Day 5 - Advent Calendars

Well... here is the first catch up part ... ;) Only 5 to go tomorrow!! :o

The journalling behind the Chocolade advent calendar reads:

I've always had an Advent calendar! In my childhood it was always a picture one plus my "gift" advent calendar - it's a Christmas tree made of thick dark green ropes with gold hoops on it where my Mutsch ties little gifts (Sweets, small toys like Smurfs etc) on it and every pack was numbered. I really have to ask my Mutsch where the set of these trees have gone.... split it probably, one for my big sis (well... my nephew) and one for me? It could become an heirloom!!

When I got older the picture advent calendar was replaced by the Chocolate ones - and my Mutsch even keeps sending them to us in Scotland now, even though we have Lidl here and can buy them ourselves!! :) It seems that even this sending over of the Chocolate Calendar is turning into a tradition! :)

Nowadays our Advent Calendars consist of 2 Choccie ones (one each for DH and me) and a wooden Tree one which has small wooden ornaments behind each door. This year I have added another one - a Tea Advent Calendar. It's 24 small felt stocking shapes with pegs where small packets of tea "Probierpackungen" (tasters) are attached. Different flavoured green, black, rooibos and fruit teas. I asked my sister to get me that calendar and I LOVE to try a new tea every day (you usually get 3 mugs out of it).

Another tradition to "count down" to Christmas is our "Adventskranz" (advent wreath). It was always with red thick pillar candles and a real wreath .... until this year - I bought a wreath making kit from Opitec because it was always a trouble for us to get a fresh wreath. Doug and I usually tried to get one from the German Congregation's Advent Market but sometimes we didn't get the date for it in time (we're not members of the congregation) and wreaths at B&Q, Homebase or Dobbies are fairly expensive. Of course there's always the problem with needling and Doug's allergy!!! So I compromised this year - fake advent wreath (and I like what I've done with it!!) and real Christmas Tree.