Advent Calendars Archives

The Advent Calendar Wreath

On November 30, 2021

Tomorrow is the first day of December when many children (and adults) will be opening the first door of their 2021 Advent calendars. Many of us already receive so much around Christmastime that I like to do something for Advent which involves all the family and giving of oneself to others.

This year, I have hit upon the idea of the Advent Calendar Wreath. It is a smaller door wreath made from natural willow and covered in holly and ivy to which I have tied 24 pieces of coloured paper which have first been written on then tightly folded and sealed. Each piece of paper is numbered, 1 – 24 and each member of the family will take it in turns to find the appropriate number for the day, open the paper and carry out the suggestion written there.

However, we are going to do this the evening before the date it falls due, so that the person in charge of carrying out that day’s task has time to make any necessary preparations. For instance, they might be asked to find three Christmas jokes and tell them to everyone else, find and play their favourite Christmas carol, organise a little Christmas afternoon tea – even if it is only a biscuit and a hot drink – organise a game for everyone to all join in with, or search for a small parcel wrapped in a certain colour of paper which is hidden in a particular room and share its contents with everyone else…. and so on. They are only small actions, but most are calculated to involve everyone and, at the very least, to bring some seasonal cheer and togetherness into our lives each and every day.

Alternatively, this could be adapted to cover the Twelve Days of Christmas instead, and keep the winter seasonal festivities and sense of sharing going past New Year and on into the beginning of January.

If you would like to try it for yourself, this is how I did it:

Cut as many pieces of coloured paper as you will need – they only need to be about 3″ or 8cms square. Write a suggestion or ‘command’ on each one and then fold it up so that it is a long thin rectangle and seal with a bit of Sellotape so that it can’t begin to open up again. Write the numbers 1 – 24 on each folded paper. Then, take a needle and a 6″ or 15 cm length of thread (preferably some dark colour) and run it through one end of the folded paper, removing the needle and leaving the thread ends dangling, ready to tie the paper on to the wreath.

To make the wreath itself, take several very thin willow whips, two – three foot in length, and bend them around into a circle 8 inches (or 20cms) in diameter. Weave them in and out of each other if possible and secure firmly with one or two lengths of green garden twine.

Gather a few little lengths of holly and two or three long strands of ivy, plus three or four florets of ivy flowers which are in bloom at this time of year, and arrange them around your wreath, tying them onto it securely with the garden twine. Decide which part will be the top of the wreath and add a loop of green string or coloured ribbon with which to hang the wreath up by once it is finished.

Lastly, tie all your paper ‘days’ around the wreath. (See picture at beginning of post.)Be prepared to get your fingers prickled but it is in a good cause!

Find somewhere to hang your Advent Calendar Wreath where it will be seen frequently by everyone… and don’t forget to open each day in turn, gently reminding others when it is their turn if necessary. You may have to volunteer for the first couple of days to set the tone and pace.

Enjoy – happy days!

Celebrating With A Book Launch!

By Gillian Monks

On October 7, 2019

In Uncategorized

What a wonderfully amazing and joyous day! My first proper book launch to

officially birth my second book, ‘The Alternative Advent Calendar’, out into the world. And we had a blast! Even before two o’clock struck, people were pouring through the door as I happily greeted so many friends… new and old. It was so good to have so many very dear people there with me.

And there was lots for them to do while we waited for stragglers – and there were one or two! I had assembled a collection of vintage family advent calendars dating back to the early 1950’s which we put out on display, (more about them another time), and we had both my books, ‘Merry Midwinter’ and ‘The Alternative Advent Calendar’ for sale, as well as a branch full of my speciality fir cone gnomes which make cheekily cute decorations at any time of year.

There was also a table of refreshments: home made chocolate cake and ginger parkin coated in sweet white icing and studded with crystallised ginger; gluten and dairy-free orange cake and fruit flapjack with savoury snacks to nibble on as well. I had made mulled wine and a none-alcoholic fruit punch but as the cinnamon had a very strange gloopy reaction in the fruit punch and I had forgotten a pan in which to heat the mulled wine, that rather narrowed the choice down to tea and coffee for the more discerning… well, you can’t win them all!

All four candles were lit on the advent wreath which I had made for the occasion and I began by welcoming everyone and giving them an update on what has been happening to me in the world of publishing since the beginning of the year. For not only was this a celebration for the launch of my second book but also for Herbary Books who are responsible for publishing it! Jess and Dafydd were there with us and so I officially introduced their new business venture to the world as well.

I went on to talk about the ancient significance of Midwinter celebration and what advent and the advent wreath symbolises and how the advent calendar developed. I mentioned how I came to write ‘The Alternative Advent Calendar’ and we went on to discuss what makes Christmas important to us and how we can bring that into our lives this winter festive season.

I was glad that I had booked the hall for longer than I originally intended. It allowed me to get round and talk to everyone… sign books… and eventually sit down with some of my nearest and dearest for a well-earned cup of tea before beginning to pack everything away.

Once home again, there were six of us for dinner… and a giddy, happy party we made of it. Later, as we settled back with cups of coffee, Jess opened a big tub of chocolates… ‘Celebrations’… what else?!

The Path Leads Onwards!

By Gillian Monks

On June 8, 2019

In Uncategorized

First draft finished – another manuscript now ready to enter the editing and production process! And yes, it is another book centred around Midwinter and Christmas but is applicable to any time of the year. ‘The Alternative Advent Calendar’ is based on the traditional twenty-four doors, with an extra special door to open of the twenty-fifth of December.

Advent calendars are usually based on giving us something nice to enjoy. This calendar differs in that – far from taking – it is all about what we can give back to the world around us. There is an introductory chapter to explain the origins, aims and development of the advent calendar and also an explanation of the ethos behind Advent itself. This is followed by twenty-five short chapters, each one suggesting a way in which you can make life pleasanter and happier for everything that lives around us – and here I am including animals, plant life and inanimate objects as well as the human element.

Each door will be marked by a large, seasonally illustrated numeral which the reader will ‘open’ by turning the page. There is a simple task or challenge for every day; ideas like giving a hug to people, making someone a hot drink, spending quality time with someone, making people laugh, feeding the local birds, planting seeds, and so on. I also include why these things are important… what real benefit they bring to those around us. Yes, we are mostly aware that it is good to promote such actions… but then we often forget to keep on doing them, especially in the hustle and bustle of the weeks before Christmas when in reality this is just the exact time we should be focusing even more on selfless thought and activities – not less.

But nothing we do, think or say is without its consequences and nothing we participate in is simply one way – there are ultimately the benefits that accrue to the perpetrator as well. Simple kindness can bring immeasurable fulfilment, satisfaction, joy and love. Our interactions with others are always a two-way street.

So, if you want to give yourself or your loved ones an early Christmas present look out for ‘The Alternative Advent Calendar’ which will be available to buy from the beginning of October onward. There is also a final short chapter on how the ideas can be applied to any time of the year – January is a wonderful time to instigate these activities… brighten the cold dark world of post Christmas and cheer everyone (including yourself) by doing so.

This whole idea began as a series of blog posts dashed off in the heat of the moment last December while I was rushing around promoting my first book, ‘Merry Midwinter’. Once Advent had come to a end it seemed such a shame to merely discard the idea, so earlier in the spring I began work on rewriting them and taking the time to truly consider what I wished to convey. The result will soon be in the hands of my editor.

I have also been having long conversations about how I wish to portray the seasonal numerals which will represent the ‘doors’. I finally knocked up some very rough sketches to show everyone what I had in mind. They were warmly received and now – although I am no artist at all – am left with the task of doing the job properly for inclusion in the book. I just hope that it does not also fall to me to execute the cover… words are one thing but lines on paper have a habit of refusing to do what I expect. Come to think of it, so do my words! Ah well, such is life – jolly exciting isn’t it?