How Did it Get So Late So Soon?

 

I'm fond of Advent calendars and have collected a few over the years. I also collect toy soldiers, so you can imagine how excited I was to find this dashing version with tiny doors that open! He stands guard on the mantle alongside toy soldiers of all types, as well as a small artificial tree bedecked with mini soldiers.

A quick search online explains a bit about Advent:

The word "advent" comes from the Latin "adventus" meaning "arrival" or "coming," particularly of something having great importance. For denominations that celebrate Advent, it marks the beginning of the church year. In Western Christianity, Advent begins on the fourth Sunday prior to Christmas Day and lasts through December 24. When Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, it is the last, or fourth Sunday of Advent.

For Eastern Orthodox churches which use the Julian calendar, Advent begins on November 15, and lasts 40 days rather than four weeks.

Lots of fun things happening at our home this week. We celebrated Thanksgiving, started decorating for Christmas, and visited Disneyland. Here is a photo of the castle aglow with twinkling lights.

We even completed our Christmas cards today, so we'll have plenty of time to work on our annual gingerbread house once school finals are over.

 

How did it get so late so soon?

It's night before it's afternoon.

December is here before it's June. 

My goodness how the time has flewn.

How did it get so late so soon?

Dr. Seuss

Happy December!

sharing this post with:

Share Your Cup 
The Chicken Chick 
Mosaic Monday 

 

Let It Snow!

Boy, the first few days of December are flying by at breakneck speed! Time to finish up those cards and start gift wrapping. The printable tickets above can be found at misscutiepieinspiration.blogspot.com.  I can think of half a dozen ways to use them, can't you? -  labels, tags, cards and gift bags. I am going to print some of these festive tickets out this weekend. 

We are in the middle of decorating for Christmas but are in a holding pattern until College Girl takes her semester finals next week. When she is finished, we will get the tree and she can help 'deck the halls!' Meanwhile, we attended two Christmas Tree Lighting Parties: one at the university where College Girl attends and one in Old Towne Orange at The Circle. 

   
For the university event, we arrived at 5 p.m. and browsed through the vendor tables set up around the Piazza. There was jewelry, candy, purses, coffee scented lotion, olive oil and gingerbread houses for sale. People were milling about waiting for the festivities to begin and I had a warm cup of apple cider. The university offered hot chocolate and cookies for visitors, too. There was a strolling choir dressed in Victorian clothing (above) that entertained everyone. Soon a small brass band began to play in front of the library.

Doctor Who fans will understand when I say I am glad they were not dressed in Santa suits! haha! There was a recitation of The Night Before Christmas and a visit from Santa Claus. The tall evergreen on the grass, as well as all the trees around the Piazza, were suddenly ablaze with lights. Everyone was enjoying themselves when, unexpectently, fireworks went off above our heads!

The crowd cheered! Then our host prompted us to sing Let It Snow  as it began to 'snow' - well, the snow was actually tiny bubbles but it looked magical! We had so much fun that evening. What a festive treat.

In my next post I will share photos of the other tree lighting we went to as well as some cards I made this week. Plus I have an easy and inexpensive idea for serving holiday treats with Christmas pizzaz!

Boston Tea Party~

According to the website in Pursuit of Tea~

Even non-tea drinkers know the story! On the evening of December 16, 1773, over 100 colonists disguised as Native Americans boarded three ships in Boston Harbor. In the midst of a supportive crowd, they dumped 90,000 pounds of tea into the water, protesting tyrannical taxation from British rulers.

The Boston Tea Party precipitated not only the Revolutionary War but the formation of the United States itself. It was a monumental event historically- but what about all that tea? What kind was it? The leaves tossed into Boston Harbor were known as bohea, a black tea from the Wuyi region of Fujian Province, China. Tastewise, it was likely similar to Keemun. One of my favorite Keemuns is sold by Grace Rare Teas and is called Winey Keemun.

In memory of our daring forefathers, I'm drinking keemun today!