Blogmas, day 14

It's Sunday.  In church terms, the third week of Advent starts so I looked it up and . . .

Today, Sunday, December 14, 2025, is the Third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudete Sunday, so the candle lit is the pink or rose-colored candle, symbolizing Joy, marking a shift from penitence to rejoicing as Christmas nears. This Joy candle represents the gladness of the shepherds and the approaching arrival of Jesus, the "Light of the World". 

(says' Google AI)

I should have kept Gaudete until today, shouldn't I.  Maybe I will link to the meaning of the Advent candles a bit more - if I remember, and I probably won't.

Let's talk about the blanket!
Here's the baubles - again, a bit wonky and not quite the same size. Yarns from the same stable aren't always exactly the same and that's true of the sparkly green and the sparkly red from King Cole.  It's not a problem!

I decided to stitch on (like the cross stitch) so . . .

I made the next two as well, the wreaths.  Now I am very chuffed with these, two the same, with tiny little metallic jingle bells stitched on and I looked on YouTube for how to make the bow (it's not a real bow, of course).

What have I got left to make? - two reindeer, candy canes, stars and poinsettias and one stable for the middle.  And the grannies, of course.

As you know, I'm not following a specific pattern and, if I do this again at any time, I think I will make each square one more round bigger.

I also feel that the ones that are integral to the square are more effective than the ones where the shape is sewn on top - the wreath is much better than the baubles, for example, and I could have done the baubles as part of the square - in fact, I might go back and redo the baubles!

Anyway, it has set me thinking about next Advent.  
(no hate, please - that's just me and crochet!!   I get ideas.  < grin > )

Here's the rest.

The tea bag is called 'happy me'.  What???  There's info about each flavour and it is a right old mix of spices, citrus and apple.  It actually sounds really nice.  I'll let you know.

Two bath bombs - not sure why I put two in and I'm not even having a bath today, I'm washing my hair in the shower!  Oh, well . . .

There's the section of puzzle.  Again I'm ahead as it's very boring feeling unwell and not going out so I have actually done this bit.

The candle in a tin.  I have this burning all day as I have loads of tea light candles that need using - and that little flicker is lovely.

And the Advent of Change: Think Equal.

I've not heard of this before so I copied their mission statement from their site (link below):

Our mission is to achieve a global system change in education introducing Social and Emotional Learning as a compulsory new subject on national curricula around the world.

And the info in the calendar says:
Today you have given an early years teacher  the tools needed to help teach their class about kindness, diversity and empathy

(so sad this this is needed, but it is.)

https://thinkequal.org/about-us/

I'm definitely starting to feel better now.  Yesterday I managed to:

make the Christmas vegetarian sausage rolls which are now in the freezer

feed Bubbles and start Lindsey's sourdough

the usual knitting, crochet and cross stitch

do a load of washing (it's been building up frighteningly)

write my own Christmas shopping list and action plan

OK, so I did fade out come the evening but it's definitely better and I am very relieved as I was starting to wonder if it was proper flu rather than a cold.  I mean, how can you tell except for feelings?

This morning is definitely better than yesterday morning but I am heartfelt glad that I'm staying warm and cosy inside.  I am sorry that I missed bother Thursford and will miss the Royal Albert Hall but not sad, if that makes sense.  I'm better off at home keeping myself and other well.

Today I want to do some more washing and some necessary (yes, it is!) ironing, finish Lindsey's loaf and get my action plan into my diary.  Nothing very energetic so it's very doable and I will feel better when it's done.

******************

On to today's Advent Calendar music and, given it is the Third Sunday in Advent, I have to focus on those shepherds, don't I?
I'm not falling into the trap of 'While Shepherds Watched . . .' with its myriad alternative versions sung by children all over the country though.

Instead, I have two offerings for you.

The first is John Rutter's 'Shepherd's Pipe Carol', and I've chosen this version because it has the score and maybe some of you who know this well might like to follow the score.  I know I do anyway!  It is quite old (19920 so I will add a simple link to a more modern version where the sound is, probably, a lot better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ousLBf0q1y8

The second is the beautiful 'Shepherds' Farewell' from Berlioz' 'L'enfance du Christ' where he imagines the shepherds waving farewell to the holy family as they escape to Egypt.  Another gorgeous piece of music and a total contrast to the Rutter carol.