What? How Did December First Happen?!?

I usually really enjoy the first of the month. It's kind of like a mini-new year for me, new beginnings, so many opportunities, all of the events that will happen. But this time, I'm just shocked and flustered. I have SOOOOOO much I want to do before the end of the semester (Dec 20th is looming!), and time isn't holding still long enough for me to get a good grasp! Today is also the first day on our advent calandar (Yeah!) Sharky and I get to open a window and see a cute little picture... no, it's not one of those chocolate advent calendars. I much prefer the oldy-type ones with just a picture of a squirrel with a ribbon-wrapped walnut, or something. I can go out and buy way better chocolate for cheaper if I want to. But I also miss celebrating advent in church. I'm increasingly becoming more and more saddened by evangelicalism's aversion to church tradition. Granted, not all are like that. In my old church in Coquitlam, they would light an advent candle every Sunday starting at the actual beginning of advent, which I believe is the last Sunday in November. Now, other than a lot of Christmas decorations, there's no celebrating of Advent, the season before Christmas (and I happen to know which 12 are the 12 days of Christmas), to eagerly look forward to the coming of Christ. I guess I am still really excited that it's the first, no amount of dread can take that away, but it's going to be a tough climb for the next couple weeks.