let it be known

I have addresses of assorted folk in America, but those in the United Kingdom and Ireland (and what the heck, mainland Europe) who would like to receive a real live Christmas card from me (so you may collect my DNA and possibly link me to some unsolved murders) do leave your address in the comments. (obviously screened)
Everyone will experience my goodwill via paperform.

in advent season

Advent calendars are a great way to count down the days until Christmas. Growing up we had a few different ones in the house. I think my personal favorite was the wooden one where you put up figures of the nativity each day until it was full. It was perfect in that it could be divided by four (how many kids there were) and so everyone got equal turns. You have to think about these things when there are more than two kids.
Of course in this house we seem to have three calendars. We have a large cloth/wall hanging that my Mother in law put together. (one of those kits from a fabric store) It has the advent teddy that moves everyday. The first year we got it, my Mother in law in a fit of Grandma-related spoiling, bought gifts for each.day. for Senor Onion to open. I being a wound up sort said no thank you after that first year. It was a very kind gesture but I do worry about some of the ideas it might present. Though on St. Nicholas Day we might have a few chocolate coins in there. This year Senor Onion decided to take assorted toys he and Miss Biscuit own, and put them in each of the pockets. It is kind of funny, and I like the fact that he put this together and it is something that belongs to him and his sister. Though his sister is fond of pulling out each gift and leaving them all over the stairs or hallway. We also have a re-usable sticker one with a Victorian Village. (my Mother got that one last year.) Again a good way to pass the time and watch as the village begins to form.) The last one is a new gift for the year. It is a lego advent calendar that has them building something new each day. Hopefully it will last for years and years. Though it might end up being absorbed into the massive lego collection, which seems to show no sign of stopping. One day I will win the lottery, and I will buy a house that will have a lego room. It will have loads of tiny storage for specific pieces, an enormous table with a built in lego base so you can create a whole city if you so choose, and many comfortable chairs. My dreams are weird.
I suspect that this won't be the end of advent calendars. There will be more. So many more.
I was in the grocery store yesterday and there was a woman with her child and he was begging for one of those chocolate advent calendars. She agreed and got two. (one for the other sibling) She did mutter to herself, "because it isn't like you have 600 others at home." I snorted and looked over at her and we gave each other that knowing look about those particular kind of advent calendars. The inspired frenzy they create in some children. Knowing there are bits of chocolate behind each door and you have to wait. (at least if you have some will power and you don't go bananas and just eat all of them and find yourself surrounded by the remains.)

I am slowly decorating the house. It is a new house, and it is taking awhile to figure out how to put it all together. It feels like there is a lot of space to fill.