Advent is a time of waiting. For many children in our society, they're waiting for...presents. Or waiting for time off from school. Or maybe they can't quite name it, but they experience this pervasive sense of anticipation. They're waiting for...something. For many children, whatever it is they're anticipating quickly fades when Christmas passes. The fulfillment proves to be short-lived.
For parents, a different sense of anticipation might be felt. Maybe some wait for what gift they'll receive from their significant other, or from their children. Maybe parents anticipate how their children will react to the celebrations and to Christmas Eve and morning rituals. But for parents there also is a sense of anticipation, of getting things ready for Christmas gatherings, anticipation of travel, and of spending time with relatives and others. Sometimes this sense of anticipation turns in to anxiety.
