Advent and Christmas 2021

On 1 December a few of the doll family started opening their tiny Advent Calendar which was sent to them by my elder daughter who lives in York. I didn't succeed in photographing the opening of the calendar every day as there were a multitude of other things happening during December this year. The windows on this little card are absolutely tiny and I enlisted the help of my younger daughter to open them.

What is in the golden envelope?

An Advent Calendar for the dolls!

To all the doll family,
Have an exciting Advent
and wonderful Christmas!
Enjoy opening this German calendar bought in York.

Close up of the Sasha doll sized Advent Calendar

The next time I managed to photograph them was on 18 December when they set up their Christmas tree.

Admiring the Christmas tree and doing their Advent calendar

With the pandemic still causing huge disruption, and a bout of tonsillitis (I tested regularly with negative every time and the symptoms were not the same as Covid19) in mid December, I wasn't at all sure we would be able to have the Christmas we had planned, however on 23 December, with negative lateral flow test results all round and me a lot better, we were able to make the journey north to York to visit our elder daughter. I took eight of the little Kruseling dolls with me but in the event, though two of them were carried around in my camera bag on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, they didn't make a public appearance at all.

I got my much dreamed of Christmas gift, which was to be able to attend the Nine Lessons & Carols on Christmas Eve in York Minster with our elder daughter singing in the choir and (in my case at least), three Christmas services on Christmas Day in the Minster (Matins, Eucharist and Evensong). We all enjoyed the services and the music so much. The Minster staff handled all the covid19 safety precautions very well. 

The York Minster Advent Wreath on Christmas Eve,
with the newly restored pipe organ

The York Minster Advent Wreath on Christmas Day
(the central candle is lit)

The York Minster Nativity scene

My elder daughter's Christmas tree which my younger daughter helped her decorate on Christmas Eve using all the Advent 2020 decorations we made for her including the knitted chorister for 15 December and the angel doll I made for 24 December.

A belated Merry Christmas to all my doll and craft friends.