Es ist soweit, meine liebste „Extra“-Jahreszeit hat angefangen, die Adventszeit!
Und das habe ich mir als 1. Sonntags-Säckchen ausgesucht – genau richtig, denn mir war heute Morgen total kalt. ♥ ♥ ♥
Mit den Wärmern an hab ich mich dann gleich nach dem Frühstück ans Basteln gesetzt- mit warmen Fingern geht das nämlich besser.
Diese Kugeln habe ich gestern gekauft- dieses Jahr habe ich nämlich zum ersten Mal Platz für einen richtigen Weihnachtsbaum- ich bin schon total aufgeregt!
Und meine altersschwache Lichterkette ist mit einer Neuen ersetzt worden, die nun vernünftig leuchtet und Winterstimmung verbreitet.
Hier hat die Kamera etwas übertrieben, soooo hell ist sie nun auch nicht.
Wie hier, von unten aufgenommen, trifft es doch deutlich besser:
English Version:
My favourite time of year has begun and I have here some seasonal pictures to spread the wonderful mood to all of you!
It is all there, Advent Candles, Advent Calendar, a piccie of of the pressie that I found in the first Sunday-pouch, very neat knitted wristwarmers from Mum. ♥ ♥ ♥
(There is nothing like those to keep your hands warm)
Then a picture of the new baubles I bought yesterday- this year I will for the first time have space for a real Christmastree in here and I am excited like a little kid about it!
And my aged outdoor-lights have been replaced with new ones- on the first picture, the camera has overdone it a little, it is not *that* glaring. The second image, as seen from the yard behind the house, is more like it.
Very nice. I love the idea of Advent and am very interested in how it is celebrated there. Here it is predominantly a religious thing (Catholic) and perhaps there it is also though my penpal is not religious at all and yet Advent is her favorite season too. I am curious about the little gift on that Sunday. Is that a tradition? I am not religious and yet love the idea and would like to incorporate it into our season.
Yes, for some reasons, we Germans are very fond of Advent.
In my family, advent time and christmas aren’t considered religiously, either. (My Dad is a Protestant, Mum and me are Catholic, but none of us is religious, though my grandparents were very much)
Many people in Germany have adopted the „wordly“ variation of Advent which means it is a season of pretty lights and spoilings.
And the christmas-tree was a basically „heathen“ thing anyway, a symbol of life and renewal, if I am not wrong, which no church could ever take away from the people.
Another bit of such traditions here is the Advent Calendar, sort of a countdown from Dec. 1 to Christmas Eve. (Read about the origins here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent_calendar ) In my family, it is usually just done for the children, but my Mum has so much fun with them, that she still gives me one each year. (I am not complaining *g*)
In families, it is often so that everybody gets to open a door in turns, but then you have to fill the calendar with things that delight all ages.
I have never seen the Advent Calendar as a religious thing.
There are different types of calendars, the commercial ones, that have colourful images on cardboard with 24 doors behind which a piece of chocolate awaits (or as of today, tiny pieces of toys) or the „handmade“ ones, like the row of stockings I showed above. Any possible form that can house 24 compartments does go. Those made by your loved ones usually hold a special piece of sweet each day, in some families even a small present for each day.
In my family, the calendar has sweets on weekdays and on Sunday a little gift. You could tie them the calendar, too, but Mum prefers to pack them in little sacks to set them down below in a tempting looking heap.
I love the tradition very much and have also made calendars for friends- it is a great gift and totally suitable for everybody, because to me it is a lovely reminder that someone has picked 24 special little things (be it sweets or other gifts) just for you to brighten the season. 🙂
If you have more questions or I have overlooked something, just ask.