First Sunday in Advent ~ Christmas countdown

30th November ~ 1st Advent Sunday 

It's here!  The countdown to my favourite time of year begins today!  Are you excited too or are you dreading it?  Are you a big child or a Bah Humbug?  Do you see all the wonderful things to create or are you filled with dread with endless lists?  Whichever camp you are in, Christmas usually produces some sort of emotion in all of us.  Have you figured out which camp I am in?


Come on inside and join us for a drink, red wine ok for you? 
A warm glass of Rioja is what we are having a tipple of...


White lights from tonight to welcome our friends


 
Come on in it's chilly outside
 
 
In Norway the dark evenings from today will be lit up and despite the dropping temperature and the lack of day light hours, Norway is bathed in beautiful lights from all the houses, in the streets, the towns and villages.  Everyone but every one has twinkling lights.  It is cheery and welcoming and helps to shorten those very long winter months.  Christmas really does arrive at the right time of year.

The Norwegians will also (typically) have a star in their windows representing the north star that guided the Kings and wise men to Bethlehem. The ones in our windows my not lead to that holy of places now, but it really does welcome one home.

The North star represented in our front window,
a cheery sight on a dark night

Not sure why it has turned out red as
both the light inside and the star are white!

Today, Sunday 30th November 2014 is the first Sunday in Advent.  In the Christian world it is the count down to the coming of the Christ and leading towards celebration.  My post this time last year explains the colour choice of candles,( last years' post ) although this year I have reverted back to four purple candles, only because I couldn't find a short stubby pink candle the same size!

Each year I have a different Advent candle display

This year I have mirror plates to reflect the light

Tomorrow when the children awake the kitchen will have been Christmas blinged as is Norwegian tradition and the Advent calendars will be up...wonder who is more excited, the children or I?

♥ Happy Advent everyone, keep popping back,
I will be posting every day! ♥

Simple and a non fussy display

8 comments:

  1. I have to admit, I'm a Bah Humbug at christmas time but mostly as traditions and the true joy of Christmas hasbeen totally and utterly hijacked by commercialism. Still, I love to read about traditions, particularly from different countries. :)

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    1. I totally agree about the commercialism. Stick with this blog and hopefully I can show you a home made Christmas that may restore your faith ❤️

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  2. such wonderful sounding traditions, I used to love Christmas but since being ill, it more of a struggle, with the extra demands of the season, I find by the big day I'm usually really struggling from over doing thing getting ready, every year I say it will be differnt but it never turns out that way. Enjiy the celebrations
    Clare x

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    1. I am sorry to hear that Clare. Maybe a tradition you could begin is the coming together of sharing the jobs and trying, despite the fact they are chores to enjoy it as a group. Idealistic I know but year on year it could work and be fun.

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  3. Beautiful. I am Austrian (living in London), we also have the candles, stuck on a wreath (for many years I had only the candles on a big nice plate) and our advent calendar consists of small green and red bags filled with small surprises, hanging from the handrail of the stairs. Like you, hard to say if the children or I are more excited :)

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    1. You sound just like my sort if person! Happy advent to you. I will be posting about our advent cakender a next. Love the stairs idea x

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  4. Your Norwegian tradition of the star in the window is a beautiful one! I usually have three purple and one pink candle too, although this year they are all gold as I couldn't find any purple ones! The pink ones and the purple ones must have all got spilt up this year for some reason!! I hope that you enjoy your advent preparations and that lighting your candles brings some lovely time of peace for you. xx

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    1. I love the star so much. It wouldn't be my Christmas without it. Grew up with a star as a child and now it is the first thing I put up x

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