When the decorations go up (was: Being Scrooge-like)

[Jen Reese]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, eloiseherisson at a... wrote:
> BTW, on the subject of Advent calendars, has anyone else noted the 
new 
> version of those? I think it started with the Millennium, but last 
year too (I 
> haven't looked this year) I saw "countdown calendars" which had 
chocolates for 
> every day of December, right up to the New Year.


One of the traditions I started in college was collecting 
interesting advent calendars to display every year as decoration.  
Now it's turned into an exciting ritual my son and I share: Last 
year we had a really cool one from Playmobil, where every day you 
open a new box with a figure to add to a nativity scene, including 
animals and various decorations--very fun for kids! Over the years 
of collecting I've noticed an increase in the "Countdown to 
Christmas" calendars as opposed to the Advent calendars; I like both 
kinds personally, esp. the ones with chocolate! I didn't notice any 
going all the way into Jan., but I'm going to check into that if it 
means *more* chocolate <g>.

Jen R.