You are cordially invited to a celebration here at the Mansion on December 21st 2012. Entry will be via this blog, so no travel or accommodation is necessary (unless you want to travel, that is – you can access this site from almost anywhere in the world!)

You will be able to tour the Mansion – you’ll probably come across rooms I never knew existed… I do regularly! I’d advise against taking a walk around the Grinds or exploring the Catacombs below the Mansion, but they’ll be open as well, so if you feel the urge to go there, then you can. You could even go up to the High Room, to see the galaxy from the window up there, but it’s a long way up! It’s up to you.

It’s an open house! Everyone is welcome.

According to certain sources, at 11:11 on December 21st, the world will come to it’s shattering conclusion. Apparently, some old calendar is reaching the end of one of its cycles.

The Mayan calendar has a period of time equal to about 7,885 years, called the Long Count, and it is this which is ticking down to midnight. At ‘midnight’, or 11:11, the cycle will end. Just after midnight, or 11:11, a new cycle will begin.

Or not. Depending on how you view things.

December 21st is also the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, and the Summer Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. The time of the actual solstice is 11:12, but with time differences around the world, it could fall anywhere within the 24 hours between 1:12 on the 21st and 1:12 on the 22nd. Time zones can be so confusing.

So, according to ancient prophecies, the world will end sometime on the 21st December. If it’s going to end, well, we can’t do anything about it. But wait… yes we can!

If you believe that the world is coming to an end, then come to my End of the World blog party, and celebrate anyway. If you’re part of the group that thinks things will continue as normal, like at the new year for example, then come to my New Beginnings blog party. If you don’t believe in ancient prophecies, come to my Spectacular Solstice blog party. If you want something different to celebrate, come to my Yay! Betelgeuse Survived Another Year! party. Or, if you aren’t keen on themes, come to my December 21st party. They are all taking place at the same time, same place, same channel!

It’s a Friday! Hopefully it will be fun and you may meet some amazing new bloggers.

What you need to know, if you wish to attend:

As this is a blog party, it really relies on comments. Well, comments and links. Well, comments, links and a little ‘blogging participation’*. On the 21st December, just after midnight UK time (or thereabouts!) I will post my celebratory post, and this is where the party chat will take place (hopefully… I may be hooting the party blowers all by myself, but hey – I may never get the chance to host a blog party again!)

I’ll be posting further instructions for the party ‘requirements’ (think of it as a dress code, or bring a bottle; or even a *blogging prompt… that kind of thing!) a little nearer the time, and as it will also be an ‘introduce a friend’ event you may want to think about one or more blogs that you visit that you would like to promote to the four regular visitors I get on a normal day around these parts!

I’ll be adding a few ‘invitations’ graphics over the next few days that I would kindly ask you display somewhere on your blog / site (if you don’t mind that is – it’s all about promotion you know!) if you are planning on popping by that day. There’ll be a different graphic for each of the party themes so choose the one you want – or all of them I don’t mind. Or not. I don’t mind that either, but I’d love it for this to work.

There may be party games. And comedians. And music. And videos. Hopefully. Somewhere in the comments. We’ll see. Hopefully.

More details will follow!