Christmas is coming, ready or not.

Mixed Media Nativity (images - author's own)

Advent is known as a season of waiting and anticipation. Is the child in you is bursting with excitement and expectation for the forthcoming spree of bright lights and packages under the tree? Are you one of those waiting for all the retail hype to be over to celebrate a traditional unfussy Christmas Day with family or at church? For many this can be a difficult time facing the pain of empty places round the table or hopes that have been crushed, leaving crumpled hearts rather than wrapping paper.

For writers, Advent should be a gift. Especially those who were prepared with books, blogs or poetry collections to promote. Even those less organised, like me, can always search for Advent word prompts to write ‘in the moment’ instead, such as the one on the ACW Trellis Poetry Facebook group. Drafts or ideas created this year can be used for next year. Therefore, changing the narrative of crumpled dreams caused by our ever-present lack of foresight or energy. 

Despite of, or because of, my chronic neurodiverse ineptitude, I regularly have to learn to ‘sing a new song’. As an example, I am rephrasing my ongoing task to produce a 'Writers Commission' from ‘not yet done’ to ‘waiting to shaped’. Jumping out of society-imposed boxes also happens regularly. For decades I avoided January for new ‘year’ resolutions and made time to review them on my birthday in September instead. Not a great help if your birthday is in January, but you get the idea. While writing this blog about how unprepared I am for Advent, to turn the disappointment around, I realised that I could put prompts in my calendar now for October 2025 to draft a plan for next Advent. I could even use Advent to think about what I may do for Lent and Easter.

Not only can we change our inner narrative, but we can also look to share different life experiences in the stories we tell. As mentioned above, people approach these seasons differently. How or where could you find a different emotion, or unusual character, in the story, and write from that perspective? Due to memories of losing family in mid-December, Christmas can be a difficult time in us. For me the challenge could be to reflect on memories of happier seasons past. Alternatively, I could present my different emotions in a way that can help others voice their raw feelings and feel less alone.

Whether you anticipate Advent and Christmas with glee or dread, as Christian writers that is also a strong narrative to work with. Who could believe that Almighty God chose to come to earth as a baby and live among us? How can we make that story become believable to our communities? 

There may still be a place for tales of being third lobster in a school nativity, but there are many perspectives and many opportunities to consider. Whatever mood or mindset we approach Advent, let us all find ways to use our gifts to bless others and share the goodness of God who changed the narrative of four hundred years silence.

PS This is one of the poems I wrote from an Advent word prompt of 'Prepare' in 2021.

Prepare for Christmas

Fill your trolleys, check the stocks
Check off the lists, buy sprouts and socks
Put up the tinsel and trim the tree
Don’t forget to set out the nativity

Gather the shepherds, prop up the star
Set out the angels, wise men from afar
Place Joseph with Mary as they both stare
at the wonder of Jesus in the stable so bare

Play the carols quietly, sing of the season
Remember the story hosting the reason   
Settle in prayer and stop all the rush
Give thanks for the one born God with us

Copyright E Langford Dec 2021

 

Elaine Langford is a sporadic writer and poet, between fatigue and distraction. Throughout advent she will reshare past Advent poetry from her Wordpress blog, “Poetry Puddles”, and hope to find time during Christmas to draft new work, plus add a post to her "Faith Thinking” blog.