If you don't count the violet place mats I put out last week, Advent prep began two hours before sundown tonight. Turns out I needed every minute to arrange this year's mantle diorama of the Annunciation, hang angels from door handles, and scatter stars around my hermitage. Plus vacuum.
About an hour into this festive frenzy, I lit balsam-scented candles to enhance my mood and then fortified myself with a tangerine to tear through four closets and two cabinets searching for the Advent wreath candle holder. It was in a drawer where I also found seasonally appropriate coasters, dish towels in Sarum Rite blue, and an unopened bag of 50 tea lights. All can call me blessed.
No wonder people with kids look hellacious from mid-November through January 2. It's just me and the cats, a teeny tiny home, and absolutely no plans for a tree, lights, and decorations until the third week of Advent but I'm exhausted. Can't take a nap. Not yet. I still have to plan this year's route to the manger for Three Kings.
