SIMPLE PLEASURES: surprise advent calendar

A couple of years ago we couldn’t find our trusty box of Christmas decorations. The box was stuffed in a remote corner of our loft, which isn’t boarded and is filled with all kinds of rubbish; trying to retrieve anything is the suburban equivalent of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

So as 25 December rolled towards us and we didn’t have as much a scrawny string of tinsel above the fireplace, I picked up a couple of cutprice bargain bin decorations from Focus DIY. I think this felt hanging decoration was about £1. As you can see, it’s a novelty advent calendar: the little Father Christmases and stockings all have numbers painted on in gold. We’re a bit old for advent calendars, but at least it added a little festive cheer to the sitting room.

Earlier this month I strung up the decoration and didn’t think anything more of it. My husband, however, had other ideas… He went and filled every little pocket with a present for me! The first I knew about it was when he told me to go and empty Stocking No. 1.

They are small, cheapie presents. So far I have had a multi-flavoured selection of Lindt Lindor chocolates (my favourites), mini notebooks (useful), a slug of sloe gin, a funny pen and a couple of keyrings, amongst other things.

In the run-up to Christmas my husband and I are both working long hours, so we aren’t seeing very much of one another. (In fact at the time of writing – a Sunday afternoon – he is once again at work.) I love what he has done: the booty is fun, but the time, effort and thought that have gone into it are what cheer me up every morning when I find out what I have for the day. My surprise advent calendar makes me happy!