Well the countdown to Christmas has definitely begun, as I mentioned  on Sunday I love the build up to Christmas from  all the Advent traditions.

Today the Advent calendars came out. I made this one nearly 20 years ago. It’s a pre-printed panel with the main square and then all the pockets to stitch on. I seem to remember it took quite a while to make, mainly from stitching on all the pockets and their flaps. I quilted it by hand around the main features such as the door and the children. I was quite sad today to see one for sale in a charity shop, thinking of all the love and work that probably went into it, but then I thought if the kids have all grown up at least some other child is going  to enjoy it now.

When the children were little I never put chocolate in the pockets, I bought something that could be broken down into bits, sometimes it was playmobil sets, so one day they would get the figure, another day a wheelbarrow and so on. James quite often got a mini meccano set, so he would get the tools first and the instructions, then one piece each day, though it took some working out to ensure he got them in the right order!. The best one was when I bought kits from the Natural History museum which were like meccano but it made an insect, like a beetle!

I like to have an Advent candle too, we always used to get the slim ones and light it during tea time. This year I bought a bigger one from Lakeland. I’ve stuck it down with bluetack on the centre of the Advent ring as it was bigger than the holder! It looks pretty good there. I’m somewhat concerned though as according to the label each day has about 2 hours burning time, it’s already been lit for 4 hours and I’m no where near number one!