Advent Day 1

Every year Granny and Grandad Joe in Ireland send over an Advent calendar from Marks and Spencer's for the kids. It was a tradition they started when Sian was a toddler. Over the years as one toddler became three school age kids we have had the option to upgrade to three calendars but there is a lesson to be learnt in patience and sharing and waiting your turn. So much of our modern life is about instant gratification. Wanting something and getting it straight away. The Advent calendar starts on Day 1 with our youngest child Gareth and moves on to Rhiannon in the middle on Day 2 then Sian on Day 3. The cycle continues and conveniently ends with Day 24, an even share of windows and chocolate!

Every year I have tried to take a photo each day of the child opening their window which I email my Mum and Dad. It is a way of them sharing in the excitement that their calendar has brought. The photos have often told a story. Were we all up ready for school nice and early and un-rushed? Was hair sticking up and a look of panic on faces as we rushed to the car. Uniforms mark mid-week days and pj's mark weekends. Last year my Mum spotted that my vacuum cleaner hose stayed stretched out in the hallway over about 5 consecutive days. She took great delight in telling me to put it away as she laughed at me on a weekend phone call!

And so we start our little tradition today on Day 1 ...

It was Gareth's turn and he was bursting with excitement waiting for us all to gather around him in the hallway. He got a dove shaped chocolate. I hope you will enjoy watching as we post a photo each day of our kids countdown to Christmas. What stories of our day to day life will the details of the photos show you? What will you be able to spot in the background over the coming weeks! Can you spot Gareth's Birthday cards stuck in the mirror surround? How long before they are replaced with Christmas cards....! Have you noticed what he is clutching in his hand?

We had just come home from school and Gareth had been given a tiny religious medal which he was clutching in his hand while he waited for us to come and watch him open his window...


Happy countdown everyone. I hope that you have some traditions of your own to make Christmas special for your family.