On Sunday it's Advent 1st. It marks the start of Christmas celebrations over here, although my family started a little earlier by drinking glögg in early November and hanging wreaths and outdoor lights last weekend. Our neighbors are used to us being first putting everything up, but also first at taking the holiday decor down. Come Christmas day and I'm ready to let it all go... The outdoor lights stay until at least February though because it's sooooooo dark and they are a necessity.
Here are our advent candles, the first one to be lit on Sunday. Traditionally you put white moss, "renlav", in the holder but me not being huge on tradition and usually wanting to adapt everything to my own aesthtetics I use some apple green wiry wood "wool". The cute little mushrooms are a must though, trendy or not.
White paper stars and white amaryllises are a must although this one is still a bud. Beautiful all the same.
Happy Advent 1st!
lovely :o)
thanks for sharing I can't wait to start advent and the holiday.
many blessings to you and your family.
Posted by: Cathie | November 28, 2008 at 06:31 PM
OOOHHH - so THAT'S what all that white moss on sale at Willy's was for!! LOL. My husband brought home some amaryllises and hyacinths last night. I put the white moss on top of the hyacinths' bulbs. Is that OK?
Posted by: Monica | November 28, 2008 at 09:37 PM
Vår familj tjuvstartar också med glögg och pepparkakor tidigt, tror att det var i slutet av oktober i år. Och när julen är över så är det så skönt att ta bort allt pynt och få ett helt luftigt hem. Vi brukar ta bort allt strax efter nyår.
Posted by: Maria | November 28, 2008 at 10:05 PM
Benita,
I love all of the beautiful lights. Could you tell me if you bought, or made the paper stars? Also, that wreath that's made of lights? I love it!
It all looks so lovely. I am going to go and buy an amaryllises flower, if I can find one. They are so pretty.
Thank you.
Posted by: Brandi H | November 28, 2008 at 10:25 PM
Oh it looks so pretty Benita!
I opened my Christmas trunk this morning - with lots of squeals of delight from my son and some from me too. I love seeing it all again.
If only we had snow and dark evenings. It would make things seem much more cosy than it does for us now that it's summer here.
The wreath is up and the advent calendar ready to go. My 4 year old Toby is bursting to get in to it!
I'll do the rest of the decorations on December 6th. No maybe the 1st. Ok I'll just put a few more lights up now!
Thanks for the constant inspiration!
x
Posted by: Emma | November 29, 2008 at 12:10 AM
That's all so lovely and peacefull...
Posted by: Thessa | November 29, 2008 at 12:19 AM
It's beautiful, Benita. In winter (I can see you have lots of snow outside), it's lovely to have things that are green and growing and to have light.
Posted by: Lizzy | November 29, 2008 at 02:48 AM
So beautiful and peaceful.
Posted by: Karen | November 29, 2008 at 06:21 PM
Monica, all these new tradition must be confusing :) Ok, you may just this once out the white moss on the hyacinths. But next year they go in the advent candle holder. Right!? :)
Brandi H, the white paper stars are bought. I have five up this year. Love them.
Lizzy, the now is gone now :(
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | November 30, 2008 at 08:06 AM
Oh, sorry Brandi I missed your other question. The lit wreath is from IKEA.
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | November 30, 2008 at 08:07 AM
Just yesterday I received a wreath, meant to be put down on a flat surface... it's square and on the corners it has 4 tealight holders, so I guess it could be used for Advent... but then I would miss out on having the candles burning more often, plus to me Advent is really a religious thing. I am not into that personally...
So I don't think I will use it as a real "Advent-wreath".
I do remember my parents having this candlestick holder meant for 4 candles. My sister always has a candle with numbers on it, so you burn a little piece each day.
As for taking down the decorations, for us traditionally that was done January 6th, which is the day the 3 Kings arrived at the stable. That night, the candles in the tree were lit one last time, and after that, we took down the decorations and the tree.
Benita, in the link you posted, I read about a Christmas market. Every year, we visit a christmas market, usually in Germany. Is yours any good??
Posted by: Petra from the Netherlands | November 30, 2008 at 08:09 AM
Petra, our tradionnal advent candle holders are staight with four candles and when you light then one at a time each Sunday before Xmas it creates a stepped effect. Yours sounds like a regular candle holder so go ahead and light them all at once :)
Our family is not religious at all and here in Sweden advent is not consdered a very religious thing for most people. Advent 1st just sort of marks the day where all the decorations go up. The lit advent candles to most people are just an excuse to cozy up our homes and count down to Christmas.
I'm sure there are people to whom it is still a religious event and to them the lighting of the candles has a different meaning than to us.
I haven't been to any of the Christmas markets in years. Our are nothing like the German ones though. I know that much.
Posted by: Benita ~ Chez Larsson | November 30, 2008 at 08:46 AM
Got it!! I promise to move the moss to the advent. But I have these advent dolls my svårmor gave me - could be tricky!! LOL. :-)
Posted by: Monica | November 30, 2008 at 03:09 PM
yep, that's the kind my parents had as well, the straight one with 4 candles which will have the stepped appearance over the weeks...
Posted by: Petra from the Netherlands | December 01, 2008 at 08:12 AM
Happy first advent!
I totally missed it this year and even haven't had time to put up some christmas decoration...Have to do this on the weekend. Love yours :)
Posted by: Marion | December 04, 2008 at 09:18 PM