It's December 1st which means that on the way home from school today Emily asked why she didn't have an Advent calendar.
But you do honey, I said. California Grandma sent us a nice one with Baby Jesus, Joseph and Mary, the three wise men, the whole cast from the nativity play. You opened it this morning.
No, I mean a CHOCOLATE one.
Oh, good question, as chocolate Advent calendars are as ubiquitous in December as a runny nose. I meant to pick onethree up over the weekend, but all they had at Tesco was High School Musical, Hannah Montana and Barbie.
I think there was also some sort of boy one, probably Spiderman, but nothing else. No nice sleigh bells ringing, no little birds nestling in the snow, no nativity scenes. Zipity doo-dah.
Just Disney and chocolate.
Is this what Christmas has become?
What about the birth of Jesus? Giving. Doing things for others. The reason for the season.
I'm glad that some people have not forgotten, for example:
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Pampers and UNICEFhave teamed up this season to eliminate newborn tetanus by 2012.
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Laura Comfort has released for Christmas a new children's video A Better World to help fight poverty in the UK.
We had a talk about how High School Musical was not the real meaning of Christmas.
It's not about us, I explained, it's about giving to others.
Yes mummy, we know, but can we still get the High School Musical calendars anyway, if I give mine to Alexandra, and she gives hers to me?
Photo credit: starrynight
