Already St Nikolaus

The sixth of December. It seems to have taken me by surprise this year and Paddington and Aunt Lucy were scrambling into their outfits this morning in unusual haste. There’s a small argument going on in my head: one voice asking “what’s the rush?” and the other side saying “but it’s St Nikolaus!” A similar discussion is probably going on in many homes, much the same as it is here. My Hero claims to be feeling totally unmoved by the prospect of Christmas this year, whilst I am determined to savour the season as usual. Not go overboard, you know…but at least carry on with the Advent traditions I love. One of which is St Nikolaus.

So the Advent box came downstairs and there are a few old favourites around the place. A few more candles lit here and there and though we have bought our tree already, it remains outside wrapped up and won’t come in for a few days yet.

Christmas has taken over one side of the studio though, as the December Journal cranks into action. Each morning I open a new email with a prompt for today’s page. Sometimes I follow it, other days I go a bit off piste.

I haven’t got very far yet though!

I cut all the numbers out ready, then whilst I was at it, I cut the opening page at the same time. It was a freebie from a site I subscribe to and seemed to sum up this December quite well, I thought.

It’s the time of the year when there are quite a few such things here and there; twelve days of freebies, perhaps, or a daily puzzle to do. I have a list on this week’s calendar of cute things to remember each day: the CBSO advent calendar on YouTube, Arne and Carlos Advent daily, my Jacquie Lawson Nordic Advent Calendar and of course, Shimelle’s daily email journal prompt.

The Christmas baking has begun and the first jar of mincemeat opened. I think one of the challenges will be to remember that I’m not preparing to feed the five thousand this year and to keep it small. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy all the old favourites though - even if we don’t have dear friends coming to help us eat it.

So Advent has begun around here and things are feeling a little festive. We’ll soon get in the groove!