There are a few ways that I know that Christmas is on it's way. First, I start having those 'for Christmas can I have ....' conversations with the boy (actually those start pretty much straight after his birthday in September), the decorations go up in the shops and it is time to start preparing for the Virtual Advent tour for this year!
A couple of days ago, Kelly from The Written World and I announced that the sign ups for 2012 Virtual Advent Tour are open! This is going to be the seventh year that Kelly and I have co-hosted the tour where we invite people to share their holiday memories, recipes, traditions etc with us all, even for those of you who don't celebrate Christmas (we would love to hear what you do for the holidays). We have a separate blog for sign ups, buttons, and the daily posts talking about where the stops will be! We hope that lots of you decide to sign up and join in on the fun this year. If you would like to have a look at some of the posts in previous years, you will be able to find some links here. I can't wait to once again visit all the participants and see what everyone comes up with to share with us all!
You can also follow us on Twitter @VirtualAdventThis year I am not sure if I will be having a specific date for people to visit my blog, but I will again be posting quotes from books I have read most days, both here and at the Advent Tour blog and a couple of the quotes might find their way over to Historical Tapestry as well. I have been preparing for this since January when I started collecting quotes about Christmas in particular. As soon as I saw a mention, I looked at it as a possible blog post. It is kind of surprising how few mentions there really are, but I think I have nearly enough.
Last year I read quite a few Christmas themed romances and that is true again this year. I would have said that was kind of out of the ordinary for me but given that is has happened two years in a row, and I still have a couple left to read as well, maybe this is my new normal! Who knows!
To be honest, I am not the biggest fan of Christmas and I am more than a little apprehensive about it this year given that I am planning to head back to Adelaide to have Christmas there for the first time in more than 10 years. The boy will get to spend some time with his dad and half siblings which he hasn't been able to do before, so I am sure that it is time, and it is the right thing to do, but that doesn't stop me from dreading it just a little bit.
I watch other people talk about the fantastic time they have had since their childhood and their family traditions. It really wasn't the case for me, especially from the age of about 10 on when we moved away from my father's side of the family. My sister and I have worked at trying to make it a more special time, especially for the kids, but it does feel like an effort! The Advent Tour has become a huge part of my build up to Christmas each year, helping to get me just a little bit excited about the holidays, and I love reading about everyone's traditions, favourite food, music and films!
I hope that you enjoy all the posts that I put up starting from December 1. We will get to then end of the Virtual Advent tour and then I will be beginning to save quotes again ready for next year!
Currently Reading
The Fitzosbornes in Exile by Michelle Cooper
Reading Next
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and maybe something else.
I am excited about Virtual Advent this year! The last two ones, well, the holidays were bad... I am very hopeful that this year will be a great one. I hope it is for you, too!!
ReplyDeleteYaay! I've been waiting for the sign up. Your son and I must have the same signal about Christmas, though I don't think about Christmas as much as the advent tour, and what I might do for a topic! lol
ReplyDeleteI hope you and Kelly both have better Christmases....I'm sorry that it's not your favourite holiday, though thrilled that hosting this helps you feel the holiday spirit. Sometimes I think we (as in our culture) makes too much of it as a holiday, expecting everything to be perfect over the holidays, when really no one comes from a perfect family, and many of us from broken ones. I do too, and there are so many family dramas around our Christmases that sometimes I keep it just to me and my kids and husband! no one else allowed, just so it can be peaceful.
Now to get ready for my topic and what day I would like! Thanks, both of you,for doing this again!
Yes, I'd love to be a part of this. Thank you for organizing this event.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like fun Marg, i'm going to check out the sign up site.
ReplyDeleteSounds like this Christmas will be a little different for you, heading back to Adelaide. Hopefully it's a nice change though! I just got back from Adelaide, well Glenelg actually it was very pretty there (and cold!).