1. Advent Prepared by: Alina III D & Jordana IIIC

2. Advent, (from Latin adventus, “coming”), in the Christian church calendar, the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ.Jesus ChristChristmasSecond Coming

3. It begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30 (St. Andrew’s Day) and is the beginning of the new church year.church year

4. In the time of Advent believers fast (do not eat meat in order to clean their organisms), and those who do not manage not to eat meat for a month, fast only on Fridays.

5. Advent is the time of concentration and looking inside yourself: you should refrain from partying, listening to loud music, dancing and other boisterous kinds of entertainment.

6. People go to church, light candles. In a Lithuanian’s house you can often find an Advent wreath with four candles in it.

7. The first candle is lit on the first week of Advent, the second candle – on the second and so on. Singing calm, wistful songs of religious content is rather common.

8. Cribs and Christmas trees are placed in the main squares of towns, and people decorate their own homes to bring joy to each others’ hearts.

9. Families start preparing as soon as the day of Christmas Eve dawns: they tidy up their houses, change bedclothes, decorate the Christmas tree if they hadn’t done it yet, cook the meals for the traditional supper.

10. The main meals on the table are fish (especially herring), “Kūčiukai“ with poppies (a kind of rusks), mandarines and cranberries’ kisielius (jelly drink made of water, cranberries and potato starch).