Greetings and welcome to December 1, our first day of the 2022 edition of the Virtual Advent Tour.

Growing up, we had several decorations that got hung on our walls each year.

First, on the back of the front door was a gigantic card that I think my uncle (apologies, Mum and Dad, if I’m misremembering and one of you made it) drew for my parents the Christmas they lived in Oregon.

Second, in the hallway were a series of cardboard elf stands (huts, cottages?) from the North Pole.

And finally, on the wall of Josh’s and my bedroom, was a cardboard cutout of Santa with his sleigh and his reindeer, each pair of which was separated by a yarn ribbon. If I remember correctly, some portion of Santa was slightly fuzzy — maybe the fur of his hat?

Somewhere along the line, I believe all of these decorations were lost. But they remain in my memory.

Nowadays, we hang fairy lights around the perimeter of the living room before we get the tree. That will be one of today’s tasks, so we can get our tree before Sunday afternoon.

And this print, a gift a few years back from my best friend, Karen, will go up on the wall:

It’s a print by the late Carol Spinney, who played Big Bird and Oscar on Sesame Street. He lived in a town near where Karen and I get together when I’m up north, and the toyshop sold prints of his each Christmas. I admired them when we were shopping together and she and her family came back the next weekend to buy it for me.

See you back here tomorrow!

Join us! We are still looking for hosts for many of the days of the Virtual Advent Tour. You don’t have to write anything fancy (see above), and it can focus on any aspect of a winter holiday and your celebration of it. Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered to write posts. I’ve given you the dates you’ve asked for and will circle back to those who volunteered to write additional posts in the next couple days to find dates that work for you.