Blogmas 13; How am I counting down to Christmas?
The Christmas countdown for me starts on the 24th May. That's the day after my birthday, so it's the day when I know my next gift-getting session is Christmas Day. And I start thinking in a very fragmented way that it will be Christmas again this year.
Actual Countdown Day is 1st September. 115 days to go, and a good time to set down what I need to get for presents, what gifts I want to make and to rough up a plan of what to get done by what date. Crafters can't leave everything to chance; we have to plan. I put the countdown next to the dates in my diary and mark them off day by day. I have been known to put the countdown Santa up on the 15th. 99 days to go!
There are several points on the way to Christmas that help with the countdown. Strictly Come Dancing starting on TV, X Factor live shows beginning, Halloween, Bonfire Night and Children In Need in mid November. They're all staging posts on the way to Advent.
And then the big countdown season starts. I have lots of ways of counting down. Lots. Santa on the fireplace is the children's chocolate calendar, bought a few years ago from Aldi and filled with chocolate coins, Santas or Celebrations. It's nicer than the shop-bought chocolate filled calendars and doesn't need to be binned every year.
The small books on the tree have been part of our advent countdown since DP was a baby. They tell the story of a load of little mice getting ready for Christmas; making the cake, wrapping the presents, putting on a nativity and they are so cute.
My chocolate advent came from Next. Some years I buy and wrap dark chocolate gingers to eat (in memory of my Nan) but on lazy years I just grab a selection of small chocolates left over from filling the kids calendars and use them. This was also the home for my little Spanish crib scene until this year; they have new premises!
A beautiful advent house that stands about a foot tall and has just enough space behind its doors for a figure a day. We're working our way through the villagers at the moment;
You can just see Lionel Messi and Suarez at the side, with the medics (yes, two; you always need a second opinion in medical matters) casting eyes at the mariachi band. I'm hoping we get to the important characters in the story soon. So far, they don't scream Christmas to me at the moment!
And there are intangible high points; the end of school (of course) is a biggy. Thank God it comes up soon. I can feel us all getting shorter of patience as we drag out the last week..... The BBC Sports Personality Of The Year coming up on Sunday (or X Factor final starring nobody we particularly desperately want to win? Hard choice!) Strictly Come Dancing the week after and the BBC idents that make the TV viewing festive. I love the whole sheebang!
Joining in with Blogmas at Diary of a Stay At Home Mum; it's been really good fun so far to write a daily entry!
Actual Countdown Day is 1st September. 115 days to go, and a good time to set down what I need to get for presents, what gifts I want to make and to rough up a plan of what to get done by what date. Crafters can't leave everything to chance; we have to plan. I put the countdown next to the dates in my diary and mark them off day by day. I have been known to put the countdown Santa up on the 15th. 99 days to go!
There are several points on the way to Christmas that help with the countdown. Strictly Come Dancing starting on TV, X Factor live shows beginning, Halloween, Bonfire Night and Children In Need in mid November. They're all staging posts on the way to Advent.
And then the big countdown season starts. I have lots of ways of counting down. Lots. Santa on the fireplace is the children's chocolate calendar, bought a few years ago from Aldi and filled with chocolate coins, Santas or Celebrations. It's nicer than the shop-bought chocolate filled calendars and doesn't need to be binned every year.
The small books on the tree have been part of our advent countdown since DP was a baby. They tell the story of a load of little mice getting ready for Christmas; making the cake, wrapping the presents, putting on a nativity and they are so cute.
My chocolate advent came from Next. Some years I buy and wrap dark chocolate gingers to eat (in memory of my Nan) but on lazy years I just grab a selection of small chocolates left over from filling the kids calendars and use them. This was also the home for my little Spanish crib scene until this year; they have new premises!
A beautiful advent house that stands about a foot tall and has just enough space behind its doors for a figure a day. We're working our way through the villagers at the moment;
You can just see Lionel Messi and Suarez at the side, with the medics (yes, two; you always need a second opinion in medical matters) casting eyes at the mariachi band. I'm hoping we get to the important characters in the story soon. So far, they don't scream Christmas to me at the moment!
And there are intangible high points; the end of school (of course) is a biggy. Thank God it comes up soon. I can feel us all getting shorter of patience as we drag out the last week..... The BBC Sports Personality Of The Year coming up on Sunday (or X Factor final starring nobody we particularly desperately want to win? Hard choice!) Strictly Come Dancing the week after and the BBC idents that make the TV viewing festive. I love the whole sheebang!
Joining in with Blogmas at Diary of a Stay At Home Mum; it's been really good fun so far to write a daily entry!
You must be on the ball with how many days are left with all those advent calendars, they're all lovely, hard to choose a favourite. Eleanor has a bought chocolate calendar, this is the first year that Daniel didn't want one, sob, another tradition gone. Archie has one though and reminds us every morning that he wants his doggy chocolate out of it.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, DP at 16 is not big into opening the advent calendar but he's still quite happy to eat the chocolate!
DeleteLove, love, love your post! You've made me feel homesick with all the British references! You won't believe this but we had the exact same advent calendar from ALDI....(my Grandad sent it for the children about a year before he passed away)....it was lost in the 'incident', unfortunately.....I was moved to tears when I saw your photo of it...I love the mini books!!!!! SO cute!!!!! And love the Advent house (and all the little figures! My son would be very happy to see Messi and Suarez popping out of our socks!!!!)........loved your post....thank you!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun post to read! I was giggling(quietly because my whole family is still sleeping). I really enjoyed all of your pictures and fun traditions of anticipation :)
ReplyDeleteThe children have the shop bought choccy ones and they have a fabric one too. My advent calendar is the non choccy paper sort. I'm happy with that. I love that you get so excited about Christmas the countdown has begun on 99 days!
ReplyDeleteLisa x
I love your preparations and that you get right on to the counting down without holding back at all!! All of your different calendars and counting down things are so pretty too! xx
ReplyDeleteHi Jo, I think your advent house is fab! Flamenco lady is my favourite, I think, and my son would be very amused to see Messi and Suarez popping up too :-) following you on bloglovin now! x
ReplyDelete