The Laboratory

Occasionally we are looking in design shops abroad and see something so clever you think, "why has no one thought of this before?". Manufactum, a German hardware and gift store, had these in Vienna, and we were like "Of course!" Like all Advent and Christmas candles, it feels like it would be a shame to light them. From the archive: ketchup and mustard candles (Zara Home) Also spotted in M&S: ketchup and mustard tops

You can tell that Christmas is getting close because the special double issue of the Radio Times has been published! Sarah's already gone through it with a Sharpie! Some advent calendar readers will be old enough to remember when you had to buy TWO TV guides if you wanted all the channels. We never got the TV Times, mainly because like the best families, you weren't really meant to watch ITV. Who needed Magpie when you had Blue Peter? And Tiswas was just silly. There's a great website with Radio Times covers of the past (going back to 1969).  https://ukchristmastv.weebly.com/christmas-radio-times-covers-from-1969.html Here's an EXCLUSIVE chart showing what was on the covers for the last 30 years: So Santa definitely wins! Finally here's a lovely one, from way back in 1930, designed by Claughton Pellew!

Christmas Eve may be Santa's busiest night of the year, but I'm sure he knows how much we appreciate all his hard work. Which is why today, thousands of people will dress up as their favourite gift-giver and march through the streets of London as the event known only as SantaCon. Santas assemble at three different meeting places in central London, and then set off on a different routes through London, spreading glad tidings, visiting famous landmarks, and apparently enjoying the odd snifter along the way!

Well, here we are at the end of another Advent Calendar. We hope you've enjoyed the pictures, and music, and anniversary memorabilia along the way. How better to finish than with a memento of Christmas Eve 1864, in a printed copy of "A Visit From St Nicholas" by Clement Clarke Moore. This was produced by Louis Prang, based in Massachusetts, and known as the Father of the American Christmas Card. You can see the full-size one at SuperItch . Wishing you, your family and friends, a very happy and peaceful Christmas, AND a visit from St Nicholas! Adam and Sarah  xx

Two guests posts today from our friends! First, a great Christmas gift recommended by Peter & Miriam: Then, a groan-worthy pun about the Nativity from Becca:

All the posts this week are guest-contributed by Twitter friends. Today, @Phaygee gives us a sneak preview of her daughter's letter to Santa: to Santa thankyou for all the presents you have given to me. I have injoyed almost all of them and I hope you will put a smile on my face this Christmas. I have tried to be a good girl this yere and I hope I have. From Esme PS this is a Present PPS I just want to say MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

We are so lucky to have such talented friends. Maxnugget has contributed this fantastic photo she calls "Seasonings Greetings", as the two little Santas are also salt/pepper pots. You can see more of her Christmas photos, amongst many others, on her Flickr stream . There's still time for you to contribute, either a picture, photo or suggestion of something you'd like to see. But we're more than halfway there, which means it will soon be competition time!

Clearing the decks (with boughs of holly): Here are all the other photos that didn't make it in before the 24th. Thanks to Karen & Alan for this tasty Pandoro cake which we polished off at our Christmas drinks A fat jolly old man ... and Santa IKEA's rocking moose ... ... and a rocking Dala horse

Hidden away in the window display at the Lego shop in Bluewater was this slightly folorn-looking Santa. He's quite minimalist, red body and hat, yellow head and white beard - but what's with the white hands? He looks very cold. Poor Santa. This year is the 50th anniversary of the Lego brick . Also in the Lego shop was a catalogue of every Lego set ever produced anywhere in the world. Adam quite coveted it but it was £16! He remembered how distressing it was (in an OCD sort of way) to find that two of his Lego sets in the 70s had the same product number for different models.