by the Revd Mark Smith, Vicar of Rawdon

DURING 2017 British households spent an average of £475.51 on presents £225.02 on food and drink, £31.20 on decorations and £89.52 on Christmas travel. Despite all the media speculation about the economy and Brexit it looks like 2018 will be much the same.

Of course the pattern of spending has changed. Most spending used to be in December but now there is a massive spending boom in November with Black Friday and Cyber Monday having become a new retail “major festival” .

We also spend 80 per cent more on books over Christmas so maybe some good things are happening – or are they just those unread gifts?

It is,of course, equally interesting how we spend our time. Most people agree December is a “busy” time and some people look positively frazzled by the time Christmas finally arrives.

In all shopping and business, the ancient Christian season of Advent has got rather squeezed out, but I have always thought it has something to offer us in our consumerism -led and frantic December.

Advent was traditionally a time for silence, reflection, fasting, and prayer focussed around the idea of patient expectation and waiting.

It’s a big contrast to today’s round of pre-Christmas parties, frantic shopping, decorating, visiting, card writing, cooking and so on.

I’m glad advent calendars are still around but maybe we need a bit more than just opening another door to the latest must-have chocolate, liqueur or branded cosmetic.

Maybe we just need to make sure we all take a break, take a step back and ask just what all the fuss is about, just what are we waiting for.

There is brokenness in our world that no delivery of Black Friday bargains can fix; there is hunger in our souls that no plateful of turkey dinner can fill (even if you do insist on having “Yorkshire Puds” as well).

Maybe, like me, you find some hope in this season joins our hearts with the stories of ancient prophets who pined for a long-promised Messiah and a better world

At my own church in Rawdon, we’ve made a little prayer chapel so people can escape, reflect, pray and enjoy the silence – you may well find your local has some similar space.

Why not have a go at doing a real advent this December?