Secular advent/seasonal reflections/quotes?

[Farrar]

I'm trying to figure out what to stick in the advent calendar this year. It's such a tradition that I don't want to ditch it. But I really don't want to add more food. No more little treats - the kids are too old. And no tasks. That's lovely and all, but we are crazy busy before the holidays. I just don't have time most days to stop and make cookies with everyone or figure out which day to put in a put up the tree put up the this and that. Everyone in my house has performances this month (except me!). It's Nutcracker season so it won't end until post-holidays either.

 

So I'd love to put in some pause and reflect, have a positive affirmation, think about the ending of the year kinds of things. The problem is, my kids are strongly atheists and all those lists online tend to be religious. Anyone have a good resource so I don't have to make it all up myself? I asked the kids, and they were like, oh, that's a nice idea, we'd like that. But then I got stymied trying to find something that was semi-premade.

 

I feel like something along these lines has been asked in previous years.

 

TIA!

[Carol in Cal.]

Quotes about light are good.

There are both Christian and secular ones.

 

"It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness" for example.

 

Here is a page of others:  https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/light

 

Of course, my personal favorites are mostly Judeo-Christian.  

"Let there be light!"

[TechWife]

I don't understand the point in a secular Advent. 

[Farrar]

I don't understand the point in a secular Advent. 

 

So, then, maybe don't comment? I think I explained what I was looking for pretty clearly.

[Carol in Cal.]

I don't understand the point in a secular Advent. 

I do, although I personally have a Christian one.

Lots of my friends who are not Christian still celebrate Christmas, and the decorations are up in all the stores already.  Plus I have friends who are Christian and want to celebrate Advent in their families but who have some or all nonChristian children.

[wathe]

There are some good literary Christmas quotes on this Goodreads list. It might be a place to start.

[Farrar]

I do, although I personally have a Christian one.

Lots of my friends who are not Christian still celebrate Christmas, and the decorations are up in all the stores already.  Plus I have friends who are Christian and want to celebrate Advent in their families but who have some or all nonChristian children.

 

I'm also in pretty good company. When I looked for resources, I found tons of blog posts and Pinterest boards and so forth tagged as secular and advent. It's just that they were geared toward holiday prep tasks or toward little presents for those advent calendars.

 

I mean, my mother's a minister. I grew up in a very happy church. I get the religious purpose of advent too. It's just not how we do the lead up to the holidays in my house.

[rainbowmama]

Oops! I didn't read this carefully enough. Sorry! I don't know how to delete this post. Maybe you'll find it useful anyway?

 

This is an interfaith practice, which has a non-theistic option
https://www.owlsdaughter.com/the-2017-advent-sun-wreath-ceremony-year-thirteen/

 

Our family counts down to the solstice, so we started last Sunday. Here's a link: https://www.owlsdaughter.com/2017/11/tonight-we-begin-the-2017-solstice-sun-wheel-prayer-for-advent/

Edited December 2, 2017 by rainbowmama

[wathe]

Atheists here.  We do Christmas count-down calendars too.  We even call them Advent Calendars.  Mostly because that's what's written on the box of our LEGO Advent Calendars, and because that's what everyone else calls a Christmas count-down calendar. 

[craftymama]

I'm not exactly sure I understand what you are looking for, but I wanted to suggest a day where everyone writes down something they love about everyone else and puts in a jar or envelope for each person.  Everyone could open them the next day or whenever works.  

 

 

[Lady Florida.]

I haven't seen any motivational quotes but I did find some activities that don't involve the time you don't have. Things like -

 

-Let someone go ahead of you in line.

-Wave at everyone you pass while driving/riding in a car

-Donate a book to the library

-Smile and say hello to every sales person/cashier you encounter today.

 

Oh, I did see a few questions to ponder. The two that I remember are "Why is Christmas a hopeful time?" and "What is joy? How is joy different from happiness?" Each of those can have non-religious answers.  

 

Ds always enjoyed the Lego Advent Calendar which of course is secular. I totally understand what you're trying to do.

 

Here's one that might give you ideas. I searched images for "secular advent calendar sayings"  https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=PLFBCTl7&id=76778B835D278303C0812B112415F1F0F4ACF8B6&thid=OIP.PLFBCTl7SljKbX-JBXSCyQEsDg&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.etsy-giveaways.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2015%2f12%2finspirational-calendar.jpg&exph=427&expw=570&q=secular+advent+calendar+quotes&simid=608001714156668673&selectedIndex=59&ajaxhist=0

[Sherry in OH]

Would any of these work?

 

Happiness never decreases by being shared

The mind is everything. What you think you become. 

(Buddhist quotes)

 

Thy life is a miracle. (Shakespeare - King Lear)

 

Come forth into the light of things.  Let Nature be your teacher. 

The best portion of a good man’s life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.

To begin, begin.

(William Wordsworth)

 

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face (Victor Hugo)

 

Kindness is like snow, it beautifies everything it covers. (Kahlil Gibran)

 

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind.  To cherish peace and goodwill, to be penteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas (Calvin Coolidge)

 

Christmas is doing a little something extra for someone. (Charles M. Schulz)

 

Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book.  Write a good one.

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

(source unknown)

 

[Loesje22000]

In our flemish newspaper a journalist wrote today about her reversed advent calender.

In stead of adding more stuff in house, she put each day something away in a box to bring the box to a thrift shop around christmas. It resonated to me personally, but it might not be what you are looking for.

[KarenNC]

"Advent" is not specific to one religion or to religion at all. It simply means "the coming of an event or person." We do a Solstice advent calendar to celebrate the coming of the light as part of our religious tradition, but we've also done Christmas

advent calendars counting down to the coming of Santa and stockings as part of our cultural holiday tradition. I've been known to do a Halloween advent calendar as well. This year's Solstice advent calendar is a grab bag of individual funky socks, since my daughter likes to wear mismatched ones. I got a great deal on some from Old Navy for Black Friday and she pulls out two a day.

 

Try these 

https://www.bustle.com/articles/131386-21-winter-solstice-quotes-to-celebrate-the-first-day-of-winter

https://www.bustle.com/articles/200432-13-quotes-to-celebrate-the-winter-solstice

http://www.wiseoldsayings.com/winter-quotes/

 

And my favorite bit of all comes from Terry Pratchett's "The Hogfather"--it's at the end, when Death's granddaughter, Susan, has saved the Hogfather (the Discworld version of Santa) so that the Sun will continue to rise. We watch "The Hogfather" each year as part of our Solstice traditions. This is from the movie version, which is slightly differently worded than in the book:

https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=aIILp0jiXGs

(I've put a space in it after "youtube." so that hopefully it won't automatically show up as a video in the post

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2017 by KarenNC

[Dicentra]

This is what we're doing this year:

https://www.facebook.com/An-Advent-of-Gratitude-1467895886629145/

It's a reverse advent calendar similar to what was mentioned above.  Apparently, it was a charitable group in Lethbridge, Alberta who came up with it and it's kind of gone viral.  I like that. :)

https://globalnews.ca/news/3893019/lethbridge-donate-holidays-advent-gratitude-charity/

 

It's secular.  It has things like this...

Day 1- Pay .25 for each woman in your family who graduated from high school.

Day 2- If you rode in a car today, pay $1. Pay $2 if you drove the car.

Day 3- Count the light switches in your house. Pay .25 for each one.

Day 4- How many pairs of shoes and/or boots do you own? Pay .10 per pair.

Day 5-If you have never experienced having your electricity or heat shut off due to inability to pay the bill, pay $5.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I don't understand the point in a secular Advent. 

 

Winter is dark and the return of the sun and light on the solstice is worth anticipating.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

We have books of Christmas/Solstice/Winter short stories, songs, poems, and verses. They work well for short reflections, especially when paired with lighting candles. 

 

Would something like Earth Bound: Daily Meditations for All Seasons work? If not, maybe something similar?

 

From Amazon:

Earth Bound is a daybook of 365 meditations culled from the worlds of spirituality and science, philosophy and art. These daily musings remind us of both the responsibility and the humanity we share on Earth and within the embrace of the cosmos.

Edited December 3, 2017 by Woodland Mist Academy

[meganrussell]

I love the idea of a reverse Advent - giving and doing things for others.

[6packofun]

You could still use the traditional themes of each Sunday/week of Advent and find quotes or activity/service suggestions for those themes.  Hope, Love, Joy, Peace.  

[Alicia64]

I'm no help: we do a Lego advent calendar.

 

But it's cute!

 

Alley

[Carol in Cal.]

"Advent" is not specific to one religion or to religion at all. It simply means "the coming of an event or person." 

That's not quite right.

 

The *word* advent means 'coming' as a common noun.  In that sense  you are correct.

 

The *season*, Advent, is a specific Christian one.  It is the fourth weeks before Christmas.  It is a season of promise and expectation and preparation.  It has a penitential quality  as well.  The point of Christmas is the coming of Christ as a human, but Advent also points to His second coming, so it has an eschatological quality as well.

[Carol in Cal.]

I love the idea of a reverse Advent - giving and doing things for others.

There is also a reverse Advent tradition floating around in which each day you put a package or can of food into a big basket for the food bank, and then take it there on Christmas.  That sort of fits in with Boxing Day.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

That's not quite right.

 

The *word* advent means 'coming' as a common noun.  In that sense  you are correct.

 

The *season*, Advent, is a specific Christian one.  It is the fourth weeks before Christmas.  It is a season of promise and expectation and preparation.  It has a penitential quality  as well.  The point of Christmas is the coming of Christ as a human, but Advent also points to His second coming, so it has an eschatological quality as well.

 

The changing of a holiday or tradition is nothing new. Many modern traditions are very different from their earliest occurrences. Sometimes their origins are even in a different religion or culture. For many, the purity or history of a tradition doesn't matter as much as what meaning we give to it now.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Here is a Waldolf verse/song that can be used for candle lighting.

 

 

The first light of Advent is the light of stones,
The light that shines in seashells, in crystals, and in bones.
 

The second light of Advent is the light of plants,
Plants that reach up to the sun and in the breezes dance.
 

The third light of Advent is the light of beasts,
Light of hope that shines in the greatest and the least.
 

The fourth light of Advent is the light of humankind,
The light of love, the light of thought, to give and understand.

 

Edited December 3, 2017 by Woodland Mist Academy

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Another idea is a winter solstice spiral of lights using tea lights. One more is lit each day.  

 

The spiral represents many things -- including the coming hibernation of winter and looking to the quiet and stillness within.

 

The candle lighting could be done in silent mediation or with a poem, verse, story, or song. Five minutes should allow enough time if you choose a poem, verse, or song. Longer if you choose a short story. You could also read a longer story over a period of several days or the whole season.

Edited December 3, 2017 by Woodland Mist Academy

[maize]

How about winter poetry?

 

https://m.poemhunter.com/poems/winter/

[Carol in Cal.]

The changing of a holiday or tradition is nothing new. Many modern traditions are very different from their earliest occurrences. Sometimes their origins are even in a different religion or culture. For many, the purity or history of a tradition doesn't matter as much as what meaning we give to it now.

Just like Christmas is Dec. 25, Advent is the 4 weeks before Christmas.

The celebrations of them can tilt toward secularization or anything else, but those calendar dates are constant.

[Farrar]

Thanks everyone! I got a bunch of good ones. :)

 

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Just like Christmas is Dec. 25, Advent is the 4 weeks before Christmas.

The celebrations of them can tilt toward secularization or anything else, but those calendar dates are constant.? 

 

I'm not sure of your question. Yes, those are the dates for those events. Long before Christmas celebrations (which are relatively modern), people celebrated the winter solstice, which takes place just a few day earlier, thus the overlap of the celebrations.

[73349]

Here are some:

 

"Sing awake the light." - Jim Scott (The song it's from isn't specifically about the solstice, but I think it's apt.)

 

"Ring in the love of truth and right; ring in the common love of good." - Alfred, Lord Tennyson

 

"May we learn to celebrate the brave persistence of the earth and take into ourselves the courage of new beginnings." - Richard S. Gilbert

 

 

 

[73349]

Oh, and this is a long one, but maybe you would like a smaller piece of it:

 

Come we now out of the darkness

By Annie Foerster

 

Come we now out of the darkness of our unknowing
    and the dusk of our dreaming;
Come we now from far places.
Come we now into the twilight of our awakening
    and the reflection of our gathering.
Come we now all together.

We bring, unilluminated, our dark caves of doubting;
We seek, unbedazzled, the clear light of understanding.
May the sparks of our joining kindle our resolve,
    brighten our spirits, reflect our love,
        and unshadow our days.
Come we now; enter the dawning.

 

[rjand6more]

A little late, but we are really enjoying Bob Ross quotes.:) He could make anything inspirational.  :) 

[Carol in Cal.]

I'm not sure of your question. Yes, those are the dates for those events. Long before Christmas celebrations (which are relatively modern), people celebrated the winter solstice, which takes place just a few day earlier, thus the overlap of the celebrations.

I didn't have a question mark in my post.  It's not a question but a statement.

Christmas is Dec. 25.  Advent is the 4 weeks before that.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I didn't have a question mark in my post.  It's not a question but a statement.

Christmas is Dec. 25.  Advent is the 4 weeks before that.

 

That explains my confusion. :)  Don't know where the question mark came from. I must have accidentally put it there somehow. Sorry about that! I see now you were just making a statement. 

 

The winter solstice this year is Dec. 21st. The time leading up to it can be called the advent of the winter solstice or something else or nothing.  ;)

 

This might be helpful if anyone is interested and who has not heard advent used in any other context other than the days leading up to Christmas:

 

Merriam-Webster's 3rd definition:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Advent

3. not capitalized : a coming into being or use 

   the advent of spring

   the advent of pasteurization

   the advent of personal computers

Edited December 4, 2017 by Woodland Mist Academy

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I think what might have happened is when I first tried to respond, I asked a question, but then realized it was included in the quote. I deleted everything but the question mark then got confused. Who knows... Anyway, apologies again.  :)

[Carol in Cal.]

I think what might have happened is when I first tried to respond, I asked a question, but then realized it was included in the quote. I deleted everything but the question mark then got confused. Who knows... Anyway, apologies again.  :)

 

No apologies needed, just clarifying>>>  :)

[Woodland Mist Academy]

No apologies needed, just clarifying>>>  :)

 

Oh good! Thanks for letting me know!!