While my intentions were to begin my December blogging on the first of the month and write an entry every day, I am obviously getting a late start. The first few days of my Christmas Month have been very busy! I spent the first 2 days of the month (and many, many days leading up to it) getting ready and selling at two holiday craft fairs. It had been a hope of mine to be able to participate in a craft fair and when I was invited to set up at both Rygaards Skole and Copenhagen International School's events, I happily accepted. It was a lot of work to make and craft everything I took but it was well worth the efforts. I learned a lot, sold a lot and made a bunch of new friends (and customers).
We were greeted on the morning of December 2nd by a beautiful blanket of snow. I had gone to bed early on Friday night (12/1) because I was exhausted from that days craft fair. Maggie woke me sometime around 3am to take her outside. In my semi-asleep state, I put her leash on her, pulled on my jacket and slipped my feet into my flip-flops that I keep by the back door. Much to my surprise, I stepped out the back door and into about 4 inches of snow. My only hope was that Maggie make it quick because my winter boots were still packed away! As I stood in the back yard, ignoring my cold toes, I was amazed at the stillness! There wasn't a sound to be heard. The snow was falling and I could see the trees were moving in gentle gusts of wind, however, it was the most silent movement I have ever seen or heard. The moon was shining above and the clouds rushed by overhead and yet not a peep could be heard. It was a beautiful and amazing moment that I have gone back to in my mind many times now. Definitely a memory I will carry with me forever.
The last couple of days have been spent getting my craft room cleaned and organized again. Catching up on some cleaning and household chores and the beginnings of Christmas decorating. With that, out came the Christmas boxes and our new calendar candle. I picked one up last year at one of the street-side florists (blomsterbutik).
Danes take part in the count-down to Christmas Eve by lighting a calendar candle every day. It's just like a tape measure, provided with 24 markings, normally decorated with motives of paper hearts, fir and little pixies with red cheeks, wearing red hats and dancing merrily in yellow clogs. In most families the candles are lit every day from December 1st as a soothing factor in a hectic period, quite often at the breakfast table. Frequently it is the childrens duty to blow out the candle before it burns down too far into the next date. The calendar candle is a Danish tradition which was first suggested as something to make at home with the children in 1935, but since 1942 has been produced industrially. Apart from the calendar candle, the children have one or more Advent calendars, which may either have 24 flaps to be opened one a day or 24 small wrapped-up presents.
Since we had fallen a few days behind when I pulled out our candle, we lit it during dinner on Monday night and let it burn a little longer to the correct date.
 |
| Our family's calendar candle |
No comments:
Post a Comment