Lucia procession in Sweden, photo by Fredrik Magnusson, Wikipedia Commons

It was pitch dark and way too early in the morning. We were bleary eyed and tired. It was eleven days until Christmas, and our family of six were all out and about, on different icy roads, braving different snowdrifts, carrying different offerings to the community declared idea of “let’s have some Christmas fun”.

My husband and our 10-year-old daughter had been downtown for an hour and a half already. Practicing for the 7.00 AM Lucia concert with her class. It is one of the most beautiful celebrations, in an 850 years old stone church, always with the eminent choir Cantus. Afterwards they would be having breakfast together and parents were invited. Nothing fancy, just bring some Lucia saffron buns. It would have been so fun to be with them.

Our oldest daughter was in school already, practicing for the 8.00AM Lucia procession. Her class was given the special honor of visiting all the other classes. Parents were invited, nothing fancy, just bring some coffee and Lucia safrron buns. They were going to be beautiful, it would be so much fun to be with them.

Our youngest was happily jumping in front of me and his older brother on the road to his kindergarten. Actually it was his day off, but would it not be fun to have everybody with their parents in for a 7.00AM Lucia celebration? Nothing fancy, just bring some Lucia saffron buns. He was adorable, four years old, with tinsel in his hair, a white Lucia gown, and joyfully singing about the Sweet Lucia and the dark winter night. It was so fun to be with him.

It could not last though. Soon we had to excuse ourselves and retreat through the snow to our 7 years old’s school. He was in his first year and all parents were invited to share Lucia breakfast with them at 7.30AM, so that we could eat before the procession came. Nothing fancy, just, you know.

We balanced ourselves and our baskets with coffee and Lucia goodies into his classroom just a little bit late. They were all so excited about showing their parents what they had been doing for Christmas, and hiding what should still be kept a secret. Everyone was eating, having coffee, visiting, then a hush: wasn’t that singing in the schoolyard? The kids ran to the windows and watched eagerly on the procession of white-clad almost teenagers with lights in their hair, traversing the yard and entering the lower school building. The small ones rushed back to their tables with shining eyes just as the first of the older ones opened the door. In they came, filling the small world with light, song and hope. I smiled to our oldest in the procession, who waved with her hand knee-high so that nobody should see it. As they stopped in front of the classroom and sang another song, my husband and other daughter crept in on the bench beside me. We were all together, and it was so much fun.

When I tell this story, 16 years later, it WAS fun. As it happened it was just hectic, or as my mother used to say “the day did not add up.” Too many obligations, too much running here and there, too many well-meaning people arranging things for us to experience Christmas cheer. We did make it, between us we were four places at once. In a way.

I did not look forward to the next school season of Celebration. Until we got the invitation. One event, all children, all parents, same day, in the afternoon! Someone had been thinking, and it was GREAT fun.

Pictures today are not mine, they are from Wikimedia Commons and Youtube, these events took place before digital cameras! By the way, I do not think I had time to taking pictures!

Believe me, I know better than most how frantic and exhausting it is possible to make the season of peace and goodwill. The main story on Indexyourlife in December will be my way to a Christmas free of tangles.

In December my brother and I write an advent calendar blog together in norwegian.You may visit at  JULEFRYD or Christmas Joy. This year we will be writing or sharing thoughts and joys of gifts, giving and sharing. We will post there every day, and I will share some of that blog here on indexyourlife too.

All pictures at Indexyourlife are mine, if not otherwise stated.

Dark December, seen from San Marcos road

The weeks before Christmas was cold and draughty in my childhood. Windows were flung wide open in the cold winter mornings. Rugs, blankets and carpets were aired, furniture was moved. Everything was cleaned, polished, buffed, washed and organized. No matter which room you entered you would find a bucket with soapy water or someone on top of a ladder. My cozy nooks were all gone, there was no place to hide with a book or even homework. Of course we were enlisted to work. My mother, sometimes her mother, and then the hired help, was not enough. When we were older, it was fun. We played Christmas music and did one room after another together. Even so, I kept thinking, why?

December is the darkest month in Norway, no one will actually see if your house is clean. Much better to do it in spring, when it shows!

December is the month with most parties, when I grew up there was a steady stream of visitors, and every party left the house in need of a clean up. Why not wait, no one visits in february!

Golden garlands

For several years I had to test these theories, I did neither have the health nor the help it took to do a major house cleaning every Christmas. I kept at it during the year, but I never had the strength to have the whole house clean at one time. To defend myself I even laughed at those “old-fashioned ones” that still did a Christmas cleaning. Our house was cosy and warm all December, and layers of gingerbread dough, glue and glitter was added every day.

I did not miss the draughty days, but I slowly realized that I did miss the feeling of Christmas as a fresh start, a clean, clutter free slate, ready for a new year. As I grew wiser I knew that my foremothers had not kept washing and cleaning, scrubbing and polishing to keep up with tradition. They all had joined the ritual of cleansing. Hard, but satisfying work. Leaving the old behind, sloshing the dust and dirt of both crushed hopes and happy memories out with the sloppy waters.

A wise old aunt said, scrubbing is not the beginning of a clean house, but the end of a dirty one.

I have the strength and health now, and I dare to admit, I love a clean house at Christmas!

Fresh start at every wave

Todays pictures are from yesterdays beach-walk at Coal Point, who would not love a day of cleaning when topped with an excursion like this!

Believe me, I know better than most how frantic and exhausting it is possible to make the season of peace and goodwill. The main story on Indexyourlife in December will be my way to a Christmas free of tangles.

In December my brother and I write an advent calendar blog together in norwegian.You may visit at  JULEFRYD or Christmas Joy. This year we will be writing or sharing thoughts and joys of gifts, giving and sharing. We will post there every day, and I will share some of that blog here on indexyourlife too.

All pictures at Indexyourlife are mine, if not otherwise stated.

Sometimes, some things are just not done

My mother used to tell this story of the Advent when my kid brother had the croup, my two-year old sister was diagnosed with severe mental handicaps, and where most of us had the flu. “I did not do anything for Christmas that year, but somehow it got to be Christmas anyway,” she said.

When we grew up, we did not believe her, no way everything had been as chaotic as that? We six children had not experienced anything else than pure Christmas magic.

When I started out as a housewife my self, I did not believe her. There won’t be any Christmas unless, until and before this and that and more is done. I was brilliant at it. My friends and family told me how wonderful our Christmases were. I had several ideas for books on the theme Christmas decorations, Christmas lists, and Christmas gifts.

Nature is at it’s most peaceful

The most stressful tradition of them all was the Scandinavian one that Christmas happens between the 23rd and the 24th of December. The children should go to bed in a messy, advent home with no red or green, and awake to a decorated fairyland with a glittering tree.I was not allowed to do have anything to do with this until I married. Then it was all up to me, and I had everything to do with this surprising piece of magic.

It took years before I believed my mother. One december morning I finally could tell my self:

“You are not the Christmas Miracle!”

To me that was the slight turn of perspective that made me rediscover advent and put me on the path to truly joyous Christmas preparations. Along this road I have made wrong steps and some smart moves which is what I will write about this advent. Come along, or lean back and rest in your own hassle free way to Christmas Joy!

While I used to insist on activity

Believe me, I know better than most how frantic and exhausting it is possible to make the season of peace and goodwill. The main story on Indexyourlife in December will be my way to a Christmas free of tangles.

In December my brother and I write an advent calendar blog together in norwegian.You may visit at  JULEFRYD or Christmas Joy. This year we will be writing or sharing thoughts and joys of gifts, giving and sharing. We will post there every day, and I will share some of that blog here on indexyourlife too.

All pictures at Indexyourlife are mine, if not otherwise stated.