Sunday whispers – Advent

Sunday whispers is a little series. My goal is to post something shortish but inspiring for you each Sunday – hopefully together with some art – so that you have a little incentive to slow down, reflect and think. I know how crazy weeks can be, but after all, it is Sunday. :-) Enjoy and let me know what you think. You can find the other Sunday whisper posts HERE.
 
 

Today is the 1st of Advent. I LOVE Advent. Yes, I wrote it deliberately like this. Not “I love Christmas”. I love Advent. I love this time of waiting, hoping, looking forward to …

During the last years however, for our family Advent has turned more and more into a race. Somehow the more kids you have the more demands are placed upon you during Advent time. It is incredible how many appointments or dates even kids suddenly have!
After all, Advent lasts about 4 weeks. :-) And if you try to stuff as much as possible into those 4 weeks – at some point it is just TOO much. Even if baking cookies, crafting, reading, decorating, puppet theatre, going to the Christmas market, Christmas parties and all such things are fun, when you are only running from one event to the next, then the whole point of Advent is lost. 

Therefore I try each year to say “no” more often, but also to celebrate Advent with little things. Cause if you really enjoy and savor the little things, then they are actually not less than the big things.

Weihnachten/ Christmas - mixed media - by Ursula Markgraf

The art pieces shown above are Christmas mini-canvases and read “God became human” in German.

So today I would like to inspire you to think about how you want to celebrate Advent this year. What is important to you?

For me the most important things are:
-baking cookies with my kids
-reading Christmas stories and Christmas books
-putting up the manger
having an Advent wreath – or at least 4 candles ;-)

What I want to “let go”:
-decorating the whole house
-handmaking gifts for everyone
-taking part in all Christmas activities or events
-having a wide selection of homemade cookies available, at all times
-crafting all the fun things that I find on Pinterest ;-)

And now it’s your turn:

What are things that are important to you in Advent? What are things you want to let go off or want to do less? 

 
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2 Responses to Sunday whispers – Advent

  1. Ursula, I could spend all day on your website! You are *crazy* creative–wow! I love what you do–very inspiring!

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