On the first day of ...

Despite the fact that our mother was the queen of Christmas, we were - oddly - deprived of the Advent calendar tradition. It is possible that she felt that an Advent calendar tipped too far into religion, given that we were complete and utter heathen pagan atheists.

Last year, in a fit of who knows what, I sent my sister an Advent calendar - 24 days of tea.

Every day, she opened it, and every day she texted me a picture of that day's tea.

This year, she returned the favor: 24 jours de thé à déguster.

I am delighted. And later today, I will have a cup of thé du Louvre - a green tea with apple, plum & quince that calls "to mind a stroll through the Tuileries Garden."

Onward to Christmas!