Tracking the Days: Advent Calendars

This is our well loved advent calendar. I made it sometime in the late 70's. Although, I have sewn extensively since I was 12, this is one of the few, if not only, Vogue patterns I may have ever used. It is machine appliqued. felt on felt and the little ornaments attach with velcro.

Over the years, it has become fingered and worn. Its little pocket is stretched our from some many hands reaching into it to claim an ornament to place upon the tree. We added items day by day, instead of taking them off or opening them as some advents go. My children would do a round robin of one for me, one for you..selecting their ornaments ahead of time. Many years there were tears as the elf went first or the little snowman or whatever the favorite for that year might have been. Next year,you can choose first would always be the promise!

I look at its age spots now, and they are like my own...battle scars and memories of years and the tracking of the days and all of the remembrances of a life well and lovingly lived but still not without its wounds and challenges. We live our days the best we can, we dream large and we try our best. But sometimes, like this calendar, we live only day by day and sometimes the special time or the special season must come to an end. Then, we begin again. We have to find new reasons to share or to celebrate or just to find joy in each and every new day. If each of us can find something to look forward, something special to achieve and feel good about, and maybe someway to share than joy with another...then that day was not lived in vain.