Rattlesnakes for Advent

Received a cute Advent calendar Christmas card in the mail today. The front has soft-hued angels, shepherds and Wise Men surrounding the nativity scene. Inside are cheery words about a baby in a manger, angels on wing, shepherds quaking in fields and the world shouting in joy at the baby's birth.

I love Advent calendars. It's fun to slowly savor again the story of Jesus birth by opening one window a day until Christmas. It was a nice gesture by the sender.

So I set the sweet card here on my desk, and opened the December 1 window. And lo and behold, there was a picture of a.......coiled rattlesnake, rearing back to strike, and the words, "He will strike your head. Genesis 3:15."

Huh? An Old Testament approach to the Christmas story? But.....baby Jesus isn't in the Old Testament. Well, except for a prophecy here and there. There's very little cute, sweet or cheery about the Old Testament. Certainly not a rattlesnake striking my head.

This may be a fascinating Advent calendar.