I admit it. I love Christmas.

Every year, I pull out my astounding collection of old Christmas movies on DVD and find the cheezy decorations and tune in to the station that plays Christmas music ad nauseum (until you want to toss your Christmas cookies). And every year I feel cheated that the celebration of the birth of Christ and all the good things that came with it gets only one day a year.

Not this year. Well, ok. Maybe this year, but definitely not the next. Not if I can help it.

I want to celebrate the whole Advent season. According to Wikipedia, advent is “a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.” It starts the fourth Sunday before December 25, which I think puts it right after the Thursday of Thanksgiving.

No, I’m not Catholic or Episcpalian. Actually, I’m not sure what I am or what to call myself, other than a follower of Christ. I am a follower of the child born in a manger who grew into a man who lived a sinless life and perfectly fulfilled the law in my place. God came near and became one of us. To me, that deserves more than one day.

I don’t exactly know how the whole Advent thing works. I have a Common Prayer Book, which I will use this year, but other than that I am pretty much clueless. I’m also clueless about dating and directions, but that is a whole other blog that I will write some other time.

So help me out. If you celebrate the whole Advent season, I would love to know what you do. By the way, there’s only 70 more shopping days left until Christmas, so you better get crackin’ and ‘wrappin’!

As always, I believe. Help my unbelief.