Description
Nothing dramatic is happening here, which is the charm of it. A cream cottage with a red tiled roof and green shutters, a wreath hung high in the gable, holly garlands strung along the front. A child in a red coat is at the door — arriving or leaving, it is hard to say. A red bicycle is propped against the wall where somebody left it rather than put it away. And a cat has got up onto the roof and settled there, entirely unbothered by the season.
It is a domestic scene rather than a festive one, and that suits how these are actually used. An Advent house is not brought out for a party. It sits on a windowsill or a kitchen shelf for four weeks and somebody in the household opens one window a day, usually the same somebody, usually at the same time. The ritual is small and private and it is the whole point.
Twenty-four windows, each opening onto translucent paper. With a light set behind it the cottage glows from inside — a little more each day as the windows come open, until on Christmas Eve the front is fully lit.
Illustrated by Barbara Behr. Sent flat with an envelope and a small greeting card, so it can go in the post and still be standing on a shelf a month later.
- 11.5 x 16.5 cm / 4.5 x 6.5 inches assembled
- 24 windows opening onto translucent paper
- Iridescent glitter accents
- Envelope and greeting card included
- Suitable for LED tealights — light not included
