Advent Calendar

As I enjoy my Jacquie Lawson Advent Calendar on the computer this year, I am reminded of the simple Advent Calendar I had as a child.

Portage Park School had a bazaar each year run by the P.T.A. There were craft tables, baked goods, and even a White Elephant table (upon which Pam thought she'd find a new stuffed animal - a white elephant - Was she ever disappointed!). Much of the bazaar was crafts. I remember some of the things Mom made for that bazaar. One year she made Barbie doll hats from felt. She soaked them in Elmer's glue and formed them over a pop bottle and then decorated them. She also made doll clothes for baby dolls and Barbie dolls. One year she made these little pin cushion chairs - the frames made from tin cans cut in strips and rolled in curlicues.

One year when we were rather young, Mom came home with a "calendar." It was a big piece of felt - red, if I remember correctly. It had numbers, but only 1-25. Each number had a piece of candy tied below it. We weren't sure at first what it was all about. Then we found out that we would get one piece of candy each day. When all the candy was gone, it would be Christmas. It was a countdown to Christmas.

I remember the excitement each day as we untied a piece of candy and knew we were a day closer to Christmas.

I think Mom reused that calendar several more years, but I don't remember it ever being more exciting than that first year when we were trying to figure out what it was all about.