Don't believe what the Advent Calendar manufacturers tell you: tomorrow is not the first day of Advent. Today is. It's the fourth Sunday before Christmas, the day to light the first candle on the advent wreath. Commercial companies have made sure you can't open the first window on your "Advent" calendar until tomorrow.
I've brought my Advent stable into the house ready for tomorrow. No figures out yet, though. It's empty, a space where a wonderful story will emerge.
I'm the sort of person who starts Christmas preparation as soon as possible after Christmas because I want to let Advent be Advent: a time of spiritual preparation. The Christmas tree won't go up for a couple of weeks yet. Most presents are made and wrapped, cards are ready to be posted. Most of the seasonal food is in the freezer. The music is more, "O come, O come Emmanuel" than "Hark, the herald angels sing".
So this Advent Sunday is the quiet day before the rest of the world realises that Advent has begun. It's a day of faith and waiting on God.
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