We're now officially in the season of Advent. Joke for any Anglicans out there: how can you tell? Because we don't sing the Gloria! But you can also tell because we have started to light our Advent Ring. Invented in the 1970s by John Noakes, this tradition has now become mainstream. In the absence of a Blue Peter Annual this year (for shame, in its 60th Anniversary year) you really should buy " Here's One I Made Earlier ", a collection of classic Blue Peter crafts. At Ottershaw Church, we had our first Advent candle lit, and also made Christingles out of oranges. Bonus Church Advent Calendar: St Mary of Bethany, Woking has a new reflection every day (that I am reliably informed was inspired by this very Advent Calendar!)