Advent Calendars

Advent advent everywhere... 
December 2nd

A huge thank you to everyone for coming back to read this blog after my somewhat silent few months. And double thanks to those that say I am their advent calendar, I feel quite special!  ♥

The twins in  Blåfjell a
children's tv advent calendar

When my children were small we had two advent calendars and both were Norwegian.  The first one was a mini book advent calendar about a family of mice at Christmas time, each story would take less than five minutes to read and were so dinky in size it was perfect for little ones.  They soon grew out of this but we always kept it up in the month of December long after they were too old for it.  It worked well along with advent calendar number 2 a lovely night time tradition leading up to Christmas.  The second was an advent tv show that sent out a moral message about living in harmony together and that the blue nisse people and the red nisse people should not be afraid or wary of each other and also that we should work collaboratively to look after our precious world.  We would sit snuggled up on the sofa covered in home-knitted and crocheted blankets handed down to me by my mother and spend a very together time at the end of each day in advent.  These were special moments then and looking back are still special moments now.  As the children grew older we would always begin watching but may not have always seen it through the 24 episodes as life becomes busier as the children become older don't you think?  And although we always had good intentions, after a week or so, it seemed harder to find those 15 minutes.  This year with Ella away at university and my son out each night training it will perhaps be the first year that we do not even watch one episode.  Life moves in phases, doesn't it?

My husband's advent calendar that I
embroidered for him before we were married,
it is now 25 years old!

It sure does move in phases as a new one has begun.  I have not had an advent calendar since leaving my parent's home but this year all that has changed!  I have 3 advent calendars all to myself, greedy I know.  And I'm not sure why I have not made myself an advent calendar, I make them for everyone else.  From the age of 16, I began sewing advent calendars for friends and family and even made one for my school exam in textiles, you see I have ALWAYS loved Christmas more than any other event.  I think maybe because it includes all the people around me and everyone gives and receives and takes such pleasure. (Advent calendars that I have made)  (How to sew an advent calendar) Anyhooo, onto my advent calendars.

Soil association tea advent calendar

A dear friend gave me a tea advent calendar, each day behind the door is a different tea to try out. From ginger chai to Christmas cake tea and everything in between!  In fact, I loved this idea so much I jumped online and bought one for my mother in law.  There are so many adult advent calendars out there this year, when did this become a 'thing'?

M & S beauty advent calendar

Advent calendar 2 came about quite by accident. Last year the same friend bought the Marks and Spenser advent calendar and opened it up and used all 24 items to make up hampers of beauty products for friends and stocking fillers for her girls.  I thought this a genius idea and decided this year I would do the same...only once I bought the calendar, I could not bring myself to open up the doors before December 1st and decided I would have it as my treat...

...but then another great friend of mine, also into crochet and crafts presented me with the Paintbox yarn advent calendar, a mini skein of yarn a day, how totally wonderful!  So this year I am really spoilt, not sure what I've done to deserve this but am I grateful, yes I really am.

For the knitters and crocheters among you, I give you an advent calendar, well I cannot give it to you but I can direct you online to Advent calendar for knitters and crocheters  Last year garn studio had a calendar for you to open each day and this year they are continuing with it, I loved it last year,

The Garnstudio advent calendar is such an online treat

...and just because I care about you, here is what is behind door number 1...

Pattern number 1 from Garnstudio calendar

...for the remaining doors, I 'll leave it to you to follow the above link and enjoy.

All these adult and bought calendars are all well and good but they are extravagant and not necessary.  The year before last I made a joke calendar for the children and each day there would be something there to make them giggle, we all enjoyed this one a lot and it cost nothing but time and thought.  Below is another idea I was sent by a teacher friend of mine who is very concerned about the mental well being of today's teenagers and suggested that in the month of December perhaps the advent calendar could make us stop and think for a moment and make us connect with others.  I like this a lot and will be using it this year.  I'll let you know how we got on next year...

And finally, are you still with me, this has turned out to be a mammoth post.  

I sent Ella a small care package so she could add a smidge of Norwegian red to the shared kitchen in halls and of course our usual advent calendar.   

Here are the photos she sent me on the evening of December 1st...

Ella is the queen of organising and printed
out labels for each of her advent packages!

University halls of residence bedroom complete with advent calendar

♥  Happy advent everyone, 

do you do something every day in December?