This year I have an Advent calendar. Normally we have an advent candle, and fail abysmally to burn the right amount on the right day and seem to spend most of Advent chasing Advent!
My daughter chose her Advent calendar way back in September, when she came to collect me from Holland House and walked past the display.... When we were in Tesco last week 2 Advent calendars fell into the trolly. Took my husband a few minutes for the penny to drop...
"But Abi already has an Advent calendar..."
"Yes dear, that is why I bought two"
Puzzled "But she has one!!
"Yes, so that is one for you, and one for me. Unless of course you do not want one."
At this point he quit arguing.
My logic was I may fail at the discipline of burning a set amount of candle each day, but I could succeed at eating chocolate! What could go wrong?
It was nice to sit and look at the picture in the last day or so prior to Advent. The problems began once we reached day 1. For some reason the number 1 is not in the bottom right hand corner of the flap but top right. Took me ages to find THAT one! How irritating! Why???
Day 2 came and I am irritated by the fact that the angel is female, blonde, with a co-ordinted star and sash detail to her strappy dress. THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT ANGELS TO BE LIKE! In the Bible they have names like Michael and Gabriel and are mighty male messengers of God.
Day 3 comes, and my chocolate is hidden adjacent to the angels armpit, under the part of the picture detailing her rear end. I sigh and try to focus on the writing 'The people living in the Holy Land were ruled by the Romans." and vow that next year I will choose a Peppa Pig Advent Calendar instead. It MUST be preferable to parts of an angel's anatomy!!!
Day 4 is underneath the angel's hand and there apparently it plans to stay. I try prizing it out and fail. The chocolate resolutely remains, refusing to budge. :( I try flexing the box, but the only effect this has is to mangle the box slightly, the chocolate does not move! In desperation, I turn the box over and tap the back of the box. Suddenly the chocolate falls into my hand. My irritation is forgotten, as I gaze at the moulded perfection of confectionary. I am not quite sure what the picture is supposed to represent, maybe a temple or the stable, it doesn't matter, as I am transformed by this small but perfectly formed piece of chocolate. Sorry, the chocolate was consumed.
I love the idea of having a 'proper' Advent calendar, but in reality I am struggling to reconcile the fact that Jesus came to set us free, with the traps that we have established around the Advent and Christmas season. Neither my life or my faith will be affected if I do not have an Advent calendar. We need to be looking out for the things that hold us back, and learn from our experiences. Maybe next year, I will find a different way of celebrating Advent. A way that helps to prepare me for the birth, death and resurrection of my Saviour.
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