​Every few minutes, today, someone has walked past with their dog, partner and / or children. Everyone is happy and out with a purpose as the shops are closed, so they are either visiting someone or just enjoying being outside.

The origins of this are shrouded in the myseteries of time but what we do know is that back on Christmas Eve, 1948, The United States Air Force issued a communique stating that an 'early warning radar net to the north' had detected 'one unidentified sleigh, powered by eight reindeer, at 14,000 feet, heading 180 degrees'.  

Associated Press pass this 'report' to the general public and was intended as a one off event.

Today, 6th December, is the feast day of St Nicolas of Myra. 

​Amongst other things, he was known for his habit of secretly giving gifts and over the years following his death in 343CE, his name gave rise to varients of Santa Claus from such things as the Dutch; Sinterklass from Saint Nicolas.

We would always go to Shinners, the big department store, where my Grandmother worked.  It would either be for the staff children's party or to visit Santa's Grotto.  Either way, we didn't pay to visit Father Christmas as it was part of my Grandma's staff Christmas present.  Other people attending would pay.

I would sit on Santa's lap, tell him what I wanted for Christmas, promise to be good, have our photo taken and be given a gift.

Yesterday I looked at what Advent means, building on my blog from last year about what makes Advent Calendars so special.

​Today, I want to explore some Advent Traditions.

Advent marks the weeks before Christmas and is a time of anticipation, preparation and reflection leading up to Christmas Day.

Advent starts with the aptly named Advent Sunday.  This is the 4th Sunday before Christmas Day and usually falls between 27th November and 3rd December.  This year, 2023, it is 3rd December.

Churches and homes would have an Advent Wreath or Crown with a candle being lit on each Sunday.  Although the practice is traditionally a Lutheran practice, it has spread from it's origins in Germany to many other Christian denominations and countries.

Normally there are four candles, for the four Advent Sundays, often coloured and a fifth, white candle to be lit on Christmas Day.

Whilst the practice can be dated to the 16th Century, it wasn't until the mid 19th Century that the practice became more wide spread due to the the work of Johann Hinrich Wiehern.  During Advent, the children at the mission school, that he founded, would ask daily if it was Christmas yet.