Advent 1

I was wondering what to put here to create a kind of Advent calendar. I've decided on some pictures of a nostalgic and vintage theme, with just a few words.

So to kick off we have a few old fashioned (vintage!) Christmas light bulbs. I'll probably put some more of these up in the next 23 days as I like them. This kind of bulb is usually in a string of 12, being rated at 20V (for anyone reading from overseas, domestic UK power is 240 volts).

They have been produced in this voltage and fitting (MES) format since at least the 1930s, and many of the original bulbs are still around and working today, having had relatively little use in total during the past 80 years.

This type of decorative bulb, called 'figural' when representing a particular item, person, or fruit, are an interesting and attractive thing to collect. It's even better if they're still working. So if you're looking around flea markets, reuse shops or car boot sales - my advice is - always carry a 9v battery.