It’s the first Sunday of Advent, the beginning of a beautiful season that’s becoming a best-kept secret. Don’t like the hassle and hurry of December? Celebrate Advent instead.

On the first Sunday of Advent, I do these things:

• Set up our Advent wreath, pray over it, and light the first candle during morning prayer.
• Put up the barn for our creche. And nothing else. No animals, people or angels. They arrive in the barn in an order during the Sundays of Advent and Christmas Eve.
• Get out my Christmas china, which I’ve collected over decades. (I also get out my Christmas socks.)
• Put up the Advent calendar, which my grown son still likes to use when he is at the house.
• Switch to Advent and Christmas music. You can look at Spotify for Advent playlists to some things that are not “Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel.” (Although that is still my favorite.)

Enjoy the presence of the Lord in your house on this holy day.