Day 10- Why Am I Doing This?

Welcome to Day 10 of Advent Countdown. You may be wondering about the post title. No, it isn't me raising the white flag and calling it quits. Today we'll be looking at the history of the advent calendar, how it came to be- resulting in me coming to make my own attempt at one centuries later.

Well let's start at the beginning. Advent means 'the coming' in Latin. Advent itself has been observed since around the fourth century, when newly converted Christians would prepare themselves for baptisement.

During the Middle Ages, it gained an association to the Second Coming. The advent period was celebrated from the eleventh of November until Christmas Day, and was a time where Christians would observe lent, spending the days fasting and in worship.

The actual calendar itself was first created in the the nineteenth century, by German Protestants. They would mark the days on their doors in chalk. 

Credit: http://leggereper.wordpress.com/creativita-si-impara/

The first printed advent calendar was created in the early twentieth century, by Gerhard Lang. It was inspired by a calendar his mother had made him during his childhood- with 24 coloured drawings and  sweets stuck on a piece of cardboard. Lang added the doors- which are now traditional on any modern day calendar. It spread throughout Europe and North America, and originally used images from the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible). FYI, the first chocolate advent calendar was created in the 1950's.

Advent wreaths have their own origins. They first appeared in folk traditions of Northern Europe, where lit candles were placed in wreaths made of evergreen. Both the shape and the material represented eternal life, and the candles were used for practical reasons too. They provided light during the short, dark, winter days and nights. 

Credit:http://www.examiner.com/article/catholic-living-101-advent

Eastern Europeans adopted the tradition, and by the sixteenth century, they became basically what they are today. The four candles represent peace, hope, love and joy.

And there you have it- the origins of Advent Countdown. I hope you found it interesting, and maybe even learned something today. I know I did.

See you all tomorrow for Day 11 of Advent Countdown. We're getting there. Slowly but surely, we're getting there.

Resources:

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/advent1.html

http://mentalfloss.com/article/26522/brief-history-advent-calendars

Silver-Tongue. My Favourite Audiobook Narrators

Welcome to Day 2 of Advent Countdown. I wanted to do something that related to the colours of the season, and I thought I'd start with silver. In this case, the tongue variety.

These are my top favourite narrators so far. I'm of the firm opinion that a narrator can make or break an audiobook. The good ones add humour, emotion, character personality and individuality to their work, while still maintaining the integrity of the material.  The bad ones can stop you ever wanting to pick up an audiobook again, and can make their own work virtually unlistenable. So who do I think does the former, and absolutely avoids the latter?

First up, Stephen Fry. A man of many, many talents, he is also blessed with the ability to tell a story. I first came across his narration ability through the Harry Potter audiobooks many years ago now (quite a few of the narrators on this list are from my childhood). His talent was undeniable. He manages to stay true to the material, while still giving it his own signature. He has an extensive range of voices and accents and brings the stories to life. The perfect narrator.

Second, Oliver Chris. He may be an actor, but I knew him best for his recordings of Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series. I tend to get quite attached to a narrator I like, and so when Oliver stopped working on them after Ark Angel- and I was left with only Dan Stevens' version- I stopped listening to them. I preferred to read them myself, than to listen to someone who was very obviously 'not Alex' be Alex. If you switch narrator part-way through, you have to get used to them. Not only that, but at this point characters already sound a particular way to you, and so it's odd when they suddenly sound very different. It makes it hard to ever switch successfully. To me Oliver will always be the one and only 'Alex'.


The next one up is another who I was sad to see stop working on a series- Adrian Dunbar. The sweet, Irish lilt of his voice was perfect for his telling of Artemis Fowl. But like I said, he too stopped before the end, leaving the very English Nathaniel Parker's versions. I really tried to give him the benefit of the doubt, but a non-Irish Artemis Fowl is not an Artemis Fowl. There are other versions, but, well let's put it this way- no Irish accent is better than a bad Irish accent. Not that Nathaniel's attempt is any better. Why get someone to try fake the accent, when you have the perfect Irishman for the job already. Adrian Dunbar, I miss you.

Next up is Anton Lesser. Specifically his reading of Philip Pullman's Sally Lockhart series. To me he always had the perfect 'English' accent for the characters. Because that's a lot of what being a narrator means. Not only do the characters have to work with you, but you have to be right for them. 

Finally, I have an author/narrator- John R. Erickson- writer and reader of the Hank the Cowdog series. If you have not had the pleasure to ever hear this man read his stories to you, please check them out. His writing holds buckets of humour, which pairs perfectly with his comedic timing and voice acting talent. Hank the Cowdog will have you laughing, singing, and generally feeling good. And what's more- there's no shortage of material. You don't even need to listen to them in order. It's rare to find an author who not only writes wonderfully, but reads brilliantly too. John can not only do it, he excels at it.

So that's my "Narrator Greats" list. I've suddenly realised that they are all men. The only excuse I can give is that I don't often listen to audiobooks (preferring to read them myself instead). As a result, I haven't had a huge amount of exposure to the world of audiobook narrators. A weak excuse I know, but the only one I have I'm afraid. Oh well, maybe next year I'll do a female version of this list. See you tomorrow for Day 3 of Advent Countdown.

Holy Mother of Christmas Meme! The Traditions of My Clan

Welcome to Day 1 of my Advent Countdown. On a brief side note, you may have noticed the published date at the top of this post doesn't match up with today's date. This was the only way I could 'hide' the Advent Countdown posts, so prepare for some odd dates at the top of these posts. 

Today I have a tradition among many blogger, vloggers, and internet users of all kinds- a meme. Specifically a Christmas one- not surprising considering the context. Well, onto it then! And to be even more themetastic, the questions are in red, and the answers in green. Why not?

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

I've never been a fan of the former, but love the latter- so the choice is obvious. Sometimes it's the simple things in life. And there really is nothing like sitting with a hot drink (chocolate), family all around, while the chilly weather coats the world outside.

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

Well there wouldn't be much buildup if he didn't wrap them. It's the joy of picking out a gift at random and not knowing. It could be anything. That suspiciously rectangular present? A puppy! You never know.

Coloured lights on tree/house or white?

Personally, I like a mix of the two. The tree will generally be white/blue only, but sometimes we mix and match. I like a little variation around the house though. Generally, multicoloured above my bed, blue above the window (for the cold) and warm, white lights anywhere.

When do you put your decorations up?

I'm a little "Christmas crazy", so I like to get started early. However, I get held back by well meaning family members, and generally hold off till sometime in December- the earlier the better. I like putting up most decorations and lights with my family, so I generally wait for them to 'get the urge' before we have a family decoration day.

What is your favourite holiday dish?

Hmm, that's a hard one to answer. I suppose I've never really thought about it. I like to have a little bit of everything. And I mean in one bite (makes for a big bite!). The mixture of flavours and textures is perfect. If I had to choose just one? The bread sauce. Haha, maybe that's not a dish, but it goes with everything!

Favourite holiday memory as a child?

So many! Every Christmas when I was a child, my sister and I would wake up early, open our stockings together, pack them back up and then take them down to show our parents. It became a tradition. The four of us would open our stockings (along with my cat and dog- yes they each got their own stocking!) to mark the beginning of Christmas. We would all squish onto the bed, along with my cat and dog (the one day of the year she was allowed on the bed), and share in the feeling of togetherness (for me the epitome of Christmas). 

Describe your typical Christmas.

I have quite a big family, and traditionally we all get together for Christmas. Seeing as how I live in England, and my family is English, we celebrate Boxing Day. For non-British readers, that is the day after Christmas Day and is also a holiday here in the UK. It's a kind of second Christmas. A normal Christmas for my family is getting together with one half on Christmas, and the other on Boxing Day. 

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

Absolutely not! The buildup is half of what makes Christmas what it is. I would never want to diminish that.

Snow! Love it or Dread it?

Love is not a strong enough word for the emotions I feel when it snows. I do live where it sometimes snows, but rarely is there a 'white christmas'. Snow is normally an occurrence during the next couple months. Suffice to say, if there is a white christmas, you'll probably hear my excitement around the world.

Can you ice skate?

If by ice skate you mean cling-to-the-edge-with-a-vice-like-grip-and-terror-on-my-face then yes. Oddly enough, I actually really enjoy ice skating, despite the fact that I seem physically unable to do it. I love the atmosphere. The cold, the music, the friends. 

What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?

I kind of answered this is a previous question, but seeing my friends and family. It's not Christmas if I'm not home.

What is your favourite holiday dessert?

Not sure if they're a dessert, but sugar cookies. Either that or roast chestnuts (are they more of a snack?). I'm not really a fan of traditional Christmas puddings. I don't really like mince pies or Christmas cake (except the marzipan!).

What tops your tree?

It varies. Usually one of the varieties of star we have. 

Do you prefer giving or receiving?

Definitely giving. I've been told I can be a little overgenerous with my giving (is that even a thing?), but I can't help it. I love picking out gifts that I think people will love. I start creating lists for individual people early on in the year, then slowly short-list them, before finally settling on my final decisions. I buy gifts early too. That might just be paranoia though- you never know what might happen, and I'd hate to have found the 'perfect gift' only to be unable to deliver on it. I love making people smile. In fact, I'm pretty awkward when it comes to receiving gifts. 

What is your favourite Christmas song?

"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year". It's been a favourite of mine for a few years now. A classic Christmas tune. I even have a moose that sings it (using Andy Williams' voice). I love pretty much all Christmas songs though. They really set the season. The downside is that they're so damn catchy that you can't get them out of your head. Which makes for some inappropriate moments when you find yourself singing 'Let it Snow' in July.

Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum?

No strong feelings either way. The only time I ever eat them is at Christmas- and that's usually because I've been gifted one.

Favourite Christmas show?

My family has a few traditionals, and I have a couple of my own. We usually watch Beatrix Potter's The Tailor of Gloucester (something that started when my sister and I were young), A Christmas Carol (one or many renditions), The Snowman, and whatever we see on TV that takes our fancy. 
Mine are Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (both the original and the Jim Carrey version), and again Christmas TV. 

What are you having for Christmas dinner?

Turkey with all the trimmings, various vegetables (carrots, parsnips, etc), roast potatoes, bread sauce, red currant jelly, gravy, etc, etc. The traditional Christmas meal.

What is your favourite Christmas tradition?

Putting my stocking at the end of my bed on Christmas Eve. Something I don't think I will ever grow out of.

All I want for Christmas is...?

To see my family. This year I also hope for a quick conclusion to a medical issue I've been suffering from for the past couple months. All I can do is wait for the surgery. Crossing my fingers that it's before the big day!



Well I hope you all enjoyed this little (quite long) look into my life. Or at least the Christmas part of it. Let me know any answers you would give to these questions. See you for Day 2 of Advent Countdown.

Advent Calendar 2013

A Little Holiday Spirit

As is traditional for many people around the world, the 1st of December marks the beginning of a countdown. From tomorrow onwards, millions around the world will be eagerly marking off the days until Christmas, and then the final week before we welcome in the New Year. We are hurtling towards 2014 at quite an alarming rate.

I know not everyone celebrates Christmas, but my family does, and so that is why I have created my own Christmas countdown just for you- in the form of an advent calendar (designed and created by yours truly). If you're not a fan of the holidays, I hope you can still find some enjoyment in this event. 

Everyday (starting from tomorrow- the 1st- until the 25th there will be a new "door" to open. Clicking on that door will take you to the post for that day. And that's pretty much all there is to it. My very own virtual advent calendar for all of you to enjoy. 

I will posting the advent calendar as its own post, following this one. And a little message to all those impatient calendar openers- I will not be activating the link for later days. A 'door' will only be made active on its day- at which point it will remain active indefinitely. 

I will also be working on only making the posts linked by the advent calendar visible to those who clicked on the 'door' that hides its link (unless of course I absolutely fail to create the right code to do so). I want them to only be visible to those partaking in this event. After all, there's not much point to the advent calendar if every post it links to is available at the top of the home page. 

I hope you will all enjoy my small gift to you. I tried my best to make the corresponding posts entertaining and fun. Until Door 1 then. See you all tomorrow.