Starting Advent Now

I haven't really had much to say lately and with the school semester ending things have been crazy which results in my lack of posts. I've been working on a novel for Nanowrimo this month and I'm at 30,000 words with just a few days left in November to get that last 20,000! So I'm really pushing myself to write like crazy these last couple days but I felt the need to write a little on advent.

I love reading up on ways to celebrate the liturgical year and things like that. One of my new favorite books I recently got was Maria Trapp's Around the Year with the Trapp Family, you can read the whole text at that link. I have read almost all the books she wrote and I just love her! So even though the print for this is online I just had to get a hard copy of it!

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Sometimes though, I love something but I think to myself, well this is what I will do someday when I have my own family. Yes many traditions are probably something that need to wait till I have my own family and young kids but there's still so many was to incorporate the season of advent into my life right now as a twenty something college student.

1. trying not to listen to christmas music yet, but advent music. Just googling Advent music will bring up lots of ideas of songs. I created a playlist of advent songs that I can listen too anytime. Here's a great starting place of advent songs. Here's another link that gives advent songs and other great information
2. Go to adoration and confession and mass. This really probably goes without saying but specifically for me this is something I'm really trying to focus on. Sometimes it's hard when the week gets busy to make it to a daily mass, or an adoration, or a confession. It's these small things though in the midst of busy holiday schedules that help us keep the meaning of the season in our hearts. 
3. Try to limit things such as special treats, keeping in mind this is a season of waiting, try to wait and have those special cakes or treats once the Christmas season comes as a sign of true celebration. This could even incorporate fasting in different ways. 
4. The liturgical color for the season is violet, so why not try to decorate with violet anywhere you can, perhaps it's just a violet colored pillow placed on your bed. Something small that when you see it reminds you that we are in the Advent season. 
5. And of course, an Advent wreath. If you are living away from home there's no reason you can't have your own advent wreath. If you can't place it on the kitchen table maybe set up it's own small table for it in your room. Maybe gather your roommates for sunday night dinners and light the candles all together. Or just set aside a special prayer time alone where you can pray and read and light the candles.  Side-note, I've always wanted to try a hanging advent wreath, they have one pictured in the Trapp's book. They look so pretty! I couldn't find many pictures for them though-probably somewhat of a fire hazard. 

Most importantly I am trying to remember that this is a season of waiting. Just keeping that in my thoughts allows me to put things in that perspective.  There are many more ways to incorporate Advent into your everyday life, sometimes you just need to be creative and sometimes it's things right in front of your nose!