The Laboratory

Welcome back to our annual Advent Calendar. We hope you enjoy the pictures, words, and videos each day. We would also love you to send us ideas and contribtions, anything that makes you feel seasonal, or Christmas decorations that you really love. Today is Sunday 1st December, so it is Advent Sunday. We light our first candle on the Advent Crown. Sarah is delighted with her Advent Calendar, the way that the Lindt Teddy is peeking through the door, just waiting to be eaten on 24th! Adam is also delighted, but mainly because he gets chocolate everyday!

This year, December 1st is also Advent Sunday, which doesn't happen often. So as you open the first window on your Advent Calendar, it's also the day the church starts its own Festival of Light, thinking of the Light that is to come into the world. At Ottershaw, we're having our Christingles today, oranges decorated with fruits and ribbon, representing aspects of the Christmas story and life of Jesus. So Sarah and I wish you all the very best at the start of December and the start of the season! We were in Berlin at half-term and found these lovely miniature Advent Calendars. Every day is numbered, and you pop out the Smartie like a little sugar pill. Tastier then homeopathy, and some would argue more efficacious! 2013 is the 10th Anniversary of the Creen Laboratory Advent Calendar, so welcome, and if you've been with us since 2003, what are you doing with your life?! We'd love your contributions, so do send any ideas for photos, music or stories you...

After a previous year's disappointment with my Maltesers Advent Calendar* I was very pleased this year to get a Percy Pig calendar. Those unfamiliar with the phenomenon that is Percy should know that he fronts a range of gummy sweets in pig shapes, with varieties including Veggie Percy (no gelatine), Percy & Pals (with cow shapes), and Percy's Pigsty (a new mixture of big and small shapes). My Percy calendar contains a raspberry-flavoured chocolate Percy shape each day, and a picture of, for example, Percy wearing a Christmas tree on his head. It wouldn't be fair not to tell you that these amazing products are available at Marks & Spencers, and there's a whole seasonal range of gifts including Percy & Penny piggy banks, and a Percy lunchbox and flask. * does not contain a daily Malteser Bonus beats: you can become one of Percy's pals by liking his Facebook page -  https://www.facebook.com/PercyPig

Phil Vickery is the UK face of Aldi, the German discount supermarket. In his most recent Christmas advert (filmed in July) he plugs their 89p chocolate reindeer range (seen here converted to Australia dollars). I know the expensive Lindt chocolate reindeer are basically their Easter bunny model with extra antlers, but these Aldi ones are strangely similar. I hope Lindt don't sue!