" If today gets difficult,
remember the smell of coffee,
the way sunlight bounces off a window,
the sound of your favorite person's laugh,
the feeling when a song you love comes on,
the color of the sky at dusk, and that
we are here to take care of each other. "
NANEA HOFFMANN
Suddenly it's a month 'til Christmas and with less than a week before December 1st, I had better post my Jacquie Lawson Advent Calendar **Giveaway** before it's too late! A dear blogging friend sent me the 2020 Scandinavian calendar several days ago—such a lovely surprise—and ever since I have been enjoying the games and puzzles already available for those of us who can't wait.
Now it's my turn to pay it forward, and I'm delighted to give away TWO e-Advent Calendars. There are two choices available this year: (1) the Nordic version with the Scandinavian-style Christmas celebrations and (2) the Cotswold version with an English Christmas in the pretty hills of southern England. The winners can choose which version they prefer. To learn more about the calendars, check out Jacquie's website HERE, but don't forget to come back and leave your comment to enter the DRAW.
As we come into the darkest days of the year, I hope this daily 'light'hearted and fun activity will help to dispel the darkness and keep your spirits mirthful as you wait for Christmas.
To Enter the Giveaway:
1. Leave us a comment on this post (or on Facebook
if you are reading the post there).
Share a favourite holiday treat, song, tradition, or
how you are feeling about Christmas this year.
Draw will be at 8:00 am MST on Monday, Nov 30th.
--Draw is now closed--
If you are the lucky winner, do get in touch with me as soon as possible,
so I can email the calendar link to you before the first of December.
You'll find my email HERE.
Fingers and heart crossed for you—here's wishin' !
* * *
Heart Hugs,
Brenda
xox
I have already been enjoying the puzzles and games on my Scandinavian calendar too! (So you don't need to put my name in the draw) I love Jacquie Lawson's advent calendars and I get one and gift others every year. :) One favourite Christmas tradition: every year my Mom makes pfeffernuesse (peppernuts), the taste just says Christmas to me. I think I attempted them when I first got married but they took me so long! So now, I enjoy Mom's every year.
ReplyDeleteOur Christmas tradition is just getting together on Christmas Eve, eating finger foods (and lots of those!), and opening presents. We always have sausage balls and Christmas wieners, things my mother always included. There is always too much food and lots of laughter. As our children (3) and grandchildren (9) have grown, they are scattered about and not always able to come. We enjoy the ones we can have here and look forward to seeing the others soon.
ReplyDeleteHi Marie, I don't have a way to contact you so I hope you see this reply. You were one of the winners of yesterday's Advent Calendar giveaway on my blog. I'll need your email to have the calendar sent to you. My email is available in the blog sidebar. Hope to hear from you soon. Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life
DeleteHi Bren, what a special surprise this will be for someone! Thank you for brightening up our days. Even though I will be alone this Christmas, I will still be celebrating and be grateful for all my blessings. My Mom’s shortbread will be a must and I will still prepare my sticky date pudding (recipe from Dalvay-by-the-Sea resort in PEI). Good Luck to Everyone!
ReplyDeleteHi Brenda, this year I'm going to replicate my 1954 Chrustmas. I was 8 years old and Santa left me a pink whicker doll cradle and a baby doll. I still have the cradle and because I know Santa loves me, I have asked him to bring me a new baby doll this year. I have my Enid Blyton Adventure books, paper doll cutouts and Susan Branch's jigsaw puzzle to put under the tree. The only thing I'm not replicating is my Toni Home perm. You may not be old enough to remember those. I'll be adding a few gifts from 1954 for my husband, too. It'll be fun. Happy Christmas everyone. Hugs, Elaine
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet give-away. I just received a Jacquie Lawson Thanksgiving card yesterday. Her cards are always beautiful! I have two favorites for Christmas goodies ~ Regal Fruitcake, (no citron, instead, maraschino cherries, choc. chips, chopped dates and walnuts), and Brown Sugar Crescents.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful Thanksgiving day today ~ FlowerLady
I love the words you shared by N Hoffman! Be grateful for the natural gifts around us. Those Jacquie calendar are beautiful and I can get caught up in the games! Euchre was a holiday tradition in my family and I'm hoping as the grandkids get older, we can start playing the game like I did after Christmas dinner as a teen and young adult.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are enjoying the Calendar! I have decorated my tree and then decided it wasnt good enough, so dleted it. Try again later. It has some lovely scenes to enjoy thisyear.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that came to mind is my favorite Christmas carol: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. In my opinion, the very best version of this song is by Mannheim Steamroller. I can listen to that song on loop forever if it's them. Ha!
ReplyDelete-Merry K.
I've never seen these before! This would make the simple paper calendar with windows to open seem very boring to my grandson...I bought one of those this year to do with him.
ReplyDeleteBut I love this so please enter me. I would love to play it with our 3 yr old.
Hard to think it's nearly Advent time! I have such good memories about Advent calendars, especially my grade 4 teacher, Miss Grandfield. She brought in a calendar for our class that year and made sure everybody got a turn to open a window. I was thrilled by that and remember her very fondly.
ReplyDeleteI am loving the Nordic Advent calendar that was gifted to me. I've sent a few to others, as well. Such fun! And beautiful snowy scenes that I long for at this time of year. Christmas baking is always a highlight for me. Last night I asked Tim which ones I should make, thinking that I will make less this year because we won't be having any guests. By the time we listed the ones we REALLY want, we just about covered them all, so I'll make smaller recipes and share cookies with others. (Don't include me in the giveaway.)
ReplyDeleteI love the tradition of getting up early, because, first my son and now my granddaughter , can't wait to open gifts. This year brings a touch of sadness, as we likely won’t be able to gather as an extended family. as busy as that day always is, it has been at my house in recent years, i know I will miss all that.
ReplyDeleteHello, Brenda...I guess my favorite tradition is trying to make my Christmas decorating feel Magical!! Just for me.Twinkling lights,like starry nights! It makes me so happy!!! Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!!❤❤❤
ReplyDeleteDear Brenda. Thank you for your visit and comment on Writing Straight from the Heart. It's always such a pleasure to see you visited. I hope your day was blessed to the hilt. Brenda, please sign me up for the calendar. One of my diehard Christmas traditions is to make many gingerbread houses and have kids in to decorate them with frosting and a huge variety of candies. They LOVE them! Blessings to you, my sweet friend. Susan
ReplyDeleteChristmas usually means getting together with family and friends. Of course, this year that can't happen, so we're having Christmas Light--dropping off gifts (unless regulations change again!) and doing less baking. One thing I love about this time of year is knowing the days will soon start getting longer again. God is good.
ReplyDeleteOH I love a give away! and your blog! Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteThere is so much to love about Christmas, but I guess I'd have to say that Christmas music is one of my favorite things! Beloved CDs, singing carols in church, my resident pianist playing beautiful Christmas tunes . . . all of it! I was a happy recipient of your advent giveaway last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it! So please give someone else the opportunity this year! It is a lovely gift!
ReplyDeleteBrenda, your giveaway is such a lovely and thoughtful gift for the season. I believe I enjoy everything about the Christmas season. The music, lights, decorating, baking and the smiles of strangers. Wishing you a beautiful season, sweet friend. And, thanks again for telling me about Alexandra - I enjoyed it so much. Have a beautiful day.
ReplyDelete