ADVENT

I am snowed in, well actually girls I am snowed out of work , the road to the farm where I work is closed due to snow.. yesterday I only actually got to work because they came from the farm with a four wheel drive, they did joke they were coming in a tractor for me, but a 4x4 car came, still a very hairy drive in though as i actually live in a valley and the roads are both very very steep from my house, so today girls I am having a bonus at home day.

This is the front of my cottage this morning ..

went out briefly with the dogs.. and on my return I rushed in to grab the camera as I was been watched ... the look said I am so glad to be in the warmth .. nice and cosy..

he was watching the snow flakes.. as I had gained a day, I decided to have a me day and try and do only me things.. things i like.. so,

When my eldest son W was a baby I spotted this in the 1991 edition of country living , a hand made advent calender ,i thought it lovely but did,nt want to copy it so, but wanted to make something that would be come part of our Christmas and I could bring out every year , so as I was very into cross stitch. at the time I made this...

its from an American cross stitch pattern, it didn't take long ,I adapted it as it was framed piece in the pattern book.. I added little brass rings to hang chocolates from and D made the wooden hangers..

So for the last 20 years it has been brought out of the cupboard, I like it a bit more every year as its Beginning to look aged.. and I always think of past Christmases,

So I sat with a mug of hot chocolate, a couple of biscuits, played some christmassey Celtic folk music and tied all these chocs on, only the odd one ended up in my mouth officer!

Here it is fully laden . I used to put two chocolates on every day for the two boys, but as eldest is not home for advent ,i have only put two on the odd day ,well the string tier deserves a chocy treat don't you think??

I remember one year my eldest W ate all the chocolate on day two, when i discovered what he had done , he said his little brother had eaten them , Nat was 5 weeks old!! Also the dogs spend time under it as they remember a few usually drop off! Don't you think Christmas is a time for tradition's? Starting new ones and keeping the old ones up.. last year Nat was 16, so decided the advent calender should be put away for grandchildren, ( NOT FOR QUITE A WHILE PLEASE!)but on the first of December ,great wails of you have,nt done the advent , from Nat, so dash to buy chocolate, so I guess the the retirement of the advent is not to be yet.. and I am glad .....what tradition in your home would you be sad to see end??? Linda x x