The day, the first Sunday of Advent 2009, is still young. It is dark, it is quiet. The snow dusting from yesterday is still out there, making the day look clean. A promise of winter.
A Betlehem star is shining in the window, the first dark purple candle in the old brass wreath is lit. The advent basket is here on the diningroom table with me, and I have slowly started to unwrap it - a white angel made by my artist friend Solveig, a snow globe, a red glass ball (why is it that I never, never remember the English name of these ornament balls?) Dicken's Christmas Carol, Country Living's December Magazine from 1991, a Christmas creche from Provence.......and alot more. Day by day the house will start to look like Christmas, the fulfillment will come on lille julaften Little Christmas Eve, when the tree will be put up, decorated and the lights on the tree will shine, one day early since we have invited friends for our annual lutefisk party.
Terje and I will be attending the mass in the cathedral today. There I will help during communion, serving the blood of Christ. Tonight we are invited to friends for their annual advent party. Traditions are important. Old and new.
It is a few days early for the advent calendar yet, the first window is not to be opened untill December 1st, but I have my very own blog calendar which will be opened already today. I will ramdomly pick one name from yesterday's comment and then send a Christmas letter with a knitted ornament to the name chosen.
I have a small glass bowl here with numbers written on small sheets of paper. Yesterday's post has 15 comments (when I write this) and the winner will be..........#3 Penelope. Please email me your address Penelope and your letter will be on its way.
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The period of advent is for me alot about writing letters and cards to family and friends all over the world. The blog I will invite you to visit today is Letters & Journals. A great place to get inspiration. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I do.
It is still too dark to take good indoor photos. Come back later and there might be a few photos of the creche then.........Now Terje is up making breakfast, I'll close here and help him by setting the table with our Christmas Spode.
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May God bless your day and your advent.
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The knitted ornament giveaway will continue every day during advent. Don't forget to leave a comment o n this post, tomorrow another name will be drawn.