Advent - at last

 

Some of you who have been reading my blog for a while will know how much I love Christmas but I think you'll all be a little surprised to hear how hysterical I was when we opened up the Christmas box this morning. I even surprised myself a little and Amber was heard to say "Mum, what's the matter with you". I even reduced Tom to near tears as I exclaimed and gushed over every little thing that we pulled out of the box.

All those things in the box from the nativity down to the decorations are old friends and each Christmas is so lovely in our house that a piece of that memory goes into the box with them. Then you pull it all out and voila the memories and fun times come out too.

So we took everything out, found the nativity and stable, the advent calenders and then put everything back until we get the tree as the party poopers in my family don't want to decorate the place just yet. Honestly, this morning I felt as if I was the over-excited child and they were all the dour adults! I'm going to have to make sure that we get the tree early this year in that case. Actually they weren't being party poopers they were just pointing out that we always put the decs up at the same time as the tree and you know my children they love their rituals and traditions.

So the nativity is on the table, the Christmas stories are out, the advent wreath is made although I'm not very happy with it. The florist only had a large wire circle and whilst it looks good it's a bit too thin to take the candles:

they aren't embedded enough and look as if they're going to fall down. I may well make another one and use this one for the door or maybe I should just pull the ivy and holly off and bind more greenery around it to fatten it up.

Some of you may be wondering why I love Christmas so much and I have to tell you that it's probably because we didn't celebrate it when I was growing up. I didn't mind at the time because I didn't know any better and because of this I don't think I have any hang-ups or bad memories associated with it so I have really just made it my own.

Christmas for us starts today on the first Sunday of advent. We clear the nature table and set the stable down with Mary and Joseph and the donkey. Every night we have Christmas stories that culminate with blowing out the advent candle and then moving Mary and Joseph along the star path and then putting that star up on the silk sky.

We listen to lots of lovely Christmas music - both classical and pop and then once a week or more the children and I sit around the table and make presents for friends and family (I love these evenings so much). We do this because I've always turned the focus towards giving rather than receiving because I hate all the Me, Me, Me and what can I have at this time of year. As you know we don't have a telly so the children aren't subjected to lots of advertising. No catalogues come through the post either and I will probably just go shopping once before Christmas with them and that's only because the boys need trousers and tops. So luckily they aren't bombarded with all the crap that's out there. I do most of my shopping on-line and nearly all of it on eBay and Amazon. Of course Amber does go shopping and go to the cinema but she's old enough not to be influenced by any of it these days.

As usual I'm wittering on a bit so for more on the subject go and take a look at some of my posts from last Christmas here, some fun ideas for making fairies here and a recipe here. Whilst you're at it I started a Flickr group here with some our advent storybooks on it. Please feel free to share images of any books you love on there. By the way apologies if I've repeated myself today.

On another note the fair yesterday wasn't hugely successful. I was stuck in a room off the central area and a number of people came up to me later in the day and said they didn't realise that I was there. I'm thinking of complaining to the school (not mine) to suggest that they don't use this room in the future. So all in all I have lots of things left. Ought to list them on Etsy when I have a moment but I'm also wondering if the local Farmer's Market will have spaces on the 15th and how much they charge for a stall.

Gosh this just reminds me how busy we are from now on ........better get on I guess. I need to use up those dried orange slices in some sort of arrangement or hanging.

Comments

[Tracy]

Such fun hearing of, and seeing a little of, your Christmas preparations. And those orange slices will look like lovely pieces of stained glass...We're minimal when it comes to Christmas. But I did start putting up a few decorations and fussing this weekend--it was fun! Happy Days making ready for Christmas ((HUGS))

[catherine]

I'm glad to see there are other voices blogging about Advent today. I've just posted mine as well,
here. I'm happy to "meet" you!

[catherine]

I'm glad to see there are other voices blogging about Advent today. I've just posted mine as well,
here. I'm happy to "meet" you!

[Dee]

Just found your blog and its an absolute delight to read! Will be reading through more of it when the kiddies go to bed!

Dee
x

[Georgia]

Simmy I just posted today about what a huge Kid I am when it comes to Christmas. I just love it. And today I made more Xmas cards while it snowed outside. I did try and make something vaguely similar to your lovely angels the other day as I have some lovely embroidered linens from the op shop, but it was a total failure. I only wanted to make them as gifts...any chance you could send me the pattern. Promise not to sell any (you know me, I never sell anything!)
Happy Advent. It is a most wonderful time of the year.

[Marie]

Loved this entry Simmy! I am like you when I open up my box of Christmas Doo Dads!!! Each and every one of them has a special meaning for me. I love them all so dearly! Can't wait to see what you do with your oranges!!! I bet it's simply marvelous and fantastic!

[jo]

I did a stall at a Craft Fair Saturday, unfortunately only sold 5 of my mini stockings but we have a shop here Called Made In Hastings and I'm going to take some down later in the week, Farmers Markets are usually reasonable, ours is usally £5 in the Winter! I love to hear of your excitement and fun at Christmas, thanks for sharing!

[wend]

what a great post. :) the oranges in the bowl look gorgeous! are they just dried in a warm oven?

[Denise Ridgway]

wonderful post as always ... thanks.
Where did you get the stunning advent calendar ?
Denise
x

[carol]

How I love getting that box out too - and finding all the old handmade decorations that the children made when they were little. The advent calendar is up here too, although I like to put the tree up late the tradition here in the US is the day after thanksgiving, so I do bend to pressure from the boys and we will probably put it up next weekend.
How did you dry the oranges? They look lovely. I can almost smell the scent from here.