Juno's Magical Advent Calendar 2008

Every year in December I host an Advent calendar on my journal, with art, icons, stories, links, well-wishes, and blessings. In 2005 it was an Advent calendar of angels. 2006 I offered an Advent calendar of blessings. Last year I celebrated virtues.

If you are a Christian, I am hoping that this calendar may offer you moments of peace, prayer and blessing during the days of Advent that are spent waiting for Christmas.

If you are not a Christian, I am wishing that the Advent calendar may bring you light during the darkest days of the year in the Northern hemisphere.

But even if you live in a place where the sun burns hot in December, I guess that a bit of peace and quiet and a few blessings and well-wishes won’t come amiss.

And for nearly all of us this is the last month of the secular—if not the religious—year in the Western world.

A time for looking back. A good time to take a few minutes now and again to consider this year: What it gave us, what it took from us. What we could give this year and what we needed this year. What was given to us and what was denied us.

When I look at my friends’ list on LiveJournal, here’s what I see:

I see someone who lost a father.

I see someone who lost a mother.

I see someone who lost a grandmother.

I see someone who lost an uncle.

I see someone who lost a baby.

I see someone who will lose a close family member soon.

I see someone who lost their job.

I see someone who lost a good deal of their retirement money.

I see someone who has been diagnosed with a serious illness.

I see someone who has been fighting a chronic illness.

I see someone who has been suffering from chronic pain all year.

I see someone who has been unhappy in their job.

I see someone who has been struggling with depression.

I see someone who lost a beloved pet.

I see the loss of hope.

I see the loss of faith.

I see anger.

I see pain.

I see grief.

I see despair.

But:

I also see someone (several women, actually) who gave birth.

I see someone who is pregnant.

I see someone (several people, actually) who got married.

I see someone who got engaged.

I see someone who found new love.

I see someone who celebrated a special wedding anniversary.

I see someone (several people, actually) who found new friends.

I see someone who found a new job.

I see someone who got a promotion at last.

I see someone (several people, actually) who took wonderful trips.

I see someone (several people, actually) who bought a house.

I see someone whose health is finally improving.

I see someone who is fighting depression, and winning.

I see someone whose child said their first word.

I see someone whose child took their first step.

I see someone who wrote their first original novel.

I see someone who got published.

I see someone who successfully finished school.

I see someone who got a splendid degree.

I see someone who started their first job.

I see someone who’s a loving wife.

I see someone who’s a loving husband.

I see someone who’s a wonderful mother.

I see someone who’s a patient father.

I see someone who’s a caring sister.

I see someone who’s a caring child.

I see someone who isn’t giving up.

I see someone who’s still hoping.

I see someone who’s still dreaming.

Sometimes, dreams are everything we’ve got.

For this reason, I would like to invite you this year to join me and discover twenty-four mythical creatures. One each day. Some that are your favourites, and some that are my favourites.

!MPORTANT!  –  PLEASE READ! – IMPORTANT!

A few things will be different this year:

• The Advent calendar art will be original, posted under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives-ShareAlike license.
• The stories in this Advent calendar will be original, too, posted also under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives-ShareAlike license.

On that note: Don’t worry about leaving earnest and useful comments. I am not looking for any kind of criticism. I want to share gifts with you. And I hope you will like at least a few of them!

Christmas Extravaganza

I am not only hosting an Advent calendar this year, but a Christmas Extravaganza.

That means, I’m giving away presents. One each day from December 1 through December 24.

I’ve spent all year collecting these gifts. There will be some of my favourite books about creativity, writing, and spirituality, as well as beautiful blank notebooks and signed prints of original art.

How does this work?

• Very simple, really: You leave at least one signed comment for my Advent calendar and share something with us. A picture. A quote. A drabble. A link. A story. A song. A memory. A blessing. Anything.
• Additionally you have to send an e-mail with your snail-mail address to: juno AT magic DOT ms

At Christmas I will then randomly pick twenty-four names (IF twenty-four people left a comment and sent me their snail-mail address…) and send off twenty-four surprise packages with gifts. Which will presumably arrive before next Christmas…

I wish all of you a December 2008 that will enrich your lives and lift your spirits.