Advent Thoughts

When I was a little kid, my aunt always used to buy us one of those neat Advent calendars that has the windows that open.  For each day of Advent, we'd get to flip the window and see what the surprise was inside.  It might be a candy cane, or it might be something with more religious significance. 

The biggest window was for Christmas Day and that window held a picture of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.  The reason for the season.  The most important birth in the history of mankind.  The long awaited Messiah that the Jewish people had heard about through the prophets.

Keeping Christ in Christmas is getting more difficult.  The title of this blog is, "Life in a Small Town."  In Canal Fulton at the heart of the downtown is an old bank building that was built at the turn of the century.  Right in front the Lions Club puts the manger scene for all to see and enjoy.  It's there now, although Joseph wasn't lighting up at first and he needed some repair.  Thank God for the freedom to have the manger scene. 

In my grandson's school, they recently had a "Harvest Meal" for all of the kindergarteners.  His contribution was some corn chips.  They couldn't call it Thanksgiving.  No kidding.  There isn't any mention of Halloween either.  It's all gone, so that no one can complain.  Presumably, that means that there is no mention of Christmas either.  It's the new PC (politically correct) and it's not a good thing.  Thanksgiving was started by one of the very presidents that the children learn about and celebrate on Presidents' Day -- Abraham Lincoln.  At least he was the one who made it formal.  And now, we're afraid to offend someone if we mention Thanksgiving.  Even if I wasn't a Christian, I'd be thankful for SOMETHING, wouldn't I?  It almost makes my head spin.

The giving tree is now displayed in SS Philip & James, holding more tags than I've ever seen before.  Parishioners take a tag, sign the log, and then return the present and tag by December 11th.  In this way we can help many local families who are struggling this year.  After the tree is put away, the creche scene is displayed in that same area of the church. 

Since I started this blog last January, I'm pretty sure we've never talked about the magi and how we used to work them into our Christmas when the boys were little.  There was the long hall going to the bedrooms.  The magi started their journey to Bethlehem at the end of that hall and each day the boys would move them a bit closer to their destination.  They would get to the hutch right around Christmas Eve, and then I'd bring out the baby Jesus that was hidden until then.  And the baby was in his rightful place in his lowly manger.

It's a great way for children to stay in the spirit of the holiday, and not to get all caught up in the trappings of Christmas to the exclusion of our Lord, Jesus.

I'm down the basement writing this posting again, and thank God that it works down here!!  For this I am grateful, and for so many, many other wonders including my precious grandchildren.  Take care, my friends.