the advent of Advent Friday Five
via the RevGals:1) Do you observe Advent in your church?
We Episcopalians don't let you skip from Thanksgiving to Christmas. There must be Advent. I love celebrating Advent, and was giddy as a schoolkid when the box arrived from Creative Communications this week that had the meditation booklets, children's sticker books and candle table tents that I ordered for the congregation.
2) How about at home?Yes and no. In theory, we do. But if we didn't start doing some Christmas stuff in Advent, it would never get done--ie. hanging decorations and lights. We do have a couple of Advent wreaths, but if you read this blog you'll already have a good sense of how well we stick to disciplines around this house. . .So we do Advent in a classically ENFP kind of way. The wreath will come out--whether or not the candles get lit every day is a whole 'nother matter. (In fact, do I have candles? Hmmm.)
I always try and find a chocolate Advent calendar--wait, that's not really a spiritual celebration of the season.
3) Do you have a favorite Advent text or hym
Yes, although I discovered it not in church but on one of the Very Special Christmas albums. Sting covered it, which is what made me sit up and take notice and then I discovered it was in the Episcopal hymnal. Just imagine the adolescent girl squeal moment I had when I found THAT.
"The angel Gabriel from heaven came
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame
La la la la la (kind of unclear on the words here)
Most highly favored lady, Gloria."
Can we talk about my least favorite Advent hymn? UGH. "On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry. . ."Yawn. The music is dull and is often played at a plodding rate. Ok, it's possible I might have an issue here.
4) Why is one of the candles in the Advent wreath pink? (You may tell the truth, but I'll like your answer better if it's funny.) It's a conspiracy to make packages of Advent candles more expensive. Because otherwise you could just buy 4 purples (or blue--your Advent color mileage may vary) and be done with it. But NO. . . .you have to buy the special candles.
(Ok, I actually love Rose Sunday. And sometimes we get to sing the hymn from question 2).
5) What's the funniest/kitschiest Advent calendar you've ever seen? As long as it has chocolate in it, I kind of don't notice what's on the calendar.
Didn't the Vicar of Dibley have a rock star Advent calendar? I think it's the Christmas lunch episode.
posted by Emily @ 7:51 AM
15 Comments:
Emily, well played! I don't remember that Vicar of Dibley episode... I'll have to pull out my tapes!
Blessings, from another ENFP Advent observer.
Mags
Hi Emily--
Vicar of Dibley, Christmas lunch episode--I think Geraldine had saved up her Advent calendars and was planning to eat her way through four or five (or may it was fifteen or twenty) on Christmas afternoon, before she was invited to four (?) Christmas lunches.
The rock star part was about Jesus--she calls him "Birthday Boy" at one point when she's trying to write the sermon. She has a picture of him over her desk and she and ??? (the ditsy verger) decide he looks like some rock star (can't remember who right now).
V of D...love it. Comfort video. No matter how weird things get here, it's always saner than in Dibley.
That's a very wise and practical explanation, Emily. And I love the sound of that hymn.
You remind me of one I loved as a little girl going to Episcopal school:
The snow lay on the ground
The stars shone bright
When Christ our Lord was born
on Christmas Night
Venite Adoremus Dominum, etc.
I would love to hear that one again!
Thank you for reminding me of the Vicar...My favorite episode is the Full Monty talent show one...
sting is wonderful! i'll have to keep a look out for it! thanks@!
I want a Chocolate Advent calendar!
Must go buy chocolate Advent calendar!
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
"All hail," said he, "thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly favored lady," Gloria!
and you can listen to it here!
http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/t/t071.html
I love the V of Dibley too...
My dad always referred to "On Jordan's Banks" as the "Lutheran Christmas Hymn" (the Baptists are crying you see...)
d
yaya for the vicar of Dibley... and Advent is a must even for a Methodist!
Well played
Oh yes,
read this carefully as this is how I have accidentally sung it -- perhaps it is a Freudian thing...
The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;
"All hail," said he, "thou lowly maiden Mary,
most highly flavored lady," Gloria!
Doesn't that make for a more interesting hymn?
Emily, the advent is fantastic..and the first prize goes to the chocolate calender..lolz
My kids and I rolled over laughing watching the Vicar of Dibley Christmas lunch episode. great play
I have looked everywhere for some advent calendars to send to my (new to me) niece and nephew. I couldn't find them ANYWHERE!!
I liked the song "On Jordan's bank" but one of my all time favorites is "O Come, O come Emmuale". I'm sure there are some others - just can't think of them right now.
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