Advent means arrival.
We are waiting for the celebration of the arrival of Christ.
European Christians began lightening their advent wreaths made of eternal green plants about year 1000. The wreaths symbolizing eternity, and also the wheel of time.
Each Sunday a new light is lit.
We are waiting for the Prince of Light.
The nearer we come the day of Christ's birth, the more lights are shining.
The liturgical color of advent is lilac. The color of fight, sorrow and preparation.
Most Norwegian homes are decorated with an
advent wreath and an electric advent-stick in one or more windows.
Hubby Gunnar and I take a great pleasure driving around admiring these modest advent-sticks.
They are lit in the poorest of homes, in hospitals, court of justice, at the fishmonger's, at the Salvation Army,-and of course in our home.
It is a time of beauty and expectation.
I was 6 when a started school. We learned lots of new songs, but this is the one I remember best from my first Christmas at school.
The text is about this; "There's a shining in silent villages, sparkling lights held by thousand children's hands.
Wandering towards the stable while singing, they are holding the candles towards the sky..."
9 comments:
I love this time of year. During Advent, our pastor has one family light a candle as he explains what it means. By Christmas Day, everyone, including children, know what each candle signifies. I'm so glad to read that many homes in Norway have the Advent candles.
BTW, I follow another blog called My Little Norway. L-Jay is actually from Australia but married a Norwegian and they live in Tromso. She blogs about learning the language and customs of her adoptive country.
Since my family on both sides come from Norway, I'm always interested in reading and learning.
We in American who are Catholic or Anglican also light advent wreaths, however, a LOT of people decorate their houses and yards with so much stuff. It is so commercial here.
Tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent!
Thanks for your beautiful interpretation of the season. I pray all of you are well.
Dear Debbie,
I agree; Advent is a wonderful time.
It is so interesting that both your parents have roots in Norway.
I guess they must have told you something..
Times change and people changes as well. I therefor like to keep on to some traditions, not to loose track of my identity.
Guess your friend must have so hard times adapting to the conditions of the Northern Tromso.
I have never been that far north myself, but I know that the sun actually disappears around these days, in what we call "dark-time."
Hope your friend is not home sick, then everything will seem so depressive.
Tomorrow we will lit our first candle. We say a verse while we are lightening the candle.
Dear Sioux Sue,
Christmas has become very commercial in Norway too.
It is so sad really.
The church of Norway, which is a Lutheran Protestant Church, also follows the liturgical colors and the old church year. The church year actually starts tomorrow with first Sunday of Advent.
Tomorrow we'll go for evening song and listen to six local choirs sing Christmas Carols. We call it "sing the Christmas in".
I am so looking forwards to that.
From Felisol
Felisol- Thanks for visiting my blog too. I've been to Norway once to visit many relatives who still live there. One of my great uncles is a Christian writer and he lives near Oslo. Most of the others are not Christian though. So, I pray for them.
I've never met L-Jay who lives in Tromso but she is so sweet and I enjoy reading her posts as she tries to make the best of a new country to live in and make her home. She has a wonderful husband and little baby. I think it must be hard at times and I always hope to encourage her.
I will go to church tomorrow and we will light the first Advent candle. Blessings to you and your family.
Can we have a photo of an advent stick.Is it like a cnadle?
Dear Amrita,
an Advent stick is like this electric stick with seven lights standing in my kitchen window on today's head picture.
As opposed to the Advent wreath, which has three candles, one lit for every of the four Sundays in Advent.
From Felisol
Your post about Advent brought back some good memories from my childhood. Our church always had such lovely ceremonies during this season.
Malcolm,
I was searching through my glossary to find te right word for the Norwegian Advent= advent stake= stick
A "stake" may be used amongst others to hold a candle.
Advent candelabra will be a more appropriate translation. Point is, it's got to have seven lights, not not the American ads had this sevenlighted candelabra, yet called them Advent candelabra.
For Norwgians that turns out all wrong.
The Australian or shall I say Rudolf Steiner-ish item you refer to, has none whatsoever tradition in Norway or relation to my blog.
If you want to enlighten Amrita, please go to her post.
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