Advent Calendar December 23rd
It’s All About the Books Thanks to Kate Watson-Smyth’s Mad About the House Newsletter I have discovered Jolabokaflod.It is Icelandic for Christmas Book Flood and I can’t think of a … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 22nd
Christmas was once much longer… Christmas once looked very different and lasted longer. Advent was a period of fasting from December 1st to the 24th followed by Christmas celebrations that … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 21st
Beware the Yule Cat! Jólakötturinn, a giant cat with a vicious temper and voracious appetite, stalks Iceland at Christmas. He is searching for those who failed to receive new clothes … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 20th
Feeding the Birds In Norway, Sweden and Denmark sheaves of oats – julenek – are often on sale alongside Christmas trees. In the past farmers believed that if they fed … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 19th
Introducing a Dickensian Christmas On this day in 1843 Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol. He wrote it in just six weeks. The print run of 6000 sold out by Christmas … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 18th
Brrr! It’s cold outside. Jack Frost is the personification of winter weather and is responsible for nipping toes and noses and the beautiful fern-like patterns that appeared on the inside … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 17th
Expect the Unexpected On December 17th 1900 the Académie des Sciences in Paris announced that Madame Clara Goguet Guzman would award 100,000 francs to anyone who could prove that they … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 16
It Starts Today… Christmas officially starts today in the Philippines and many will get up very early to attend the Simbang Gabi. It’s a series of nine dawn Masses – … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 15th
Wrapping Presents Certain things are universal such as liking some kind of chocolate and one size does not fit all. And this…
Advent Calendar December 14th
You’re invited to a Regency Christmas this afternoon… …at The Regency Town House in Hove Come and shelter from the cold in this lovely 200 year old building. We’ve got … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 13
The Scandinavian Festival of Light Today is St. Lucia’s Day (St Lucy) and it marks the start of of the Christmas season in many parts of Scandinavia. One of the earliest … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 12
Holly – Seamus Heaney It rained when it should have snowed.When we went to gather holly the ditches were swimming, we were wetto the knees, our hands were all jags … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 10
Handmade Presents The future Queen Victoria wrote in her diary on Christmas Eve, 1832: Mamma gave me a lovely pink bag which she had worked with a little sachet likewise … Continue reading
Advent Calendar December 9
The Christmas Panto and The Workhouse If you go to the Theatre Royal in Brighton look out for a gilt-framed illustrated letter displayed on the stairs leading to the Royal … Continue reading
BRIDGET WHELAN writer 