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Article: Count down for religious images.(A)(Culture, Et Cetera)
- Article from:
- The Washington Times (Washington, DC)
- Article date:
- November 28, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 News World Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Jeremy Reynalds
An annual treat for many youngsters used to be the yearly gift of an Advent calendar, featuring scenes from the Christmas story.
Even children who were not particularly religious knew that when the calendar appeared, Christmas and presents were just four weeks away. Advent, the preparatory church season emphasizing penitence and patience while awaiting Jesus' birth, begins Sunday.
But today's Advent calendars are a different creature altogether, succumbing to what many Christians consider the secularization of the Christmas celebration.
A trip to one store in an Albuquerque, N.M., mall turned up 16 Advent ...