Christmas Countdown Day One

Hello Friends!

I have decided to share with you, each day, a little snippet or two of Christmas trivia as we open the door each day on my Advent Calendar.

I have almost always had an Advent Calendar to open in the days before Christmas and I still have many of my childhood ones stored in the attic. Even as an adult I've indulged in this Christmas tradition and, although I also decorate my laptop with an e~Advent calendar, the main one must always be a paper one, a proper traditional one with pictures not sweeties behind each door.

Here is my Advent calendar for 2016 ~~~

and this is the picture and scripture behind the first door this morning ~~~

Today's Christmas Countdown snippet is that during the Middle Ages it was common for a pre~Christmas Advent Fast to happen. It is still observed by several Orthodox churches and you can read more here.  One of the earliest written observances is found in the fourteenth century chivalric romance "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" {anon} which forms part of the Arthurian legends.  As with all fasts what follows are days of feasting and merry making on Christmas Day and beyond.  No wonder we all stock up for what I call the Two Day Siege of Christmas!

I do hope you will stop in each day to take a peek behind my Advent doors and pick up a snippet or two of Christmas trivia ~~~

Until next time ~~~
~~~Deborah xoxo