Christmas, Advent, and popular movies

I apologize for not posting anything in a long while; I have been quite busy lately!

One of the things that my family does every year, is advent.  Not only does advent remind us of what Christmas is really about, but it walks us through the history of the birth of Christ and the salvation that we have through Him; starting in the beginning.  While our advent is certainly not the regular 'advent' that many people think of, it is helpful during the anxiety and excitement of the Christmas season.  In our advent, we start with some of the early patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament and study the prophesies of Christ's birth.  Then we sing a portion a O Come, O Come Emmanuel that pertains to the subject of that evenings Scripture.  Then, strangely enough, we dip our fingers in 'sand' and vinegar to signify our longing for a Savior and the bitterness of our sin.  Finally, on Christmas day, we do our last advent; this time, we sing Joy to the World and eat mini chocolates instead of 'sand' and vinegar, signifying our salvation from sin.  Thus, as odd as this advent may seem, it is a vital reminder of the value of Christ's birth.  :)

Well, I had a wonderful Christmas Day full of hope and joy.  Our family has many Christmas traditions (some of which include sweet rolls for Christmas breakfast and memorizing/reciting Luke 2).  After a yummy breakfast we retire into the living room where we begin by opening presents (usually in order from oldest to youngest).  When all the colorfully wrapped boxes are torn open and the joyous treasures inside are carefully put away, we relax as a family, reading or simply resting.  So, does your family have any special Christmas traditions?

Oh, and the snow!  Even though it was not a white Christmas, Wednesday was a beautifully grey and snowy day.  Today some of my family took advantage of the fact that we have snow, a quad, a new sled, and daring children...you can imagine the rest.  ;)

Now on to the topic of movies.  Before going to see The Hobbit myself, I heard many mixed reviews from various friends.  However, after going to the theater and watching it, I absolutely loved it.  The music soundtrack was compiled of a balanced amount of songs from The Lord of the Rings and the dwarves theme.  In addition, the superb acting of all the dwarves (and hobbit and wizard:) combined with the superb footage made this film a success.  Even though Peter Jackson added some elements to the movie that are not in the book, I believe that the talented director did a fabulous job of shaping all of the characters in different and unique ways.  As for Le Miserables, I cannot say much as I have not even seen the movie myself :). Have any of you watched either of these movies.  If so, what did you think?

I hope your Christmas was filled with the love and hope of our loving Heavenly Savior!

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
Glory to God in the highest!


-Lily