Quick quiz. Advent is:

A) The pre-game for Christmas B) Christmas Lite™ C) Four weeks of feeling guilty about eating cookies D) None of the above

If you said D, congratulations. You may skip to the end and collect your gold star. ⭐

For everyone else (no judgement, we’ve all been there), welcome to Advent 101.

So what is Advent, really?

Advent begins this coming Sunday, November 29, and it kicks off a whole new liturgical year.

It’s a season of waiting, but not the bored, stuck-in-traffic kind. It’s the joyful, hopeful kind. The Church looks back to the first coming of Christ at Bethlehem and forward to His return in glory.

Two comings. One season. Zero time for spiritual hibernation.

The Advent wreath, explained

That circle of evergreen on your parish altar isn’t just decor. The circle reminds us of God’s eternal love, and the evergreen of the life He gives.

Then there are the candles. Three violet, one rose.

The rose candle is lit on the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, when the Church pauses to rejoice because Christmas is near. And yes, it’s rose. Not pink. Somewhere a sacristan just nodded approving.

Confession: the best Christmas gift (and the cheapest)

Many parishes hold penance services during Advent. If it’s been a while, this is your sign.

A clean heart is the best manger we can offer Jesus. And unlike that sweater for your uncle, it always fits.

Prayer and preparation

Advent invites us to slow down, to pray a little more, and to make room. Less noise, more silence. Less rush, more waiting with Mary.

It doesn’t need to be complicated. A few minutes a day really does change things.

Learn it all in bite-size episodes

Our Advent 101 series was made for lifelong Catholics and curious beginners alike.

Each short episode walks you through one tradition, from the wreath to penance services, so you can understand the season and actually live it.

Perfect for your commute. Or your coffee. Or your “hiding from the holiday chaos in the laundry room” moment.

Once you’ve got the basics down, keep the momentum going with Advent with the Saints, a daily dose of holy inspiration.

Follow and share

Follow Advent 101 on Tabella so you don’t miss an episode.

And please share it! Send it to your RCIA friend, your godchild, or the person in your family who still thinks Advent is a type of calendar with tiny doors.

(It is. But it’s also so much more.) 🕯️