Thanks to everyone that sponsored me doing the British Heart Foundation Santa Jog this Christmas. I managed to raise just under £100 and got mud in my beard in the process. It turns out that there is nothing more entertaining than 400+ santas doing aerobic warm-ups in a park.
Today is the day. I'm really very mostly packed and really very mostly nervous and excited. So many hours sitting still may just drive me crazy though...
Amanda was right! Antlers for Olive the Other Reindeer. Yay!
I am nearly packed. Sort of, maybe...
Nooooo Rufus! Don't eat the snowman holding Olive. He keeps knocking people into the bin, little monkey.
Still unsure as to what else could be lurking behind these remaining few doors...
SANTA! And I was sure he'd be last. He's got to check his list twice first though I suppose.
I wonder what I'll get tomorrow!
Day 22, I am beginning to wonder what there is left to add to my little scene. Amanda and I have conferred and we are quite sure that Santa will be day 25 although she did also suggest Olive's reindeer antlers though I'm not sure how those would work. I am also beginning to be a little bit sad that I wont get to enjoy this once all the pieces are out as I'll be off to lands afar. So, anyway, what will it be?
Awesome! A wreath. Apparently even reindeer like to decorate for Christmas as the instructions under the door (I love it when they give me directions on where to put things) said that this was where it was to go.
I made this delightful item at We Hate Sheep, We Love Holiday Sweaters. I think maybe I should have hit the unravel button at some point... I might have to chart this thing out and knit myself a real life version!
*Sweater used rather than jumper as I've never seen quite the same level of old lady Christmas Joy in sequin applique and intarsia insanity in England.
It's Monday. It's Monday now and I leave on Friday and arrive on Saturday and if that weren't excitement enough I get to run 3 miles in a Santa suit on Sunday. What could be better?!
And I thought it was gearing up yesterday! Today there's an elf tethering one of the reindeer to the sleigh. Quick Comet, put down that cup of coffee and stop being so nonchalant, it's time to get cracking!
Dagnammit, 5 days to go. I must think about getting my suitcase out.
Wow. Things are really gearing up at Santa's castle. I was initially confused by this strange item but Amanda informed me that it is a starry lamppost with speakers for The Cookie Parade. I am a fool. Clearly.
Day 19, what on Earth will the clever makers of the Olive the Other Reindeer Advent Calendar think to put behind the door today?!!
Okay, this is a little bit weird, verging on the bizarre. It appears to be a gingerbreadman taking a photo. I put him taking a photo of Olive and Percy but frankly I think he's odd. Sorry Mr. Gingerbreadman but there's something not right about photographer gingerbread particularly when he's clearly fresh out of the oven and piping hot.
Run, run fast as you can...
The 18th!!! Already?! But I'm not ready yet. I haven't packed or finished getting presents or anything! Arrrrrrrrrrgh!
Nelson the Naughty Penguin is AWOL. He was possibly eaten by Iggy the constantly hungry or Rufus the Ruthless. We're not sure. This little penguin is forming a search party and it off on a rescue mission. According to Amanda he is on an icycle.
Just a week to go now and not only am I brimming with excitement but the pressure's really on to finish my Christmas shopping, oh, and pack!
Behind the door today was yet another penguin. He's building a snowpenguin but Amanda reckons he's only feigning playing nice and is in fact a cohort of Nelson the Naughty Pengui
n's. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt but he must continue to behave if he has any hopes of cookies from the cookie parade when Santa gets back from delivering presents.
Day 16 of the countdown. 9 days to go until take-off. I really ought to make sure I have some clean clothes and some fun airplane/airport activities.
Today behind the door was another Elf. I put him in with the other Elf in the toyshop. It's getting rather hectic in Santa's Castle so it's all hands on deck to prepare!
YAY!!! Day 15 which can only mean just 10 days until I fly which is THE most exciting thing ever. I wonder if London will still look the same and whether I'll remember how to use the ticket machines on the tube....
Behind this door was another reindeer drinking a cup of coffee. You've got to perk up and be alert to be useful to Santa. 
The stables are getting rather full now that they're each pressed up against their windows. I do hope they're allowed out to stretch their legs a little. Perhaps I'll let them frolic tomorrow.
So day 14 soon I shall be in single fingers on the countdown ticker and figures with a 2 at the start on the advent calendar. Such fun! Maybe I ought to think about packing... Any requests?
Behind this door I had an elf. But this one was running. Clearly Nelson was after him so I put them together. What a naughty boy Nelson is. No presents for that one.
13. Unlucky for some...
Not unlucky for me, or for Santa. It's a helpful Elf. I've put him in the workshop with the bag of toys so that he can be working on the finishing touches.
Day 12. What if I can't wait? What if I explode with excitement?!
What will we have today? Will it be an animal or a person or an object?
A tree!! Firmly in the object category though a living one. At least
once upon a time. I wonder if it's planted or in a pot or cut and standing in water... I hope Nelson doesn't start throwing snowballs at this, he could displace the star....
So, today is day 11 and it's really gearing up for Christmas at Santa's Castle and gearing up for departure to London for me! I wonder what we'll find behind this door to aid the Christmas preparations.
Ooooh...TOYS!! Awesome. Now we're really on our way to being ready for the Christmas Eve off. The instructions on the door told me to put them in the workshop so there they are, awaiting further instruction. If you look carefully you can see Santa's tools on the wall.
Day 10. Now we're into double figures. I wonder what we'll find today... Percy is still misbehaving but I think we'll just have to banish him to the shed where he can happily throw snowballs at the walls.
It's Santa's sleigh! This one is tough to see in the photo but it's sitting ready to go on top of the Helipad. I think maybe this was just a practice and then it will have to go back to the toyshop shortly to be loaded up with toys for all the good girls and boys.
Day 9! Soon it will be single digits! Well sort of soon. Will I be able to contain myself?!
Nelson the Naughty Penguin is continuing to be naughty. He is throwing one of those hissy fits and shouted at Mrs Claus that he "didn't want any of your stinking biscuits anyway!!" Can you imagine that?! Shouting such a thing at Mrs Claus
and about her super awesome cookies for the Cookie Parade. Silly, naughty Nelson. Maybe someone will be behind the door today to scare Nelson into behaving...
Yes!!! Perhaps this will do it. It's Comet, the biggest of all the reindeer and he's heading off to have "words" with Nelson right now...
So today is day 8 of the countdown and I really, really hope that something can done about Nelson the Naughty Penguin he's really running amok around Santa's Castle and it's a sorry, sorry tale for sure.
Hooray!!! Mrs Claus to save the day!! She wont stand for Nelson's Nonsense. She'll withold those yummy cookies she has on that tray until he proves he can behave!
So, seven eh? Lucky for some. I wonder if it will be lucky for poor Olive and Percy who are still suffering a barrage of snowballs from Nelson the Naughty Penguin...
Aw...it's a Birdigloo which is like a birdhouse only much colder. Not much use against Nelson but awfully cute perched atop of the reindeer stable.
How about today, will someone finally arrive on the scene that can thwart Nelson the Naughty Penguin's naughtiness?
No!!! Dagnammit. It's a bloomin' lamppost. It's a Nelson enabler. Now he can be naughty late into the night. Silly town planners! Poor terrorised Olive and Percy.
So, day 5. Soon the countdown ticker will be into days starting with a 1 which is very exciting indeed. What will we find behind the door today?! Will it perhaps be someone to tame Nelson the Naughty Penguin or will he continue to run amok?!
Ooooh a reindeer! The instructions on the door said I had to put him the stable (lift the roof!) so he's no use against Nelson the Naughty Penguin at all. Oh well, maybe tomorrow we'll have someone to put Nelson the Naughty Penguin in his place. The reindeer is awfully cute though, peeking out of the stable window. I think it's Prancer (at least, that's what the sign above the window says) though it should really be Dasher, coming first and all...
So here we are - day four of the countdown already. Such excitement!! Opening the next door is almost as exciting as the prospect of being in London itself....well, almost...
Today we have another penguin. We'll call him Nelson the Very Naughty Penguin. Straight out from behind his cardboard door and what does he do? Head straight for Olive and her friend Percy the Very Pleasant Penguin who are still in deep conversation and are becoming firm friends. There he is now throwing snowballs at them bad Nelson! There's no need for that.
So now it's day three and I am wondering whether I will be able to keep up my witty Advent commentary for 25 days but I will try my best.
Today behind the square window we have a mousie. I put her so that she's hanging out with the rats round the back of the workshop. She's a bit disdainful. They are slightly grubby and do not have cute pink outfits.
Today was day 2 of my Christmas Countdown Advent fun. What would be behind the door today? What friend for Olive would I find hiding behind the snowflake decorated cardboard?
YAY!! A penguin for Olive to play with. There they are hanging out by the Reindeer Stables having a cozy chat. They are the best of friends already. Rufus still hasn't eaten them. He is more interested in my knitting.
SPOILER Alert. If you have the "Olive the Other Reindeer" Advent Calendar at home you might not want to peek at my blog as I'm starting to open my doors now...
Such excitement as I approach the first door of the advent calendar. What will I find behind the door. Which character will I get to add to my little village first? Will Rufus try to eat whatever's behind the door...
YAY!!! It's Olive. She's so cute with her confusion. It must be tough to be such a silly yet well-meaning young dog. I'll put her near the door to Santa's house but who knows where she'll go tomorrow!!
