Last year I started a new little tradition in our house ... the Reverse Advent.
I posted about it HERE.
Instead of having a fancy pants advent calendar with doors to open that contains chocolates or gifts I would simply sort through my possessions and donate one a day each day over the twenty four days in the run up to Christmas Day to charity.
Although we have decluttered and sorted out throughout the year and sold lots of our stuff at car boot sales, I really do think that with a bit of a push and digging deep in the cupboards and on the bookshelves I can do the same again this year.
Although as you can see from the picture above, I have been treated to a very fancy pants chocolate filled advent calendar by my Lovely Hubby.
Reverse Advent - Day 1
A signed copy of a book that to be honest I didn't think was that good. It's now residing in the charity shop, and hopefully will make someone a lovely Christmas present AND raise money for a good cause. To be honest I don't know if I will post daily pictures of everything I donate, it does keep me on track and inspire me to sort out even more, but it seems a bit showy offy ... do you know what I mean?
Have you started any 'new to you' traditions for Christmas?
Sue xx
Christmas here has changed, no bought in gifts, gifts are crafted or foodie gifts made, anything that is bought in must be local preferable used, I cant post any of this years gifts as family read my blog, my daughters are also now making gifts for others, also I no longer send Christmas cards, for family and close friends I make a decoration for there tree, its kept a low key affair. One tradition I started when the kids were young they have continued with there children, Christmas eve was always a really fancy hot chocolate topped with cream, chocolate flakes and marshmallows we now have recipes for different hot chocolates circulating the family, we all do one charitable deed over Christmas and put a Christmas box together for a homeless person.
ReplyDeleteThat sound super, Dawn, how Christmas should be.
DeleteI love this concept.
DeleteLovely idea Sue. We had traditions when the kids were little.. one present opened on Christmas eve but was always new jammies or a Christmas themed bedtime book ! Once settled, husband poured me a glass of port & I got started filling the stockings. Lovely. Now I'm the first to bed !
ReplyDeleteWhat a good idea!
ReplyDeleteI do not decorate until the 23rd, No Christmas music or film till then either. On Christmas Eve day I make mince pies, a cheesecake, trifle and the Yule Log. Last thing before dinner I prep all the veg and then once the kitchen is put to rights I snuggle on the sofa with Francesca and Ben and we watch Elf, then whatever takes our fancy. This year there will be 4 or 5 here but they will have to watch Elf, it signals the start of the holiday for me.
ReplyDeleteThere SO many Christmas films, if I don't start on the 1st December I would never get them all watched :-)
DeleteAnd do you know I have never seen Elf .... I will have to remedy that this year!!
Oh my, Elf is just the best Christmas film ever and remember, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!
DeleteWhat a great idea. I don't have a lot of 'stuff' but surely I could give away some of Jack's....:-D
ReplyDeleteWe are still in the throws of full blown Christmas with children at home and Mr D very much the traditionalist, but having said that, we have never been consumerist at Christmas anyway so I'm happy to keep it as it is for a while yet :)
ReplyDeleteMy tradition is to buy a nice bottle of something slightly intoxicating. Trouble is I have already bought my bottle of port, and drunk it, ha ha. When we were mere kiddywinks we had our presents on Christmas Eve, as that was how mum's family did it in Germany. December is when I make my charitable donations, charities of my choosing, not those who send a begging letter in the post.
ReplyDeleteYou're almost as bad as Lovely Hubby ;-)
DeleteI bought him TWO bottles of Port ready for Christmas because they were on an unbelievably good deal at Tesco a few weeks ago ... they have both been drunk already!!
We're doing reverse advent here too, not one item per day as such, but making a concerted effort to get rid of anything we haven't used in the past twelve months.
ReplyDeleteOur Christmas this year will be just the four of us and as the smallest still hears the believe bell so we are in full swing still. Having said that I just love the togetherness of Crhistmas. We started something a couple of years ago. Chance to turn off the TV and have some family time whilst we play the A-Z Christmas game. Simple, everybody tries to think of a Christmas thing through the alphabet. Hubs, obviously, tries to get round the tricky ones with some cheeky suggestions! Presents for the boys this year but we were saying last night that we are not too bothered about gifts, as long as we have a few drinks, some yummy home made food, fire lit and some quality time we are not bothered. Sue, I have to hide the Drambuie we get in for Jon or it goes, too. It is on offer in Asda at the moment so will be getting that along with the requisite bubbly.
ReplyDeleteI think that is a great thing to do, Sue.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lovely idea Sue, you are so good. And top points to LH for the advent calendar, bless him x x x
ReplyDeleteI love this idea.
ReplyDeleteWe have advent calendars for the children and - for the first time in a long time - hubby and I are sharing one this year (a yummy Lindt one too!) But we are still getting rid of thins - I took a bin liner of stuff to the charity shop today and have a carrier bag of items for the charity I volunteer for which I'll take with me on Fri :)
ReplyDeleteXmas Eve means new PJs for the children, decorating the dining room ready for the big day, and then a nice glass of Baileys over ice when they are all in bed :)
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Thats a great idea idea. I have a few things ready to go. We too have decluttered so much but I find theres always another layer to go through!!
ReplyDeleteAm following you this year. When my children were young they would sort out their toys at this time of year and take them to Dr Bernardo's. I am pleased to be able to say that my grandchildren do the same. So, it is about time I started doing the same with my own toys.
ReplyDeleteI don;t think it is show-offy at all! It might inspire us all to do something similar and I for one am looking forward to what you find - so please continue.
ReplyDeleteNow what a good idea - I wonder if I can do that!
ReplyDeletexx
Oooh - forgot to say earlier that I don't think it's show-offy if you post what's going - it might even inspire some of us to think 'ooh, yes - I've got one of those which we no longer use' - and for us to also get rid of things! :)
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I took 2 books to CS on 1st Dec - I may post my 'offerings' up as comments, if that's ok x
DeleteIf it helps keep you on task then post everyday!
ReplyDeleteOur Christmas traditions involve lots of homemade decorations, family time and eating far more treats than is probably healthy lol.
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Ill try this me thinks
ReplyDeleteWhat a good idea, I'm off to go and find something to add to the charity shop bag :)
ReplyDeleteI've just read your last post on reverse advent- my children (like me) still have their original paper advent calendars- 1 they got for their first Christmas and another we bought on a holiday to Germany a few years ago. They do share a fabric one where you get figures out of the pockets and velcro them onto the scene. A few pockets might have a chocolate, or a new pen, or a note saying we'll do something nice, but that's all, and they seemed to have made it to their teen years ok!
A good idea! xx
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