When I was a child, my family brought down from the attic a four-foot tall statue of Father Christmas on the first day of Advent. His arrival downstairs was a real event in our young lives, and we would cheer and ring jingle bells as my mother carried the lifelike statue and placed it on a chest of drawers in the living room. We would stroke Father Christmas' white beard and velvet cloak, and would curiously inspect the glittering presents he carried in the woven basket on his back, even though we knew they were just empty boxes covered in gift wrap. More than a Christmas tree or any other holiday decoration, Father Christmas' presence in our home symbolized for me the arrival of Advent and our anticipation for Christmas.

Their children have since grown and left the house, but my parents still bring down Father Christmas each year, although I imagine the event is more subdued these days.  In recent years, my father has also taken up a new practice: he washes each window in their home as a way to mark the beginning of Advent. Preparing his home for Christ's arrival is his way of symbolizing the internal preparation that is occurring during this time.

As the season approaches I have been reflecting on a similar, appropriate demonstrative action of my own. I like the idea of tidying up, whether literally like my dad and his window washing, or internally by meditating, journaling, or taking steps to repair relationships that I have allowed to remain fragmented during the year.

Many of us use Advent calendars or light candles in Advent wreaths to demonstrate the expectant waiting that we are experiencing internally.  What practice in your own life would symbolize how you are preparing for Christ's coming?