This week my thoughts have moved towards Christmas, have I wrote my gift list?, bought Christmas cards?, reserved a turkey? The list goes on and on. For me its the start of the Festive season, a time to prepare for Christmas. I don’t just mean rushing about buying presents and gifts – sure that’s a part of Christmas, but its not just that. This is the calm before the storm. Now is about reconnecting with family and friends, making time to see people who you haven’t seen in ages. I like to make time to do traditional Christmas activities, every year I stab oranges with cloves and tie ribbon round them and plonk them on the radiator while telling Mr Magpie that hes not to move them as they are important Christmas items. He claims they stink, I keep telling him its Christmassy, inevitably Horace the dog steals one and charges round the garden with it, and we have to coax it off him before he eats it. If this has inspired any of you to create your own Christmas Oranges have a look at how the professionals do it here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Pomander-ball-Christmas-gift/
Advent
Friday will be the 1st December marking the start of Advent. Advent is described as “a season observed in many Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas.” (Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent) I am not religious but I do like this period of preparation and planning. I love advent candles and this year I have got a giant pillar candle from Wax Lyrical to light each night. I love to have all the Christmassy scents filling the house, and I always think candle light makes everything look so much more inviting and festive. The Advent pillar candle can be lit and left all evening to burn, and because of its size it never burns past the day. This year as part of my Christmas preparation I am going to make a Advent candle ring… I’ll up date you on how this progresses next week.
