A Very MSE Advent

PennysIntoPounds

Happy 9th of December everyone, a tad into the 24 day advent but my MSE advent idea has been met with enthusiasm so rather than waiting until next year, @LadyWithAPlan said I should start this thread this year (and I promise all my posts won't be this long)

The MSE Advent idea is this:

You choose a piece of jewellery that you never or hardly ever wear for each of the days of advent, so from today 15 pieces.
Every day you select a piece of your choosing to wear, but you have to wear one of them

This helps us reunite ourselves with things we own but don't bother enjoying, makes us look at what we already have with fresh eyes, and if there are pieces we are dubious about because they need a clean or need fixing or aren't our style anymore, then we assess over the course of the month if realistically we're going to clean or fix or wear them- and if not, they can go to the charity shop for someone else to give a good life to, or sold for a few extra quid to go towards debt/mortgage/whichever pot needs it

I came up with this idea last year as I was envious of my friends getting nice beauty/beer/posh chocolate etc etc advent calendars, so I could also have a slightly random selection of nice things to choose from every day in December- without spending unnecessary money!
But it's evolved beyond being a 'shopped from home advent' (though that is excellent in itself)- turns out it is genuinely good for the soul to be reacquainted with your own belongings, and to bring a smile to yourself popping down the shop or the pub or taking the bins out wearing something glam or treasured or unusual

I chose jewellery as there are so many little bits and bobs knocking around and it's easy enough to just put a piece on at the start of the day, and it's a heartwarming way to make these dark and cold days a bit nicer or more interesting

But if jewellery isn't your thing, choose whatever you have that you never quite get round to enjoying, or small tasks you know will be pleasing when you do them- a plant cutting or repotting a day, an accessory like a scarf a day, lighting a candle that's being 'kept for unspecified special' every day, a nice toiletries item a day, a jumper a day you like but they're always in the drawer- choose whatever suits you, but make sure to do one of whatever it is a day!

@redofromstart suggested using up beauty samples that have been acquired which is a great shout

@Blackcats and @EssexHebridean have been joining in with the jewellery advent, and have also been doing the lovely idea of a Christmassy thing a day, which I'm hoping to join in with later in the month (e.g. mince pies, baileys, a bracing walk, a festive jigsaw or game, decorations up, a Christmas book or film)

@foxgloves is planning on having a rummage for jewellery advent
@Slowdown is going to the garden centre in her great grandmother's pearls today
@LadyWithAPlan is starting her jewellery advent today
@Sun_Addict is wearing her cocktail glass earrings to work today, and putting everyone to shame as usual by doing an advent Get Fit With Rick (I'll be getting podgy and tiddly this season 😁)

So if anyone would like to join in with us on our very mse advent then please do so 😊

Sun_Addict

Woo hoo you’ve done it 🎄

Nelliegrace

A Lovely idea. 
I have been giving DD my bits of jewellery for Christmas and birthdays for several years. 
DD wraps up their children’s Christmas books, numbered for Advent and put under the tree. Most of them are from charity shops. 

foxgloves

Lovely post, @PennysIntoPounds. I am indeed going to have a jewellery rummage, though this will most likely be in the new year as I know that quite a lot of things in my jewellery box need mending. I have jewellery pliers from my long ago craft fair days, so it's just a case of making time for a good mending session. However, this does mean I'll be ready for Dec 1st 2025! 
F

PennysIntoPounds

I couldn't not give the cocktail glass earrings another shout out @Sun_Addict

Those are such nice ways to do gifts @Nelliegrace. I have three books of Christmas short stories and am determined to prioritise finding time to read some over December 

PennysIntoPounds

Very ready @foxgloves! So daft when items just need a small bit of care to be back in use but of course there's always something more pressing isn't there. It's taken me two weeks to take a butter knife to the remnants of a candle so the jar can be used for a future plant cutting, and that job took me precisely two seconds 

~FlowerPot~

ooh this just popped up on my screen, what a fab idea. I have nothing pressing to do today. Today is a rest and recuporation day (wisdom tooth extraction this morning!!!!) So I will get out the jewelry boxes and take a look. I dont really wear jewelry ~ except some crystal pendants

MSE_James

We love this idea at MSE Towers. 

And I certainly have enough winter jumpers I seldom wear to join in! 

Blackcats

Hooray - a place for sparkly, happy, Adventy MSE chums.  Thank you PIP for getting us together.

I love this idea and I've already found 2 matching earrings that I had sadly accepted as being lost.  These were a gift from my mum so I was overwhelmingly happy to be able to wear them again.

today I have chosen some green/turquoise dangly earrings to match my cosy jumper.  I am grateful to my mum for leaving me all her jewellery and today I am wearing her dainty emerald ring which I have never worn before! 

PennysIntoPounds

Welcome @~FlowerPot~, hope you're feeling rested and recuperated. Let us know how you get on with your advent jewellery rummage 😊

Hi @MSE_James and thanks! Jumper wearing sounds a good choice, shame to let all those warm comfies miss their time to shine! Do report back, especially if you find any truly appalling Christmas jumpers 😁

Those earrings sound beautiful @Blackcats, especially with the cosy jumper. How lovely to be wearing your mum's emerald ring for the first time!

My advent piece today is a vintage silver necklace with blue tinted glass beads, I never wear it because the catch is a loop rather than a lock if you see what I mean, so I was dubious about losing it. But I thought if I lose it then I'm no worse off than I was never seeing it, and the catch has been absolutely fine 

Sun_Addict

You know we really should have a similar thread for January as it’s such a miserable long month. Maybe Joyful January 🙂