and for others. During the Advent season, as we wait for Christmas day, we remember that our waiting is not wasting and our hope is not in vain. As we wait faithfully, God calls us to share this good news of hope and salvation with others.
Through all our Advent family traditions, God reminds us that Christ alone can satisfy our heart’s deepest needs and desires and we set our hope on him alone.
