When I was a little kid, I was always so excited when December 1st came and we could open the first flap of the Advent calendar! On the outside, Advent calendars were so lovely; glittering angels dressed in beautiful robes! I was just dying to see what was behind those little cardboard flaps. Sadly, it was a little disappointing when the open flap revealed…. a picture of a toy soldier or a rocking horse, or a Bible verse I didn’t understand. What a let down! I always hoped to step through the calendar, behind the flap and enter somewhere special, something like entering through C.S Lewis’ wardrobe doors into the kingdom and magic of Narnia! Some years, my Mom would splurge and buy the Advent calendars that held a piece of chocolate behind the flaps, but that was almost worse because even my indiscriminate palate told me the chocolate was waxy and stale, plus I would always fight with my sister over who got to open the box and eat the chocolate for that day. Often, we would resort to waking extra early so we could have first dibs, and then end up with a stomach ache from eating chocolate first thing in the morning. Not exactly fulfilling the joy of Christmas! I wanted something more! Something that not only told the WHOLE story of that exciting, world-changing event, Jesus’ birth, but something that I could play with.
My deepest prayer is that you and your family will find new ways of knowing Jesus as you open each drawer and that The Christmas Cabinet will bless you and your family for many, many years to come! I pray for each and every one of you who open those drawers!
Peace of Christ,