“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart.” (Psalm 27:14)  In the midst of preparations and decorations for Christmas, some small and simple practices remind me that Christmas is still twenty-five days away. Here are some things I like to do.

• The colors purple and blue act as stoplights and tell me to slow down and wait. Purple represents royalty, penitence, and specialness. Blue represents hope, expectancy, and Mary.

• Add Advent words to the Christmas tree each day. Write an Advent word on a piece of paper or on a luggage/merchandise tag. Spend some time with the word by “decorating” it–adding lines, arcs, dots, zigzags, color…. Use clothespins or string to attach the word to the tree.  An Advent word a day on a paper chain is another way to create an Advent tree. (3 loops with the word on the middle loop?)
  
•  Buy a Norfolk Island Pine and hang purple or blue lights on it. This becomes the designated Advent tree where I add a word a day. Many grocery store and big-box home and garden stores carry Norfolk Island Pines.
  
• .Improvise an Advent wreath. The metal and styrofoam rings are a huge frustration for me. Instead, I use four candlestick holders and candles and place them randomly on the table. Then I add ribbon, paper chains, pine cones, dried flowers or greenery. If I have fresh greenery, I put the candles and the greens on a large plate or tray and add just another water to keep the greens fresh.
• Plant some paperwhite narcissus or amaryllis bulbs. Watch them grow on a daily basis, a living Advent calendar.