Only 25 more days...

It was very pleasant this morning to wake up to a dusting of light snow, it being December 1st and all. I needed milk for my cereal, so I went out early. Of course I didn't need to walk the 4 blocks or so down to the drug store; there is a grocery store much closer to where I live. But I didn't think they'd have advent calendars at the grocery store.

After hunting around in the "Seasonal Items" aisle without finding anything close to an advent calendar, I circled back around through the card aisle. Finally I found them. There were only four, all Hallmark brand, all lacking any real artistic quality. I looked at them all carefully but decided on the one I'm sure I also had last year. It's a an accordian-folded, five-paneled tableau depicting a wintery city/townscape (a few small houses and a few random apartment buildings) on a snowy hill. It's a town populated by cats and mice, of course, jolly ones decorating a town tree, sledding, ice-fishing (but definitely not engaged in the kind of "games" Fuzzy likes to play with mice.)

Like any advent calendar, there are 24 numbered paper doors, but underneath each flap is a suggestion for how to add a little Christmas cheer to your day. December 1st's is: "Draw a Christmas tree." While I probably won't end up taking this advice literally, I will be trying my hardest to get into the Christmas spirit today. The snow definitely helps.