The Last of the Winterberries

The company where I get my e-cards is based in England and in the Anglican church Advent is a big deal.  The company creates an on-line Advent calender each year.  This year's calender is set in Edwardian times (probably influenced by the popularity of Downton Abbey).  Each day a new animated clip starts the day.  This Sunday it was choir boys running to sing at the church.  The outside view of the large grounds has concealed animals and each day a new one is revealed (provided you can find it).  Click on an ornament and the scene changes to an interior drawing room.  You can change the color of the walls, woodwork, flooring, and furniture.  That's kinda fun. The room is packed w/ various wrapped packages - one of which will be glowing each day.  Click on it and there is an activity revealed.  Some days are games like solitaire, a matching game, marble checkers, puzzles.  Other days are things you can customize in the room like decorating the tree, drawing snowflakes that are hung from the ceiling, setting up a train set, arranging a bowl of flowers.  Sometimes it's a book of recipies, information about Edwardian times, or a coloring book w/ pictures of the animals from the outside grounds.  Christmas music plays in the background.  Some days it's snowing, it's day during my daytime and night when it's dark here.  I appreciate the little things like the moon being in the correct phase, the clock in the drawing room shows the correct time, and the lights/candles/fireplace in the room turn on and off.  In fact I click them on when I enter the room and off when I leave - force of habit.