Advent 2025
We're halfway through Advent. What a season - we are so busy, it's hard to catch a breath! Advent of course is meant to be a slow, meditative, heart-searching season... and to be honest, that's not really what it looks like in this house.
A few things we have done and are doing to mark the season...
- We listen daily to the Hallow kids' drama about advent, which is very good - over breakfast Our bedtime story is one of Ytreeide's stories, this year Bartholomew. Those are perfect for the kids' age.
- Candles everywhere in the house, including the Advent wreath that’s on during meals at the table
- The advent calendar of activities - from writing Christmas cards to taking chocolate to those who look after us such as police / fire / doctors etc. - continues as it does each year
- Chocolate advent calendars are a must of course, plus 25 jigsaw pieces each day to put together a Christmassy 500-piece puzzle by Christmas
- We're not watching TV during the week, and that does actually make for a quieter season.
All that said, we're still extremely busy. Not only do regular activities continue, but now there's Christmas parties and activities happening as well!
We kicked off with an Advent service at church. N(11) was Mary, D(9) was Joseph...
Then the SS Great Britain had a special home ed day including Victorian actors, the green Father Christmas being a special highlight; the local Church of England parish did a fun / goofy Messy Church event to kick off Advent; we took a special meal to our friend Daniel as he was too poorly to come visit us, and our home ed co-op had the annual Christmas extravaganza fun time.
Finally, Mr. took D on a hike - much requested by D for a long time! - taking in lots of waterfalls in Wales. Meanwhile, N and I stayed home and enjoyed a day filled with pottery painting and Christmas pudding making. Everyone had an amazing time!
Throughout the season, we continued to journey with Bartholomew every evening (that's an Advent book by Arnold Ytreeide, part of a series that we greatly enjoy); had our daily activities in the Advent Calendar; and took part in all sorts of Christmassy activities.
This year for the first time we stayed up for Midnight Mass. Both kids struggled while there - D was actually serving, being in charge of the Bishop's Mitre as well as, at times, his staff; and we saw him nodding off with his head bobbing towards the staff - but they did make it through and it was a great experience! Sadly it's not something where I can take photos, but I was so proud of D looking very regal and dignified throughout.
So this year, and I think in following years, our Christmas Eve worked like this:
- Afternoon: dress the tree / wrap presents
- Evening: dinner (pizza!) then gifts
- Late: Mass
We were in bed at 2am! Merry Christmas!