Alison’s Advent Calendar – Day One

It’s the first day of the twelfth month, and that can only mean one thing: it’s time for my advent calendar to make an appearance.

This advent calendar is almost as old as I am. I’m convinced my Mum bought it for me (in Selfridges?) on a Christmas shopping trip to London the year before I started school, way, way back at the beginning of the 1970s, but my childhood memories are a little jumbled. Mum and I certainly went to London on a bus trip from our little village in south Lincolnshire, and I can remember being very excited about seeing the roof garden (at Selfridges?). Sadly, being November, the roof garden was closed for the winter, but a kindly shop assistant let Mum and I sneak up and have a look, a privilege usually closed to the general public. Sod Father Christmas; sneaking up the forbidden stairs and having a peep at a cold dead roof terrace made my day!

Well, that and taking my turn to sit on the back of a huge toy animal that made an appearance on the bus going home. And, of course, my advent calendar.

Every year since that London visit I have put my advent calendar up on the 1 December, and meticulously opened a door every day despite now knowing exactly what picture will be revealed. My favourite picture is behind the 9 December door: a portly reindeer running in the snow, huffing clouds of steam from his nose. It’s hilarious! For the first few years of my advent calendar’s life I had to share it with my brother and sister, evidenced by the list on the back in my Mum’s handwriting, dated 1973, of our names and the order in which we would take a turn to open the door of the day. Now, sadly, I no longer have my Mum, but I do have a little piece of the wonderful family Christmases we used to enjoy in the form of my advent calendar. Roll on 9 December, hahahaha…

On a completely different subject, today is the Winter Wordfest in Cambridge, and I’m very excited about that. I’m due to see some superb guests later today, and I’m sure I’ll blog all about it, but for the moment I’m enjoying the delicious anticipation of getting ready for an event I’ve been looking forward to for weeks.

Advent calendar picture, day one – it’s a little donkey. Well I never!