advent /ˈadˌvent/ the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.
A coming into being or use
Old English, from Latin adventus ‘arrival’, from advenire, from ad- ‘to’ + venire ‘come’
Advent: the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas and observed by some Christians as a season of prayer and fasting
Merrium-Webster Dictionary
Around the world, and around the homeschooling community, whispers and shouts of Advent/advent season are upon us. Whether you capitalize it or not, it is the countdown to something special.
Instagram is filled with wreaths, cards with numbered windows that open, homemade countdown pockets you can hang on your wall, candles, treats stuffed in little numbered mittens. Every swipe you make leads to more ideas and innovation when it comes to celebrating Advent.
This is the time of year I often get asked by families to explain advent and share ideas on how to incorporate it into family traditions. Many are overwhelmed with the thought of creating a month of activities and read alouds and blessings. Some are energized by the thought. Some are looking for something simple and secular. Some are still figuring out what they are looking for.
But can advent be secular? Well, technically speaking, if you don’t capitalize the word, it simply means that something is coming into being. It could be a person, event or material item. So if you celebrate solstice, you can celebrate the advent of that festival through the month of December. You can literally count down to any darn thing your family is excited to welcome, what ever you celebrate!
If you are interested in learning more about incorporating an advent countdown into your family’s traditions, I’m offering a mini workshop via Zoom on just this topic. I will share treasures from my family traditions, including books, advent and solstice countdowns, children’s books and parent resources, and suggestions on how to create community events to celebrate with others. And as always, there will be lots of time for questions!
To register, please head over to my events page
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