Christmas in July!?
Happy Advent!
Why do so many businesses have Christmas in July promotions? Is it just a marketing strategy? If it is, it clearly works. I think there’s a part of us that longs, even in July, for the feeling of Christmas.
Marketers hope we are all eager to buy buy buy with the same frenetic energy of Christmas shopping and holiday parties (some even call their Christmas in July sales, “Black Friday Sales”), but I think our longing stems from a different place.
Advent is intended to be a time of preparation, of quiet and stillness. Most of us, amidst the business of December, do experience a moment or two of stillness—watching gently falling snow, gazing at holiday lights, listening to a favorite carol. I believe that is what we crave in mid-July’s endless sunlight.
We crave the early dark, the magic of a glowing candle.
I know I crave it.
Advent begins now for me as I begin preparing the Joy of Advent emails, checking links, updating artwork and music. As I work through each day’s email and add sections to our website, I long for stillness. In part because of those winter evenings, but also because it is only in stillness that I hear God’s voice.
So this July let’s take a moment. Set a timer if we need to, and turn off the devices, set aside the paint cans, the golf clubs, the bag full of beach gear. Be still for five minutes, ten, more, and listen for what our Lord might have to say.
Helping You Prepare
I (Rebecca) am a planner. I love lists and planners and organizers. Sometimes I overcomplicate life by over-planning (what’s that maxim? The surest way to make God laugh is to tell Him your plans? I must make God laugh a lot!), but I’ve found that even a partially completed plan accomplishes more than no plan at all. So it will be no surprise that the Joy of Advent site has several posts with tips on holiday planning, including a downloadable Advent and Christmas Planning Workbook.
If you’re reading online, you’ll see several great resources below! Otherwise tap here to find our latest resources.
If you click over to the website, you’ll notice that we’ve created a Christmas Shop. While we might offer physical products—gift items, ornaments—at present we sell printable downloads. They have been designed to accompany the Joy of Advent daily readings and will help you simplify your Advent preparation. After all, as of this writing, we only have 154 days till Christmas!
Note: If you have the book, you can download a packet with every printable mentioned in the book for FREE! Find it here.
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