Advent 2023 - All at once!

Hello again my dears. I m aware that I promised I would still be doing advent this year, and then I posted absolutely nothing. All I can do is apologise. I did keep a record of my advent calendar contents, so I'm just going to show them all right here in this one post!

A selection of advent calendars

This year we had another escape room calendar that Stephen and I completed together.  The Lindt teddy bear calendar was Stephen's.  I bought Finn's calendar from the pet shop at the vets, which I won't do again, as I prefer either biscuits or meaty treats for my pupper, rather than carob.  I had a Northern Waxes wax melt calendar, an English Tea Company tea calendar, and a selection of mystery dice, and randomly chosen Lindor chocolates that Stephen put into a little pouch for me every day.  They were stored in the yarn bag from a previous year's yarn advent, but this year I didn't actually have a yarn advent at all.

December 1st

Advent calendar contents - December 1st

Gingerbread Treat tea

Christmas Tree scented wax melt

Coconut Lindor truffle

Translucent sparkly D8

December 2nd

Calendar contents - December 2nd

Ghostly Green tea

Mint humbug scented wax melt

Blood Orange Lindor truffle

Green wooden D6 with pyrography tally marks instead of spots

December 3rd

Calendar contents - December 3rd

White Wonderland tea

Spiced Apple scented wax melt

White and Milk chocolate Lindor truffle

green, white, and purple D%

December 4th

Calendar contents - December 4th

Festive spice tea

Vanilla and peppermint scented wax melt

Salted Caramel Lindor truffle

Sky blue D20 with purple numbers

December 5th

Calendar contents - December 5th

Winter warmer tea

Eskimo kisses scented wax melt

Strawberry Lindor truffle

Sky blue D10 with purple numbers

December 6th and 7th

Calendar contents - December 6th and 7th

I wasn't well enough on the 6th to bother with advent calendars, so both days were opened on the 7th.

6th)

Super Star anise tea

Frosted Berries scented wax melt

Irish Cream Lindor truffle

Translucent sparkly D10

7th)

Tropical Lemongrass tea

Avo Bath scented wax melt

Lindt chocolate teddybear

Green, purple, and white D8

December 8th

Calendar contents - December 8th

Happy Holiday tea

Iced Gingerbread scented wax melt

Strawberry Lindor truffle

Blue wooden D6 with pyrography tally marks

December 9th

Calendar contents - December 9th

Post-Party refresh tea

Candy Cane scented wax melt

Chocolate heart Lindor truffle

Translucent pink sparkly D%

December 10th

Calendar contents - December 10th

Berry Rooibos tea

Frankincense & Myhrr scented wax melt

Coconut Lindor truffle

Green, White, and Purple D20

December 11th

Calendar contents - December 11th

Spicy Pumpkin tea

Light Blue scented wax melt (Not at all confusing that this is in fact coloured pink!)

Milk chocolate Lindor truffle

Purple wooden D6 with pyrography tally marks

December 12th

Calendar contents - December 12th

Seasonal siesta tea

Savage scented wax melt

Pistachio Lindor truffle

Green, white, and purple D20

December 13th

Advent of Change 12 days calendar

Around the 9th or 10th of December I started doing my Christmas charity donations, and as I was doing so, I realised that I had forgotten to get an Advent of Change calendar this year!  So I immediately went to their website and discovered that they do these 12 days of Christmas calendars.  I decided to order one of those, and open it in the 12 days preceding Christmas day.  Fortunately, it arrived on the 12th.

Rainbow Trust

Rainbow Trust "Today you have provided a special journal for the sibling of an unwell child to express and process their thoughts and feelings."

Calendar contents - December 13th

Ginger Cranberry tea

Raspberry & Vanilla scented wax melt

Champagne Lindor truffle

Sky blue D4 with purple numbers

December 14th

Food Cycle - "Today you have given someone in need the only hot meal they might eat this week."

Gingerbread Treat tea

Cinnamon Buns scented wax melt

Caramel Lindor truffle

Orange wooden D6 with pyrography tally marks

December 15th

Become - "Today you have helped answer the call of a child in care needing access to vital support."

Ghostly Green tea

Snow Fairy scented wax melt

Blood Orange Lindor truffle

Sky blue D% with purple numbers

December 16th

White wonderland tea

Kreed scented wax melt

Milk and White chocolate Lindor truffle

Green, White, and purple D10

Air Ambulances UK - "Today you have bought an oxygen mask to help keep a patient safe on their journey to hospital."

December 17th

WellChild - "Today you have helped a seriously ill child spend quality time outdoors by contributing to a garden makeover at their home."

Festive Spice tea

Avo Bath scented wax melt

Caramel Lindor truffle

Green, White, and purple D6

December 18th and 19th

Surfers Against Sewage - "Today you have helped clear harmful pollution from our coastlines, canal paths, bridleways, and city streets."

Shout - "Today you have helped someone in distress have a conversation with a trained volunteer who could save their life."

18th)

Winter warmer tea

Iced Gingerbread scented wax melt

Coconut Lindor truffle

Red wooden D6 with pyrography tally marks

19th)

Superstar anise tea

Spa Lily scented wax melt

Milk and White chocolate Lindor truffle

Translucent pink sparkly D20

December 20th

Alzheimer's research UK - "Today you have provided resources for a scientist to carry out eight experiments that could lead to the next breakthrough in dementia research."

Tropical Lemongrass tea

Candy Cane scented wax melt

Blood orange Lindor truffle

Translucent pink sparkly D4

December 21st

Tommy's - "Today you have helped a family start to heal after the loss of a baby, by funding an appointment with a specialist midwife there to support them."

Happy Holiday tea

Spiced Orange scented wax melt

Stracciatella Lindor truffle

Translucent pink sparkly D12

December 22nd

Toybox - "Today you have bought a pair of thick socks and a warm woollen hat to help keep a child living on the streets of India warm this winter."

Post-party refresh tea

Black Cherry scented wax melt

Irish cream Lindor truffle

Translucent pink sparkly D6

December 23rd

Reengage - "Today you have helped a lonely older person join a local monthly social group, giving them regular companionship for years to come."

Berry Rooibos tea

Santa's Lil Helper scented wax melt

Matcha Lindor truffle

Sky blue D6 with purple numbers

December 24th

Woodgreen - "Today you have helped provide warmth, food, and care for pets who have been abandoned."

Spicy pumpkin tea

Frankincense & Myhrr scented wax melt

Pistachio Lindor truffle

Sky blue D12 with purple numbers

EXIT Xmas Hero button badge

I chose not to show you any of our progress with the escape room calendar just in case you ever choose to do it yourself.  I wouldn't want to be giving you any clues or spoilers!  However, this was our reward today for having completed all 24 "rooms".

Finn's advent calendar

Because he's so painfully cute, here's a photo of Finn enjoying his calendar too :)

Right, it's now almost 2am on Christmas morning, so I shall settle for having shown you my advent goodies, and when I do my New Year update (hopefully) in January, then I will show you the projects I've finished during December, and what I've cast on for Christmas.

For now, have a wonderful Christmas, or other midwinter festivity of your choice, and I hope 2024 will be a good year for you!