Everyone's advent calender ready?

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

I'm Catholic so I should know this, but what exactly is advent?

That is how the 4 weeks before Christmas are called here. I think you call those "lent"?

[Edwina's Secretary]

Lent is the 40 days before Easter....an advent calendar has the 24 days before Christmas....but now I'm rally stretching here....Advent is the four Sundays before Christmas (I remember an Advent wreath that had four candles...three purple and one pink or was it three pink and one purple?)

I decided to cheat....

Advent is the period preceding the Christmas season. It begins on the Sunday nearest November 30, the feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle, and covers four Sundays. Because the day it begins changes from year to year, so does the length of each Advent season. In 2005, Advent begins on November 27.


The word advent, from Latin, means "the coming." For centuries, Advent has been a time of spiritual reflection as well as cheer and anticipation. Even as the Christmas season has become more secular—with advertisers urging holiday gift-givers to buy and buy some more—Advent still brings joy and the observance of ancient customs. Christian families find quiet moments lighting candles in the Advent wreath, and children use Advent calendars to count the days until Christmas.

[elizabethann]

Have you seen the pet ones? Each day has a treat for your pet. It's cool.

I have one for myself that I use every year. I just keep opening up the same doors & windows.

[Suki Wingy]

yep, we got ours in a german deli. We have to go to the german fest to get some Printen cookies!

[caseysmom]

My neighbor got my daughters one every year and didn't get her one last year, she got her feelings hurt so this year I am going to go out and buy her one, even though she is 13 she still enjoys it.

[carole]

He He Johanna , Melissa has already started her's, we are a day ahead here remember.

[Karen]

Advent is the period leading up to Christmas, as was posted. There are 4 outer and one inner candle on the Advent Wreath - we lit the first of the three purple ones on Sunday at church. The candles represent, let's see,
Week 1: Hope (purple candle)
Week 2: Peace (purple candle)
Week 3: Joy (pink candle)
Week 4: Love (purple candle)

Then on Christmas the middle big white candle appears and is lit, representing Christ, of course!

Advent calendars usually just include the December days leading up to Christmas, but Advent usually starts in November, depending on what day of the week December 25th falls.