The season of Advent has begun, and so has the pre-Christmas rush. It seems too ironic. Advent, which gets brushed aside to make way for grander things, just falls into the general description of what’s become known as the “holiday season.” When you group it together that way, it seems that Advent doesn’t stand a chance. Advent calls us to stop, reflect and prepare for the coming of Jesus.

Meanwhile, marketers have spent arduous months preparing for the coming of shoppers. I find myself pushing back this time of year, on a mission to stand in the face of the commercial holiday season and say, “I’m not buying into all this.” I’ve heard others complain that they can’t stand the burden and pressure of the commercial Christmas season, then throw up their hands saying, “Oh well, you gotta do what you gotta do.”

And so goes the routine. Another gift card for the hard-to-buy-for person, a dustable trinket for grandma, a shirt or a sweater for someone else – do any of these gifts make a lasting impression? They make their way home to be wrapped in paper and streamed with ribbon and bows, or maybe not. These days, gift bags, tissue paper and stick-on bows have become the norm, all in an effort to get the job done quickly.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Christmas. My favorite part of the holiday season is time spent with family and friends, sharing a meal and joyful holiday cheer. Each year I envision Christmas perfection: The house clean and decorated with live evergreens, a fire softly burning, a beautiful Christmas tree lighting up the room as everyone gathers around to sing Christmas carols. This is what memories are made of and this is the Christmas that I love. But there’s work to be done before all this can happen, and I don’t see the mall as a place to get the job done.

It’s hard not to get sucked into Christmas madness, and that makes celebrating Advent really challenging. But maybe that’s the point. Life is challenging. Finding purpose and reason for doing the things we do is all part of life’s journey. When Christmas becomes a routine holiday, the purpose of it may easily be lost.

So each year, as Advent begins, I’m mindful that it’s a challenging embrace of a season that runs counter to what has become society’s norm. It’s an endurance test on both fronts that causes me to ponder what’s really important, what I need more of and what I can do without. It’s a season that is both cold and dark, and the very nature of this suggests coming inside, in both a physical and spiritual sense. Why not do a careful looking over of what’s inside your heart?

In order for me to do this, I have to steer clear of the stores. Spending time in nature helps. In anticipation of this week’s snow storm, I spent last weekend outside gathering greens and red berries to make an Advent wreath and Christmas wreaths for the house. As the snow fell on Monday and school was called off, I felt the urge to play Christmas carols and bake cookies.

Cookie recipes have been gathered over the years and the baking process runs the whole season of Advent. The kitchen is a mess. As the oven heats up, counters are covered with flour and powdered sugar. The season of Advent has a distinct look. Cookie baking is my Advent prayer, which helps me focus on the sweetness of redemption, the birth of Christ and his gift of salvation to all of us.

By the time Advent comes to an end, the cookies are ready to be packaged in cellophane bags tied up with ribbons and bows. As we make our cookie deliveries, the mystery of what’s inside those bags awaits. Each year, some new recipes are added, so it’s always a fresh, sweet surprise.