what is advent, really?
it's common here in denmark to have four candles and light them according to the sundays of the month. [the first candle on the first sunday, then two on the second, and so forth.] i believe this is also fairly common in the states.
advent. the time of preparation, of expectation, of waiting.
it's also often a time of extreme stress, pressure for buying gifts, and a total lapse in mental and financial reasoning for many. ultimately, there end up being a lot of crazies running around the malls and in public areas around this time.