When I was growing up my mom always gave me an Advent Calendar just after Thanksgiving, so that I could count down the days until Christmas without pestering her to death by asking how long until Santa was going to come. Nowadays Advent Calendars usually have chocolate or candy behind each door, but I didn't get those kind, mine were only pictures.
So this year I've decided to add a new feature to SunnyReads - an Advent Calendar for all my Little Addicts. Each day I'll post a picture and maybe share a Christmas memory that will (hopefully!) relate to the picture in some way. Feel free to share your related memories or thoughts in the comment section if you so choose.
This doesn't really have much to do with reading, or books, or tv, or movies, or any of the stuff I usually babble about, but even so, I hope you'll hang out and enjoy - and maybe even join in!
When I was young we always had a live tree in our house, put up and decorated as soon after Thanksgiving as possible. During my teenage years we traveled a lot and lived in a lot of tiny and temporary places where there wasn't always room for an actual tree, and sometimes a string of colored lights was as close to Christmas decorations as we were able to get. Because of this, as an adult it has always been very important to me to have a live tree, and lots of decorations, and to get them in place as early as possible!
I know that those things aren't what the holiday is really about, but they do help to make the holiday season feel more festive and special. And a real tree with needles that get stuck in the carpet and pitch on the wall is soooooo much better than plastic or metal, even if it does take some extra cleaning up after! Choosing the correct tree is EXTREMELY important and can take hours - it's all part of the process and fun.
My earliest Christmas Tree memory is from when I was three or maybe four, and laying on the floor with my head under the tree and looking up through the branches and lights and decorations, and being completely mesmerized by the patterns the blinking lights threw across the ceiling and walls of our living room. It was amazing and magical - and sometimes I still do this when Bob isn't looking!
What about you? What are your traditions about when to put up the tree or decorate? What's your favorite tree related memory?
We always had a real tree too. I love the smell of it, how the whole house smelled of it. Unfortunately, in my cozy little house, we have no room at all for a real tree unless it was a tiny one. I'd like to some day have more space and continue the tradition of having a real tree with my son. It's the scent of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI loved the old advent calendars, not only to some have chocolate now but some even have little toys. My family also did an advent candle that had the days on it, we would burn it each night while my mom read some kind of christmas story or poem out loud to us.
ReplyDeleteWe only had a real tree once, and then found out that both my brother and I are very allergic, so only fake trees for me.
@Christine Rains I totally get the "no space for the tree." At least they now have tree scented candles that can help with the illusion!
ReplyDelete@~Ang An Advent Candle?! I'm going to have to do some research on that, I've never heard of it! Sounds kinda awesome though, and I do love candles!!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely check it out when you have a chance. Sometimes it is hard to find good candles but it is worth it, so much better than the little chocolates!
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