1) Do you observe Advent in your church?
Yes. Advent wreath, advent dinner, advent hymns–although by Advent 3 we’re holding people off with a whip and a chair, so a few carols creep in.
2) How about at home?
We light the candles on the advent wreath
3) Do you have a favorite Advent text or hymn?
Oh, I’m full of opinions on this one.
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus is my favorite Advent hymn, but only to the HYFRYDOL tune.
STUTTGART is an abomination unto the Lord.
But it would seem that Come Thou Long… is the only advent hymn I like that’s not in minor key. I really like Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, and of course, O Come O Come Emmanuel.
(While we’re on the topic of alternate tunes, I can go either way with Away in a Manger, but O Little Town of Bethlehem sung to FOREST GREEN is Dead to Me.)
If you’ve never heard Jim Morgan’s Advent piano solos, I recommend them. He really does stick to Advent on this album for the most part. They have a George Winston quality to them. They are not subtle, but well worth a listen.
4) Why is one of the candles in the Advent wreath pink? (You may tell the truth, but I’ll like your answer better if it’s funny.)
…I’m sorry, I am unable to bring the funny on this one. Check out some of the other revgal answers… I especially like Mary Beth’s answer.
5) What’s the funniest/kitschiest Advent calendar you’ve ever seen?
No kitsch here, but we have two Advent calendars that are virtually identical (in the style of this–great for kids), given to us by two different sets of grandparents. What to do, what to do?
I think one will go to my office.
14 Responses to “late friday five: adventually”
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Asides
» I have been remiss in posting SBJ’s latest stats: 23 pounds and 27 inches at six months. Yes, I’ve got the big mama biceps.
» Aaaaaand little she-who-is lost another tooth this week!
» SBJ is four months old, 19 pounds 5 ounces, and 26 inches tall. GIGANTOR!
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The pink candle signifies that Mary was hoping for a girl?
Mamala, that’s a popular answer!
rm, I like *singing* it to Forest Green as an anthem, but as a congregational hymn, only the real tune will do!
Oh my goodness. How can you do this? What did I ever do to you? Did your mama not raise you right? You were brought up in a barn? How on earth can you not prefer Forest Green to that whiny old Little Town tune?
sniff.
I thought I knew you better.
I totally agree with PPB. Forest Green is by far the superior hymn tune for O Little Town.
Bring it, ladies. I’m with RM on this one. How can you call the REAL Little Town of Bethlehem tune whiney?
Forest Green. Ick.
The candle is pink because there is a shortage of purple ones. We (by that I mean, those of us down here in the New Orleans area) have bought them all to get ready to decorate for Mardi Gras.
Good one, Sherry!
PPB, you break my heart by asking:
How on earth can you not prefer Forest Green to that [redacted] old Little Town tune?
By “old,” you mean… the REAL tune?
Not to get all Jets and Sharks about it, but the dull and metronomic Forest Green does. not. match the words. “How silently, how silently” in plodding four-part harmony… tsk tsk
I don’t want to venture into the Forest Green vs. Other/Older/Real tune thing…
However, I’ll gladly kick into parental gear — “Now kids, it’s Christmas time, and you don’t want to be arguing do you? Why don’t you find something to sing that you BOTH like? That would be fun wouldn’t it?? Or we could decorate cookies…”
*grin*
I’m absolutely wild about what you’ve done here, RM, and I quite agree with you on the Little Town issue.
What’s with you and Forest Green? Did you have a bad Forest Green experience?
I’m proud you’re willing to defend advent via whip and chair, but there are a couple of “Christmas carols” that work as advent hymns. (Do I even confess this: we are singing “Joy to the World” tomorrow — “The LORD is come . . .” speaks to that whole already here/not-yet-here thing. Don’t you think?)
Regarding Joy to the World, I’ve reviewed the play on instant replay, and… no penalty. “Let every heart prepare him room” is quite adventen.
I have nothing against Forest Green as such. Got a hankerin’ for All Beautiful the March of Days? Go nuts. Wanna Sing the Mighty Power of God? Eh, I can go there with you. Not so much with the deep and dreamless sleep.
I’m with you on Forest Green.
AND especially on Stuttgart. Hyfrydol forever!
Oh yeah. You got it all good on the hymn tunes.
Anything in minor key
Is terribly alright with me.
Oh, and I always thought the pink candle was some sort of appeasement to and anchient altar guild that was unable to come to concsensus or something. But, then, I’m Baptist. What the hell do I know?