Tonny and Rosana Jimenez have a Christmas wish to share: that during this Advent season, people open up a tiny space for God to enter their hearts so he can make a big difference.
This couple, originally from the Dominican Republic, arrived in South Brooklyn and Washington Heights in the 1970s. They now have children and grandchildren of their own, and this Christmas season, as they have for decades, they will come together to celebrate what they hold most sacred: their family. The kids may have moved out, but the Advent season offers many ways for the family to reunite in their Staten Island home.
The word “Advent” derives from Latin and means “coming” or “arrival.” Advent lasts for four Sundays leading up to Christmas. The Advent season not only symbolizes the waiting for Christ’s birth but also for his final return. This time of hope also carries many traditions. Traditions vary by country, but common ways of commemorating Jesus’ birth are through Advent calendars, wreaths, and candles.
For the Jimenez family, while they love their Dominican culture, and maintain many of the traditions like dancing merengue, eating arroz con guandules, and flying their flag high in their home, they also take pride in incorporating traditions and customs of other Latino cultures. Having a Puerto Rican son and daughter-in-law, salsa music, coquito, and posadas are now a part of this Advent season. While the smells of delicious food fill the house, there is another scent that Tonny and Rosana eagerly await each season: the Advent wreath.
The creation of the Advent wreath is attributed to Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808–1881), a Protestant pastor in Germany. After being asked daily by children at his mission school if Christmas had arrived, this pastor built a large wooden ring (made out of an old cartwheel) with 24 small red and four large white candles. A small candle was lit every weekday and Saturday during Advent. On Sundays, a large white candle was lit. Eventually, the Advent wreath was created out of evergreen branches, symbolizing everlasting life in the midst of winter and death. The circle reminds us of God’s unending love and the eternal life He makes possible.
The Jimenez family always purchases a real wreath because of the smell of pine that they say brings them a sense of peace and Christmas spirit. Tonny looks forward to arriving home after a long day at work to that breath of fresh pine air that is better than any perfume you can buy. The wreath and the smell that accompanies it remind the family that soon the family is going to be coming together in celebration.
Just as exciting as the wreath are the candles that adorn it. The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent, and one candle is lit each Sunday. Three of the candles are violet, a liturgical color that signifies a time of prayer, penance, and sacrifice. The first candle symbolizes hope. The second candle represents faith. The third candle, which symbolizes joy, is rose. The fourth candle, also violet, represents peace. The optional fifth candle represents light and purity. It is placed in the middle and is lit on Christmas Day. This candle is white to represent pure light and victory.
Rosana makes it a habit to give thanks to the mother Church as she puts out her wreath, lights her candles, and goes to mass. She thinks about all of the light these traditions bring. In a season of the year that is cold and dark with bare trees in the New York Area, Rosana seeks refuge in the lights of the candles, the green of the wreath, and the colors that the season of Christmas provides and it lifts your spirit. There is so much darkness, mental health problems, and bad news out in the world these days, what a gift our Church provides us with lively music, beautiful lights, and holiday aromas.
For the Jimenez family, the most sacred part of this season is being together, both nuclear and extended. Advent is when God as a family becomes real. It gives them an opportunity to share love, forgive each other, and accept each other for where they are in this moment. When you can do this, you are bringing God into your heart, and making him real. By us showing each other unconditional love, the family is welcoming the healing energy and divine mystery that allows us to convert mistakes into positivity. Bringing God’s real presence is most possible when we are present for the family.
As the Jimenez family continues their preparations for this Advent season and enjoys traditions like caroling, hot chocolate, and abundant food, they open themselves to serve as a channel. Just as they feel every time they go to a posada or other ritual, they know that God is using them to be a light, not only for themselves but for their entire community.