Christmas 2014

It´s all over for another year! We had a wonderful Christmas.

Christmas Eve, and we started our Christmas celebrations with a delicious brunch. Then it was off to church for the 2pm service. The church service was short but the message was good and challenging and we got to sing a whole lot of lovely Danish Christmas Carols. 

It was then home to Kristian´s sisters. The family would gather there to celebrate Christmas together. All Kristian´s brothers and sisters were coming together with their families to celebrate, except for Peter, the very youngest brother. He was going to his wife´s family. We also had a few foreigners celebrating with us so we were a total of 26. Good job Hanne has a big house!!

We started the afternoon with Danish treats, then a bit of a sing song. When Kristian´s family get together we always end up singing! It was just sooo special. Sitting around singing about the birth of Jesus and just worshipping together was the best part for me.

For the family (or anyone else interested) here is a short video clip of Sigrid og Signe singing (with the rest of us on the chorus).....

Then it was time to get everything ready for the evening meal. We were all in different work groups. Some had to decorate the tree. Others decorated the table. Some made sweets from marcipan and nougat. I was on the dinner team so we had to cook the food. It all went like clockwork and everything turned out well. 

After dinner we played our usual parcel game with all the silly presents. 

Then it was time for dessert and then the part I love, walking around the Christmas tree singing carols. 

Finally it was gift time. This year a woman bought another woman a present and a man another man. I came home with a beautiful new scarf! 

We were finally home around 1.00am after a really wonderful evening with the family.

Then 25th it was our day here at home. Even though we have big kids they still love Christmas and getting presents, especially their sock!

We all had a lovely long sleep. We first woke at 10.30am and the kids shortly after us. What a surprise I had when I walked into the kitchen. The ground outside was covered in snow!! I couldn´t believe my eyes! On Christmas Eve we had talked about how wonderful it would be to wake up to snow, but never expected it to happen. We have had such a mild winter with temperatures around 6-8 degrees.  I felt sooo blessed to wake up to snow! It was the perfect weather for Christmas day!

The kids and Kristian were all really pleased with their gifts and so was I. 

 Andrew had wished for a playstation 4 but did not expect to get one. That was his only gift but he was over the moon!

Then it was into the kitchen to once again prepare a big dinner, this time with turkey and ham and all the trimmings. We had invited our American neighbour, her daughter and her American friend over to eat with us. 

The day ended with us all collapsed on the sofa. We watched a couple of Christmas films and even had a good cry at one of them. Just the way a Christmas day should be!

Sara went back home on Christmas night. She was taking the 7pm bus. It was sooo great to have her here for the week. It all just went by sooo fast! But we will go visit her in January so only a few weeks till we see each other again!

So all that´s left to say is.....Merry Christmas from our family to yours......