Advent invariably catches me unawares, and this year is no exception. Advent Sunday has come and gone and I've neither boiled a pudding nor baked a cake. As for making any mincemeat, well ...There is however one thing I have done - and in good time for a change. I've successfully filled and hung the girls' Advent calendar ready for the first of December this morning. (It was actually Alan who hung the calendar, but on my instruction!)
I'm not a particularly skilled needlewoman and so I'm quite proud of this embroidered Advent calendar I made when the girls were small. It took me several Advents to finish it and there were a few years when the 6 , then 12 and finally 18 pockets had to be emptied and then immediately replenished in order to see us through the season.
Each pocket contains a small wrapped present. The girls share the calendar, opening one present every two days. On the days they don't receive a present they get a chocolate from their Divine calendar.
Finding 24 inexpensive items to fit in the pockets is an annual challenge and one which I always intend to spread over the preceding year. This never works out and there's always a mad dash round the shops mid November scouring the shelves for items of stationery, toiletries, jewellery etc. I try to stick to a budget of no more than £1 a present, and less if possible.
So now that that's done I can look out my recipe for Christmas cake and get chopping.
Ooh it looks fabulous! It's such a lovely tradition! Would love to hear what things you've wrapped - do you choose silly/practical/special???
ReplyDeleteThanks Alice. I shall have to be a little circumspect in case either of the girls read this, but the pockets have contained hairclips, rubbers, earrings, novelty postits, toothpaste, soap, sharpeners, highlighter pens, bookmarks, puzzles, miniature playing cards, rings, balls, Chinese fortune telling fish etc. Christmas wouldn't be the same without it.
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