Advent, which begins the Church’s liturgical year, began on the first Sunday in December. Advent encompasses the four Sundays and weekdays leading up to the celebration of Christmas.The Advent season is a time of preparation for our hearts and minds for the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas.  The word ‘Advent’ is derived from the Latin word for ‘coming’. Advent calendars can be traced back to the 19th century when families would mark every day in December until Christmas Eve with a chalk line.  Originally, the four-week period known as Advent began as a time for converts to Christianity to prepare for baptism. It is now more commonly associated with the celebrated anniversary of Christ’s birth.