The holidays are here and in full swing. Many people are hurrying up to grab last minute presents and gifts for their loved ones, but at our school, we remind and teach our students that there is much more to Christmas than just gifts. We teach them the story of Jesus’ birth and why it is important to pray and rejoice during this season.  The Meaning of Advent Advent is derived from the Latin term adventus, which means arrival, and is the start to the New Year in the Church. This season begins four weeks before Christmas. During this time, we prepare our hearts and mind, and reflect on the real reason of the holiday and why we celebrate – the birth of Jesus. A common tradition during Advent is the lighting of the Advent wreath. Each Sunday, we light one of the four candles around the wreath in preparation of the coming of Jesus. The first, second, and fourth are often purple, and the third is pink or rose. They each have a symbolic meaning, and are lit in the following order: Hope (Purple) – The Prophecy Candle Faith (Purple) – The Bethlehem Candle Joy (Pink/Rose) – Shepard’s Candle […]