Saturday, November 26, 2011

An Herbal Advent Calendar

Advent Calendar

From the late 4th century CE to the late Middle Ages, much of Western Europe, including Great Britain, engaged in a period of fasting beginning on the day after St. Martin's Day, November 11. This fast period lasted 40 days, and was, therefore, called "Quadragesima Sancti Martini", which means in Latin "the forty days of St. Martin." At St. Martin's eve, people ate and drank very heartily for a last time before they started to fast. This period of fasting was later shortened and called “Advent” by the Church.

Today we do not fast for Advent, but rather use those days to prepare for the Christmas Holiday in many traditional ways.  One celebration we enjoyed in my family was an Advent Calendar.  We had the quilted ones and the paper ones and even some special hand-made ones.  The one I remember most was the first I remember receiving.  It was paper with little windows that you opened each day.  It came from my grandmother Shull (my father's mother.)

Every day there was a little surprise in the form of a pretty picture and a bible verse.  My grandmother also had a ceremony for lighting candles at Thanksgiving that I thought was wonderful too.  So this year in celebration of those cherished memories I decided to create an Herbal Advent Calendar.

The calendar will be filled with recipes for everything herbal.  Everyday there will be anew item.  They will include foods, teas, gift ideas, fun crafts for families and kids, bath items and ways to improve your health and reduce stress and enjoy the holiday season.  Recipes and tips will be included each day and sometimes as a reward there will be special discounts or give aways hidden with each day's calendar item.

Everyday from November 27 to December 25 I will share something new.  To find the calander -- Click this link.

Each day I will put a reminder on the blog and on facebook with a link for the day's item.

Enjoy your Advent!

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