I saw Mummy kissing Santa.....

....but don´t tell Kristian!! The usual snogging with Santa was the highlight of my Christmas Eve!!! 

All joking aside - our Christmas was really wonderful. It was a different Christmas for us this year. 

Normally we hold Christmas Eve with Kristian´s family. With 5 siblings there is always someone to hold Christmas Eve with, however this year everyone was gone. Some were in Norway for the holidays, others went to visit their in-laws. 

We too decided to do something different this year. 

Sara had invited us to hold Christmas at her place. Since she only had 2 days off, us all coming over to her would make her life that wee bit easier. 

At first, Leah and Andrew were not interested, they said NO right away - Christmas belonged at home in "our real"  home. But Sara is a great sales woman and before long she had Andrew and Leah changing their "NO" to a "We will think about it" to a "Maybe" and in the end a "YES!"

It was sooo strange to be going to Sara to celebrate but we were all actually, really looking forward to it. The strange thing for me was not having to shop for food. Sara had control of all that. I just had to turn up! Sooo weird! 

We were up early on the 24th - the car was packed, we were all dressed in our best for Christmas and at 9.30am, after a hot breakfast of baps, egg and bacon,  we left for the long journey over to Saras. The Christmas music was playing and we were all happy. The roads were great - no traffic jams!

Around 1.15pm we arrived at Sara´s place.

We had such a relaxing afternoon. We played games, talked, and relaxed.

Andrew and Sara enjoyed playing FIFA against each other on the Playstation.

Late afternoon I got busy in the kitchen making the evening meal. The girls helped.

We had fun taking pictures using Sara´s selfie stick. 

The food was sooo delicious. The duck was cooked to perfection, so was the pork and Sara made this amazing red cabbage salad.  
We ate far too much! 

After dinner we played the game Hint, the kids were against Kristian and me, and we won!! (They couldn´t beat their old mum and dad!) 

We had such a wonderful Christmas Eve together. 

On Christmas morning I woke up early so I could put all the kids socks at the end of their bed. Even though I had told them there was no sock this year, I couldn´t help myself. At the last minute I ended up buying a few things to fill their socks. 

When I opened our bedroom door, there outside our door, were two socks - one for Kristian and one for me. Leah had been soooo good to us. She had made socks for her dad and me.

The kids were sooo happy to have their socks.

It was then present time!! It was sooo cosy sitting around opening our presents. The kids had been sooo good to each other and to Kristian and me. We were spoiled rotten this year. It touched our hearts. 

 It was then time to be in the kitchen again . Once again the meal turned out to perfection! We again ate too much. 

 After dinner we played some games and had some laughs.

Late afternoon we went over to visit Christian´s family. It was lovely to see his mum, dad, aunt, uncle, brother and sister plus Sara´s friend Winnie (who is Christian´s brother´s girlfriend). They were all there and we spent a couple of hours with them.

We were first mean´t to leave to come home on the 26th but the weather forecast was saying that a storm was coming of hurricane forces. 

We were afraid the bridge would be closed and we would be stuck in traffic if we left when we orginally planned. Just as we were getting ready for bed we decided to pack instead and head home. 

So 10.30pm we packed the car, said goodbye and started the long journey home. We felt like we had been away for days! It had been sooo relaxing and good. 

We arrived home in the wee hours of the morning but at least we were home safe before the hurricane came in over the land.

I don´t think that will be the last time we will hold Christmas at Saras. A new tradition has maybe just been started!!

On the 27th December we had a day planned with our neighbour. We have always exchanged gifts at Christmas and so this was our girly day to do this.

Laura and Mia arrived over to us for brunch. We got caught up on each others Christmas Eve and Christmas day celebrations.

 It was then over to Laura´s place to open gifts.

 We all got some lovely face creams and girly cups for our hot chocolate on our girly film nights.

We then went over to our home to watch a film. After the film we headed back over to Laura´s to relax and eat dinner together. We ended the evening playing some games. We had another great day together. 

Years ago, when the girls were about 10 years old we took them to visit the boat "LOGOS" when it came here to Denmark. There was a bookshop on board and the girls bought each the book - "Twas the night before Christmas." They got them for about 2 pounds each. They are so beautiful and they have both cherished them and looked after them through the years.  We wanted a picture of them both with their special books.

While all this was going on, my Kristian was down working in his go-kart shop. He did join us for dinner at Laura´s place. 

When I came back over home my friend Jette had just arrived. Her hubby was having his male friends over for dinner and a film and so she wanted out of the house. She came over to us and was going to stay the night. It was sooo lovely to have her here. It is not often we have a sleep over. She used to stay with us all the time when Sara, Andrew and Leah were small. It was like old times again.

We talked, ate too much chocolate and saw a film before going to bed really late. 

Today was my mother-in-laws birthday so Kristian and I, after lunch, headed down to surprise her with a visit and a wee gift. 

She turned 81 today. (The picture above is from Summer 2016) 

Shortly after we arrived our neice turned up with her hubby and a few of the neighbours came by too. We had such a lovely afternoon with everyone. 

When we arrived home Lasse came by for dinner. 

Then after dinner Kristian was busy getting ready for his traditional night out in the forest with his mates. Crazy man!!! It´s that time to get together and sort out the worlds problems! :-)

He probably will arrive home around 4am!! Why not book a hotel? a cabin? go for a meal? NO - they sit in the forest around a fire and grill sausages and bread :-) Not my cup of tea, but sure it´s not me doing it! I really do think it´s great that they do this every year - I think this is about the 20th year Kristian has done this! 

Now we are ready - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Last week we bought our Christmas tree.

We decorated it while listening to Christmas carols.

Tradition true, we ended the evening by watching The Griswold Christmas Vacation. We just love that film! 

Last weekend Sara came home for a visit. It was lovely to see her again and I think she enjoyed having time to relax. 

Even though Sara was home I found time to make a decoration for outside. I was rather pleased with it :-)

Last Saturday we had fun. Kristian and I got dressed up in our Santa and Elf hat and went out to visit some friends. We had made goodie bags for each set of friends and then arrived without prior notice, on their doorsteps to deliver their parcel. It was sooo much fun. We stayed about 10 minutes at each place. It was fun to brighten up our friends day and to wish them a Merry Chirstmas in person!

Last Sunday we had invited Kristian´s brothers, sisters and mum to dinner. I was busy in the kitchen getting things ready.

We were 15 people in our small house. It was bursting at the seams!  We had though, a really great time together. 

After we had eaten we told everyone to get on their coats. Each person then got a lantern and we walked down the lane to the field with the sheep. 

The whole family were wondering what was going on and where we were going on a dark cold winters night. 

Once inside the gate to the field, we explained that we wanted to give them a more vivid experience of the Christmas story. While standing in the field, in the darkness, with only the light from our lanterns, Kristian read the Christmas story about the shepherds in their fields watching the sheep, all those years ago. After the reading we then sang a few Christmas carols before going inside again to have dessert. It was a really special experience. 

We had a really lovely evening with Kristian`s family. 

On Tuesday evening the local supermarket was opened late with a special discount of 15% of everything. Laura and I decided to go and see if we could find any bargins but why go looking plain and boring. We decided that we would put on a couple of wigs and have some fun while shopping. Fun we sure had!! We laughed sooo much! A really fun shopping spree.  The Danes really didn´t know what to make of us! 

Wednesday was my last day at work. Each year I try to find some sort of funny shirt, hat or glasses to wear and this year was no different. We had a fun last day with all the kids. 

I had to go to the eye doctor after work for a check up and so since I got drops in my eyes and couldn´t drive the car, Leah came and got me. We did a bit of shopping before heading to McDonalds for dinner. It was only she and me home for dinner.  So we had dinner at McDs and then it was home to clean and organise the house.

Thursday was my first day of work and I soooo enjoyed myself. I took Leah to work, bought a cream bun at the bakery and came home and got all cosy at home. The house was lovely and clean from the night before so I had nothing much to do.

I spent the day relaxing and watching Christmas Films while enjoying my cream bun!! Delicious!! :-)

Late afernoon I decided to go to town for an hour and then it was home again to relax. It  really was a perfect, first day of holiday!

Today (Friday) I was up early and out to shop for some food for over Christmas. Also Andrew, Camilla and Lasse were coming for dinner this evening so I needed to buy some things for that.

We had such a cosy evening with the kids. We ate good food, exchanged gifts and played some games. 

Now all the shops are closed in Denmark and if you haven´t got your shopping done by now, well, it is just too bad and it is just too late!!

Thankfully we are all ready. All the presents are wrapped and the food organised. 

All that is left is to wish you, whoever you may be, a very MERRY CHRISTMAS. Thank you for taking the time to read this rather boring blog about my life. :-)  I hope that you will experience the peace of Christmas in your heart and home. Let´s take some time to remember, in the midst of all the traditions and celebrating, the one that the season is all about - Jesus, and give him room in our hearts and in our lives.