The Everyday Lore Project

5 December 2020 – AdVent Calendar

5 December 2020 – AdVent Calendar

My Advent calendar finally arrived today. I’m writing this like it’s the fault of the calendar and not my woeful lack of organisation that buggered up the timing. But it did mean I got to open five doors all in one go, and when I say open, I mean scratch off.

I usually skip the Advent calendar tradition, even the ones hiding miniature gins and/or Reese’s Peanut Butter Pieces. Which is probably why I only remembered to get one at the last minute, despite it being a very easy folklore win. So I thought I’d go a bit different this year and get an AdVent calendar instead. 

Yup, it’s an Advent calendar depicting architectural vents in London. Not only do I love a good pun, I’m also a sucker for weird and wonderful architecture. This awesome calendar was designed by Claire Mason as part of the Inventive Vents project run by Our Hut, an educational architectural charity in London. And I especially love that there’s an activity element to it, but it’s probably best they stopped at the scratch and didn’t provide the sniff. Probably.

So five doors: 

This is the King Edward VII Memorial Park Rotherhithe Tunnel Vent (Shaft 3) designed by London County Council
This is East India Dock, A13, New Blackwall Tunnel Vent Shaft (North Side) designed by Terry Farrell
This is Nine Elms, Riverlight Vents designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners
This is Nine Elms again. And a feller on a horse.

And today’s:

One of the reasons we need the vents in the first place.

And tomorrow I get to scratch off a huge panel, but not as huge as on the 14th. Am I wrong to be this excited about a calendar? I’m sure it’s perfectly normal. 


The Everyday Lore Project has been running since St Distaff’s Day on 7 January 2020 and will run until 12th Night on 6 January 2021. Which is not long now, so if you want to suggest something folklore-y for me to try between now and then, best get your skates on. Best subscribe too.

Resources

Advent calendar Inventive Vents Our Hut

http://flushleft.co.uk

Published by Liza Frank

Author of My Celebrity Boyfriend. Obsessed with hula hooping, sons of preachermen and fresh dates, sometimes all at the same time. Curator of Folklore Agony and The Everyday Lore Project.

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