The season of Advent is finally upon us and I am glad, though I have waves of rising panic washing over me already as I had hoped that I would have learned from previous years and not have left things to the last 2 weeks. I always start to hyperventilate and my voice raises an octave or two as I desperately try and remember all the 'How To Keep The Stress Out Of Christmas' articles that I have read in my numerous magazines in the unlikely case that I might hit on some magic formula that will transform me into the all singing and dancing Mummy I would like to be and not the one that I seem to become. Do I really want my children's Christmas memories to be of a mother running around in a vile mood because I decided to make everything myself? Umm... Though I keep saying, 'I'll be OK when I have just finished such & such' but I don't seem able to finish such & such!
The photo is of the children's advent calender - well we use it as a Advent calender. I saw one like it a few years ago in a magazine (where else!) and copied it. I have yet to fill it with sweets (see how unorganised I am).
Granny always sends us Advent calenders - not the vile chocolate cartoon type but the lovely old fashioned type. We also have the Snowman. We also have a Advent candle but that usually gets forgotten to be blown out and we suddenly realise we are at the 19th of December so it just sits for days waiting for the 19th and then I forget to light it!
How do you start your countdown?
