Why an Advent Calendar?

What is your favorite part of receiving a Christmas present? It may seem like an odd question but there are actually several steps to getting a present, each of which has its own merits. It could be researching and considering what to put on your wish list. Maybe the time before you receive the gift when you imagine what you’ll do with it. The moment when you open the gift and the wide range of possibilities collapses into what you have before you. Or the time after opening it when you consider fondly the thought, care, and effort that went into picking it out.

I like Advent calendars of all types because they offer these moments on a daily basis. I’ve had great calendars that give you a physical gift on each day: chocolate, toy, or mini bottle of wine. Other calendars I’ve enjoyed have something more ephemeral: a verse to read, a video to watch, or a new photograph.

I wanted to capture that cycle of anticipation, enjoyment, and consideration in a way that could be easily shared with not just All Saints members, but with our community beyond. That is the reason I proposed this Advent calendar more than five years ago. Gathering the writing, editing, and scheduling of these posts is a lot of work, but well worth it if you get something from any one of the days this year.

I encourage you to consider what brings you joy and what small steps you could take today to share that joy with another.