Deck the Halls

So, I know that Advent is coming up soon, but I am currently really excited to have Christmas Decorations up in our house finally. Don't get me wrong, advent is a great liturgical season, but they don't really make 'Advent ornaments' to deck the halls with.

Which means I got to put up the Christmas tree and such this past weekend. I spent a good couple of hours rummaging through our basement to find the Christmas tree and ornaments and then spent the better part of Friday and Saturday making sure everything was just right. We talk about living simply in Urban Servant Corps (and there is a good article in this month's Lutheran about shedding stuff) but I figured Christmas decorations could be a little less simple. Granted, everything I used was in the basement, but we can use a little extra electricity this month, right?

Though using that electricity, and playing into the consumer nature of Christmas (however small a part I play in the Christmas Industry this year) still is at odds with my favorite liturgical season of Advent. Perhaps this Advent will finally be a way to bring together those sides of myself that both love the holiday and its glittery extravagance and the side of me that says 'wait! Don't bother with stuff, prepare the way of The Lord!' We will have to wait and see.