My advent tradition

Each year, I have an advent tradition. I love advent calenders but do not have one. But what I do have is a wonderful book by Jostein Gaarder called The Christmas Mystery. It is the story of a boy who goes out with his father to buy an advent calender. He finds one in a bookshop. It is a magic advent calender through which he follows a wonderful Christmas adventure leading him all the way to the nativity.


The book is divided into dates instead of chapters. I read each date as it arrives in December ending the book on December 24th. I never tire of reading this sweet story and it has become my own advent tradition.


These houses were too cute for me to leave behind when I visited a brocante shop this past summer. They were white but that is a color that does not look good in my living room. We painted them black and they work well now. I love using real candles which is what I liked about these house as you open the side and insert a candle. I also like the idea of having them out after the holidays too. Don't you also get a feeling that things are so empty and bare once your Christmas decorations are down? These will work nicely in the cold months of winter. In the meantime, I still have to start my Christmas decorating. Have you started?