Adventually

I know, I know, it's Lent not Advent, but I am way behind on this one and didn't want to hold it until next year! 

I don't actually celebrate Advent in the traditional Catholic way, I'm aware of the meaning and the season, but I don't light an advent wreath every evening at dinner. I do, however, have an advent calendar that goes up every year. 

I actually can not remember a time in my life when this calendar wasn't up on December first.  My Mom must have made it when we were very little, or even before I was born.  It caused great anticipation and not a little fighting..... 

We had to go in order.  Joanie, Jerry, Katie, Joanie, Jerry, Katie.  If you forgot to take your turn first thing in the morning, someone might do it for you later in the day, and then it was ON.  Soon I became old enough to realize that if you go in order of birth every year, then every year Katie gets to put the star on the tree.  Oh I don't THINK so.  So then Mom had to start each year with a different child.  No wonder her hair was salt, with a little bit of pepper.

Then David was born (dun dun DUNNNN) and by his second Christmas he had his own (with help) turn.  I  imagine that was a battle too, why not?  If you were helping David it was pretty much a free turn for you.  At least 24 is still divisible by four so we all got the exact same amount of turns, I can't imagine what kind of hoopla that one would have caused. 

For the last twenty years or so I have had all the turns.  ALL THE TURNS!  HAHAHAHAHAHAHA  sorry.... My Mom wasn't a saver, by any means.  At least I caught her before she trashed all the decorations she no longer wanted, and fished this (amongst many other things) out.  How could you toss out something so sentimental?  Something you made for your sweet children?  So now it's MINE, MINE, ALL MINE! sorry....  I do let the kids put them on when they are over, and doncha know there was an issue?  Someone snuck one on when it wasn't her turn, and was busted, cause I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday, Tater.  Especially when it comes to the Advent calendar. :)

My Mom put a lot of work into this thing, and it is a treasure that I hold dear, mostly for that reason, not because I get all of the turns. She did a lot of felt work, all of our stockings, and a couple of other Christmas decorations that I have up.  I could part with those, but for whatever reason, not this.  Several times I have almost handed it over to another sibling, but I just can't do it.  Someday when the nieces/nephew have kids maybe I'll be ready.  Maybe......

My sister in law, the mother of The Artist Formerly Known As Pablo, made this calendar for me.  It's also something that my Mother used to make every year for family/close friends.  This seems like the perfect place for it.  Thanks Jen. :)