How was your Christmas?

Dear users, dear authors,
did you have a lovely Christmas celebration? What are you doing on New Year's Eve?

Christmas was even quieter than planned this year. The family dinner on Christmas Day was canceled because someone had caught some kind of respiratory bug, so we all kept our distance from each other just to be safe. But we’ll make up for it as soon as all the viruses have been wiped out.
So we spent some cozy days together, reading a lot (I can once again lug a big bag full of books over to the open bookshelf), doing a lot of crafts (he worked on an airplane) and crocheting (I worked on all the beautiful things from the Advent calendar), watched a few movies, enjoyed delicious meals, and chatted a lot (it’s amazing that after so many years, we still have so much to talk about 🤣).
In the meantime, it’s even stopped raining; it’s mild, the birds are chirping—spring might be just around the corner...

Christmas was more than quiet for us. My son-in-law caught the flu two days before Christmas Eve, so we canceled our planned family dinner and Christmas celebration, and my husband and I stayed at home by ourselves. But my daughter’s birthday is still coming up this week (she’s turning 54, I can hardly believe it myself), and we want to make up for it then.

Best wishes, Inge

We also made it through the Christmas holidays just fine. We spent the first day of the holidays at my parents’ house, the second day at our place, and then played bowling on the Xbox.
I had some cookies and homemade honey cake (in Norwegian, Krydderkake), and for dinner we had salmon with a colorful salad, herb baguette, and a lemon cream dessert.

Now I’ve caught a bad cold. I’m not quite back on my feet yet, but I got through my first day back at work after my time off with the help of medicine.
I still have five days to go. We’ll see how I feel tomorrow; otherwise, I’ll have to go to the doctor.

I also have to work on New Year’s Eve (early shift), but toward evening we’ll head over to my parents’ place to hang out a bit, since my dad’s birthday is right on January 1st. And I have an early shift the very next day. Oh dear.

So, stay healthy, everyone, and get well soon to all those down with the flu.

Lots of love from me

Christmas Eve was really lovely; everyone came, and we sat together and had a wonderful celebration. 

On Christmas Day and the days that followed, I was in bed with a bad cold. 

Yesterday I felt better again, and now the needles are clicking away again. 

It was sad. Two days before Christmas Eve, which we were supposed to celebrate at our place, I came down with something.
I’m only starting to feel better today, and now I’m hoping we can make up for “Christmas Eve” on New Year’s Eve.
The presents are still under the tree; the adults won’t mind (as long as we’re healthy), and we can tell our “little” Carl, who just turned 3, that Santa brought something here to Aunt and Uncle’s house, too.

The first Christmas days without my husband—not quite true: exactly 40 years ago, I was in Switzerland with the children, and he was stuck in Chile because of an infected tooth and couldn’t arrive until January for our son’s baptism—but this time it’s final and can’t simply be made up for… On Christmas Eve, the church organized a meal, and despite the more than 100 people, it was solemn and peaceful. On Christmas Day, after the traditional church service, I drove to my younger daughter’s house and got to share in the little one’s joy (2 years old) at the tree with its many (real) candles and the wonderful gifts. For years, the 26th has been the date for the family celebration at our eldest daughter’s place in Zurich. Sadly and wistfully, we remembered last year, when Grandpa was still sitting at the table with us…
For New Year’s Eve, after the farewell service for one of the pastors, I’ve been invited to dear friends’ home, where we’ll celebrate quietly and without a big party and toast the new year, which can only be better than the one now coming to an end.
I wish you all health, happiness, confidence, and the fulfillment of your wishes for 2024, and thank you for being there.

Warm regards

Christina