Advent - The countdown to Christmas #XmasLinky

 For the next 4 weeks, every Friday I will host a Christmas link up. Add your Xmas themed posts here for #XmasLinky   (old or new - but non xmas posts will be deleted).

As a kid, my dad came back from a business trip to Germany with the most beautiful advent calendar. It was paper but shaped like a gingerbread clock with little doors that you opened to reveal Christas pictures. I loved it so much, and we shut all the pictures back down after Christmas and used it for quite a few years.

I just adored the excitement of opening it each day. Even when it got to the point that I remembered all the pictures and there was no surprise. 

I still love advent calendars. I now give my neices kids advent calenders (but on Christmas day only give colouring books or something small to do on the day). My kids get fancy advents as part of their santa haul (ie I spend less at Christmas). I will admit I wait for the sales and use discounted vouchers so I can get them for $50 or more less than sale price. There are also flybuy or credit card points you can use to buy gift cards to pay for them.

I have been eyeing off the Jurlique one for myself but at $200, while good value for what you get, I can't justify it. And I haven't been able to knock off enough on the purchase price (I got it down to $180 but still out of my range).

So I've gone with Moomin Tea from Pappa Sven (this is the most wonderufl shop in Newcastle if you don't know it. If you are after Tove Janssen's adult books in English, they have them at a good price).

I do then also reuse the little boxes - I put a little Santa chocolate in it and bring them for the table at Christmas get togethers over the month of December. 

I find the men's one harder to buy so my son gets a gaming/korean noodle one that I put together myself...

If you are looking at Lego, always look at the sales around June. You can get the previous year's for $35-40. But the benefit of the Lego ones is they are small (if Inner city house space is an issue) and they can be played with all year round with any other lego sets and fit in a shoe box for storage once done. 

Ditto Little People and Playmobil. They add to the toy sets they have.

And of course we will be setting up our Playmobil reusable advent, now in it's 25th year!! Because it wouldn't be Christmas without it!

Do you get advent calendars? Which ones and any cost saving tips?

While not an advent, I just wanted to promote these chocolates from David Jones (which I didn't buy so can't tell you how much) but a thoughtful gift if seeing your Vegan friends over the holiday season.

On the Department Stores, if you're not shopping locally (supporting small business), could you consider supporting Myer and David Jones in person? I worry we will lose them, and I do love the ease of Department Stores when looking for specific items (obviously cost matters but they seem to be having endless sales at the moment!)

Note none of this is paid. All my preferences and opinions.

Share your Christmas themed posts, old or new below. Don't forget to share the love and coment.... 

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The Giving Season - Share the Dignity

I talk about this every year, so most of you know what's coming. One of my favourite traditions in the lead up to Christmas is putting together the bags for Share the Dignity's It's in the Bag appeal.

You have until the 30th November to get your bags to Bunnings. You can also donate money at the Bunnings check out or directly online here.

I spend a few weeks happily topping up my supermarket shopping with treats or toiletries.

This year, I managed to salvage 5 backpacks from the kids high school days - some barely used, one not used at all! Apparently the plain black backpacks that Santa gave every few years were not up to snuff....so I cleaned out the cupboards and recycled at the same time - and saved money. I did notice the cost of EVERYTHING had gone up. I got a few things onsale online, and even still, it was a lot more money, so it was good that I didn't have to buy any bags.

I give for the 5 catagories:

Women, Teen, Mother &Baby, Transman and NonBinary person.

I will admit, finding period products that aren't pink is trickier than you would think, but I do like the challenge of putting those last two together (and you can keep any negative comments to yourself, if a person menstruates, they get one, in my book. Charity shouldn't come with strings attached. I refuse to give to churches that require the homeless to convert or not be LBGT before helping. Help people or don't, but don't give for control. I'm not a fan of the arrogance of those that only feel charitable to the 'deserving poor'. We are not perfect ourselves, so how dare we sit in judgement of others? I always think of that joke that Greg Fleet used to tell when people told him not to give money to a guy on the street cos they'd only spend it on booze and drugs and he'd reply 'well that's what I'd spend it on so why not?'  However, I digress....)

I get a lot out of donating to this cause. I think I feel it's a tangible giving so there's a certain satisfaction felt, instead of just a click to donate money (which is equally worthy and necessary but it doesn't give me a feeling, pr any feeling to be honest). There is truth in the quote by Mary Anne Radmacher "As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way." 

Now to get started on my Reverse Advent Calendar....

Do you have season charities you support? Do you Share the Dignity?

Linking with #WWWhimsy

I did get myself a little pressent while I was there....Nothing says Christmas to me like Chewbacca. HA! I have weirdly written about my love for Wookies twice before...here and here! 

#Allseasons linky runs  from Thursday to Wednesday each week. 

Link one post that shows something seasonal. Traditional weather wise, a seasonal nature marker or a seasonal celebration or event.  Please link relevant posts only.

Make sure you link back to this  #AllSeasons post. 

Please comment on the post before yours and the host. Don't dump and run.

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Evening walk

I often don't get time to exercise properly during the day, so when possible, if going to dinner or a show, I try to walk there (up to an hour, so about 5km distance). That way I get some exercise in...though arrive a little sweaty and out of puff so need 10 mins or so to cool down and become civilised.

Funnily enough, a number of my friends have started joining me, if we're going together and work permits.

One of the benefits, other than health of course, is you see new things in the neighbourhood. New bars and restaurants, and of course, new street art.

There is always something new. Or something worth seeing. 

As pretty as nature is, the urban streetscape hides plenty of delights too.

And in super excitement, I'm seeing Jeremy Loops this weekend! Yay!!!

By the way by Jeremy Loops 

Linking with #HappyNow - because there is a mental benefit of narrowing focus to take photos as you walk - it anchors you into the moment, rather than getting lost in your thoughts. #WordlessWednesday  #WeekendCoffeeShare #WordlessWednesday  #MCoW  #WWOT  and #TheRandom

Jacaranda

The other day I had a 2 hour nightmare trying to get a human on the phone at the bank - it was a drama to do with the ATO using an unknown bank account for my refund. I thought it was identity fraud but after much yelling at the robot and being sent in a loop - call the bank, sent a link, type an essay back and forth with the robot to be told to call the number I'd called....I finally got to the bottom of it and it was an accoutn closed in 2012. I then had to go thru 13 years of returns to see if I'd missed any refunds. Fun waste of time that was....so I needed to get out of there!

There being my agited, frustrated headspace.

I was off to the theatre anyway, and as soon as I sat with my drink in the fresh air, I let out a sigh. I felt it all dissapate. 

I said to my friend "This is what I needed!" Not so much the drink, but the view and the feeling of luxury. A little treat.

Anyway, So Young at the Old Fitz has a few nights left. It's pretty funny. 

Linking with  #SundayBest#WeekendCoffeeShare #MySundaySnapshot  #KeithsRamblings

The Coundown is on! #XmasLinky

Not 100% sure this will continue, but for now - For the next 5 weeks, every Friday I will host a Christmas link up. Add your Xmas themed posts here for #XmasLinky   (old or new - but non xmas posts will be deleted).

So it's the day when Bunnings starts to accept the #Itsinthebag #SharetheDignity Donations, and that's where I'm off to with my 5! One for each catagory. I have so much fun putting them together - Mum & Bub, Teen, Woman, Transman and Non Binary. I even did a bonus bag as I over purchased, forgetting I'd already got certain items (as I add extra each week for a month or so in the lead up). This year, I salvaged all the kids barely used school backpacks - I had two not good enough (that were happily taken by the Op shop) but I didn't need to spend a cent on bags so all the better to fill them! And I got rid of perfectly good backpacks without sending them to landfill....

Hunter Valley Christmas Light Spectacular is on. I will be doing a similar version in both Paris and Rome with our youngest so am very excited. Due to the school finishing and my events and the cost of the Hunter on weekends, I'm not 100% sure we will get to the Hunter, but I really want to as it's probably the LAST time - after 19 years of annual tradition!

Advents are under control, including the one I make myself for my son. 

Turkey is ordered, waiting for Dinner Ladies to open their menu so I can order in some other things handy to have. I really want the Messina dessert but it's too big for our group and possibly the freezer, so I just can't justify the cost. I am very jealous of those of you that will finish off your Christmas meal with it!

Wayside Chapel is on the list to donate to. Will talk more on that soon. But good people doing good work, so give if you can.

Gifts are more or less under control. My husband, the hardest to buy for, and I are going to David Byrne in Jan so that is our present as we got good seats. So phew! Done!

I feel November is the organising part of Christmas and if you do it right, December is the fun.

Get what you want at those sales, as everything seems to cost more this year!

Hopefully, this linky with run Friday's to Wednesday's. Add a Christmas themed post, old or new. Comment on at least one other post. Share the cheer! Are you ready to get festive?

Linking with #TheRandom #TalkaboutitTuesday

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Christmas Link Up?

Usually, at this time of year, I start a Christmas link up every Friday in the countdown to Christmas. Given the interest in #Allseasons is dwindling, I'm wondering if I bother.

Are you interested? I might do one this Friday anyway, but whether I continue we'll see.

Sing out if you're keen.....old or new Christmas posts.

Linking with #TalkaboutitTuesday

This is the link to the current, active linky post

Currawong Snaps

 

While not an official seasonal celebration, it is an annual escape for us, just to relax bufore the rush of Christmas.

We head to Currawong for a laid back weekend of paddle boarding, golf, tennis and kicking back on the beach.

This was the first time in the small cottage as opposed to as a group in the big house. 

We were keen to rebook for next year but so far, it's booked out!

Fingers crossed as the dates open I can nab it for us again. 

Do you have personal annual traditions or places you have to book a year out?

Linking with #WordlessWednesday  #MCoW #TalkaboutitTuesday #NaturesNotes  #GardenAffair #MySundaySnapshot #SaturdayCritters #WeekendCoffeeShare #Skywatch #GaleriaHimmelsblick  #ThruMyLens