ADVENT COUNTDOWN 23

This is the month, and this the happy morn

Wherein the Son of Heav'n's eternal King

Of wedded Maid, and Virgin Mother born,

Our great redemption from above did bring;

For so the holy sage did once sing,

That he our deadly forfeit should release,

And with his Father work us a perpetual peace.

—John Milton,

"On the Morning of Christ's Nativity"

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[The word "Advent" comes from the Latin adventus, which means "coming." In the Christian church Advent is that period of expectant waiting leading up to the Nativity of Jesus. Some prefer to think of it as a "Countdown to Christmas." If you've ever had an Advent calendar, you know that each day prior to Christmas has it own window, usually hidden behind a little flap or door, behind which is a scene or verse from the Scriptures. I thought it would be fun to take that idea and post a daily photo with a bit of text below—a stanza or two from a Christmas poem or a few lines of prose from a favorite Christmas story. The photos aren't intended to be tied with the text. Some are just ones I meant to run with a post this past year, but for whatever reason, didn't. To set these posts apart from my regular—or irregular!—ones, I've given them a different typeface and look.]