Every year my grandmother came to Thanksgiving dinner with numerous treats for the feast. She arrived laden down with favorite delicacies such as brownies, pistachios, dried apricots, a box of chocolates, and her signature deviled eggs. The family would make short work of those eggs because, as Nana herself would admit, they were delish. While my siblings crowded around the egg plate, I would patiently wait for Dad to hang up Nana’s coat and settle her into a comfy chair. That’s when she would reveal the treat I looked forward to the most each year: an Advent calendar.
Nana brought that Advent calendar just for me. It was colorful, sometimes sparkly, and always appreciated. There’s something magical about a child’s countdown to Christmas. Especially the year Nana discovered the chocolate filled calendars. Even as my childhood turned to adolescence and I eventually matured enough to be considered an adult, Nana would pick out an Advent calendar that she thought I’d like. And every year I’d look forward to opening the little windows to read a line of Scripture, see a cheerful drawing, or nosh on a tidbit of chocolate.
You won’t be surprised to learn that I still enjoy counting down to Christmas with the help of an Advent calendar. In the spirit of my grandmother, I think it will be fun, with Thalia’s help, to share the magic I experience each year with you, dear reader, by creating my own version of an Advent calendar right here. Get ready to count down to Christmas with 24 days of treats. They’ll be visual, verbal, musical, or whatever else I come up with to make this Yuletide season extra special.
Let’s begin, shall we?
December 1, 2024
Behind door number 1 is My Nana’s Deviled egg recipe. It seems a fitting way to start this holiday season. This is a photo of her original, typed recipe that she shared with my sister. Now you can share it with your friends and family. As she’d tell you herself, enjoy!
Open the other Advent calendar windows here:
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