Hide the candy canes! It’s the Advent Police!

When I was growing up, the Presbyterian Church did Advent well; I don’t remember them mentioning it.  We started singing carols about three weeks before Christmas (or, as the Episcopalians say, “Advent 2”), the decorations were up in the church the Sunday before Christmas in time for the Christmas pageant.  (I never got to be Mary, but one year, when they were trying to add relevance, I was the Teacher.  I got to wear my first pair of nylons and carried two of my mother’s old college books.  Along with the Doctor, Nurse, Family, etc., I walked up to the (live) Nativity scene and bowed.  There was a party afterwards with those three-flavored ice cream squares.)  On Christmas Eve, we had a beautiful candlelight service.

When I was church shopping years ago, I went to an Episcopal church on the Sunday before Christmas.  The only vaguely Christmassy part of the service was “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel.”  I didn’t go back for years.

The Episcopal Church sees Advent as a time of preparation, much like Lent.  No carols or decorations until Christmas Eve.  We can’t even say “Alleluia,” although some people forget, and everyone smiles.  We have our little rebellions, like wearing red or green and fussing at coffee hour.  (I wonder if priests discuss how their flocks are behaving.  My attitude would be, “Let them get it out of their systems, the little rascals.”)

I have to admit I have gotten used to Episcopalian Advent.  I still don’t know if I like it.  Maybe we need to have a place to escape from the worldly part of Christmas, at least for an hour a week.  Waiting is a spiritual experience.  Anyway, I’ve resigned myself that things aren’t going to change. 

I’ll wait in church, but not at home or even in the Parish Hall. 

There’s still half an hour until Advent starts.  One last “Alleluia.”