Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods

But what about the Christmas cookies........

text and images britt-arnhild

Christmas is over. The tree is out, all my different Christmas collections are stored away and will sleep till December. It is always a bit sad to undecorate. The house feels empty, especially without the extra lights. But there is also another feeling. It feels right. A new year. A new beginning.

Not all signs of Christmas have left though. The Christmas cookies. What to do about the Christmas cookies?

Every year in December I am stressed. Will there be enough food. I hear from friends and family what they bake, cook, prepare, buy. I am grown up with my foremothers´traditions. Many cookies are a MUST. There will not be Christmas without.

Or will there?

So we bake, we cook, we buy. Terje has brough his traditions from his childhood home. I have bought mine. Over the years they have become ours and the girls ask - when will be bake this and that? And over the years they have brought their own traditions into our family. From school. From friends. From cookbooks.

 

So we fill box after box in December with delicious cookies. We feel happy. We feel content.

Christmas is over. We have undecorated. But still the boxes of cookies are more than half full.

We never throw food away. Of course we don´t. Which means that we will be eating Christmas cookies until Easter. Or beyond.

I think I´ll have to say like Dickens.........let the spirit of Christmas cookies live within me forever.

 

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Afterword: don´t misunderstand me. I love afternoon coffee with Terje. We both love Christmas cookies :-)

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What is your favorite Christmas cookie recipe? 

The End of a Christmas Tree

text and images britt-arnhild

We decided to go for a traditional fir tree this Christmas. As long as it was fresh it was perfect. It stayed perfect for more than a week. But on New Year´s Eve, when we had a full house it was like everybody kind of bumped into the tree when they passed, and the needles started to fall. Terje gritted his teeth, it was not time yet to throw out the Christmas tree. It is never time to throw out the Christmas tree until after his birthday, the 4th day of the new year.

So the tree stood there, proudly showing the ornaments, the lights, the star in the top, its green needles. People came and went. I made food, I set the table, I asked for help to clean food and plates away. And through it all we had butter. Real butter! (I am sure you remember my lack of butter tale from December.......)

On January 3rd we had the kids and my parents over for dinner. With nine around the table it was impossible not to bump into the tree every time we passed it. Again and again one of us  had to sweep the floor. We looked higher and higher up the tree, where the needles still hang; "isn´t the tree beautiful this year"

Then, finally came the 4th, and because I had such a bad cold, feeling completely under the weather, thebig  party was cancelled.

So what did the birthday boy do then? Yes, you guessed it. No hesitation. The tree had to go. On its way over the livingroom floor it lost all its remaining needles, but the tree didn´t mind. Over the night it was dressed in snow instead.

Wordfeud, a Christmas epidemic?

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Christmas is a time for games. Card games and board games. Monopoly used to be a favorite, then Settlers and Rummy took over.

Untill this year that is.

On the morning of Christmas Eve Ingrid and Marta had occupied our two comfortable armchairs. Wrapped in their duvets they were ready for hours of watching television. All the films which are sent every year only on this day. A tradition not to be broken.

I was busy in the kitchen, and from there I had a good view over to where the girls sat. To my astinishment they both were busy with their cell phones, and from time to time looking at each other laughing.

I was curious: "Hey, what are the two of you doing?"

"Mamma, we are playing Wordfued, which is like Scrabble played on our android phones"

Playing games on the phone? A phone is for calling, for texting, and these days also for photograhing, for skyping, for reading emails, sometimes even for blogging. But playing games? No that´s not for me....

.....or rather, that WAS not for me.

I have started to play Wordfeud, and though I´v lost every single game I´ve played so far, I am hooked!

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At mass on Christmas Eve I sat together wth three young men, all of them unknown to me, all of them busy with their phones before mass started. I loooked at the one closest to me, and couldn´t stop saying: "I see you are busy playing the same game as my kids do". The young man looked at me, smiling; "Yes, we are playing Wordfeud. Everyone does these days. I even have a friend who plays Wordfeud on his mobile with his grandma. What do you say about that?

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Which games do you play at Christmas?

I believe in angels.

text and image britt-arnhild

 Some years ago I was hanging angels in our livingroom window, humming happily and saying silent preyers for next day´s advent lunch with the deacons where the theme would be "angels", when the phone rang. A male voice, unknown to me, though I could see on the display that the number was local.

"Hello" the vopice said. He told me his name and where he lived, and continued: "Do you live in a red house at Huseby?" I was a little confused, but told him that yes, our house is red and it is situated at Huseby. Having this confirmed the man went on: "I have passed your house often lately. I can feel a very stron, positive force in the area. At first I didn´t know where it came from, but now I am positively sure it comes from your house. Don´t be afraid, I have no harm in mind. I am a healer, and because of this poritive force and thre light surrounding your house, I wonder if you are healers too?"

I was silent for a long time. The man waited patiently. Then, finally, I could say: "We are not healers. We are christians. When we moved in here a year ago we had a prayer for the house. I have never seen the light you are talking about myself, nor have I felt this strong power. But I believe you. It is easy for me to believe you. As a christian I believe in angels. I am sure the light and the power are the angels around us."

We continued our conversation for a long time. The rest of my family was at home and could hear my part of it. When I finally put the reciever down we sat down and had a long, very interesting talk. We see the world with different eyes in my family. Not all of us believe in angels. This afternoon we all met one though. Through a phone call.

I believe in angels. I have never seen one. 

Or have I?

In rereading The Bible in its new translation, I will especially look out for angels.

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Photos:

Madeira, Nidaros Cathedral, Paris, Vemezia

The Pillar of my Life. A Saviour is Born

text and images britt-arnhild

A Saviour is born. Joy to the World. Merry Christmas.

I fill my life with colours and happiness. Food, parties, songs, tinsels, santas, candles, cookies, desserts, gifts............and in the middle of all this joy I easily forget.......

why do we celebrate Christmas?

After years of work and studies a new translation of The Bible was introduced in Norway a couple of months ago.  This "new" Bible is a gift to me this Christmas from my employer. In it I will find out more about why we celebrate Christmas. I know the stories, but with the new translation I am looking forward to rediscover the Pillar of my Life.

I wish all my blog readers a Blessed Christmas!

 

Photos: from a garden walk on Madeira

Lillejulaften, Little Christmas Eve. Through the Day. December 23rd

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Finally. The Day is here. Lillejulaften, Little Christmas Eve. The Day before the Big Day. The Day when we decorate the Christmas Tree. The Day when we have out annual lutefisk party.

Our family got a new member late last night. Pat Scraper from Iceland, travelling to The House in the Woods from Iceland via Mo´a in USA.

Together with him I plan to let you follow the activities in The House in the Woods today. So come back, there will be updates all through the day...........

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1st update at 09.25am. Lemon Mousse

Dinner on Christmas Eve is the most important meal of the year. Filled with traditions. "What will we have for dessert on Christmas Eve", Marta asked some time ago. "Why,moltekrem of course, as we have every year" I replied. "Oh mamma, can´t we have karamellpudding this year".........Of course I could not resist the pleading eyes. Yesterday I made karamellpudding.

"What will we have for dessert on Christmas Eve" Ingrid asked when she came home from Bali. "Why, moltekrem of course, as we have every year" I replied, and continued "and this year we will also have karamellpudding". "Oh mamma, can´t we have sitronfromasje (lemon mousse) this year".......Of course I could not resist the pleading eyes and the pleading voice. Today I have made sitronfromasje

  

Today Torgeir is coming home for the holidays, tomorrow Øystein will be home as well and The Lucky Four will be complete.

Please don´t tell the boys that there might be a dessert option......Three different homemade dessert for a family of six should really be enough!

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2nd update at 10.03am

This jolasvein knows more than scraping pots. A good gift wrapping helper he is :-)

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3rd update, delfiakake

Not only desserts, but also cakes have special traditions.

Like the very rich chocolate cake.

Delfiakake

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4th update at 12.26. The Christmas tree

Finally!!!! The Christmas tree!!!!

Terje is back home from a traditional lillejulaftens - breakfast at his old work, and from pivking up the lutefisk at the fish market. The girls are both awake, making fun of their mother and her camera.

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5th update at 02.30pm. Doing the table

Guests will arrive at 6pm for the annual lutefisk party.

Table is ready.

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 6th update, 4.15pm. Preparing the fish

Lutefisk needs a lot of salt. Now it must rest for one hour before I bake it in the oven.

Potatoes, carrots, peas, beacon, white sauce.........

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Last minute update.

Guests will soon be here. Remember to refill salt and pepper.

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Chaos update.......

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Last update.

Party is over, so is lillejulaften, almost.........and tomorrow Christmas is here.

Thanks for your visits through the day. It has been a pleasure to have you here.

The Felted Workshop. December 15th

text and images britt-arnhild

It was a very pleasant surprise when I got the phone call a couple of weeks ago, "I am gathering a few ladies for a Christmas workshop and I want you to come. I hope you can?"

Of course I could. I have been looking forward to it for days now.

7 ladies gathered. We were all asked to bring at least one craft idea and the materials needed. Then we spread it all on the huge table, busied our fingers, ate Christmas cookies, laughed about the lack of butter in Norway and created Christmas ornaments.

I had planned to shot a lot of photos, but was too busy making felted items.

Stories told, laughter shared, ideas floated in the air, and suddenly we had to clean the busy table. Dinner was ready.

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House cleaning, window washing and all that stuff can wait till another year. At least till after Christmas. Making new friends and felted ornaments is a lot more fun.

Thank you Tora for a fantastic evening.

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How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Do you make the ornaments yourself? Do you have a favorite item, a favorite heirloom?

 

Christmas on the canal (will be updated as the story unfolds)

Text and photo Britt-Arnhild

A morning walk along the canal took me by this boat.

A tale started to form in my mind......may be we can write it together?

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What about a start like this:

Once upon a time there was a young man. He had left his family to seek adventure, but had a hard time finding a path to follow. For a few months now he had been working on a small fishing boat, but when Christmas came, the old fisherman left the boat to go home and celebrate with his wife, his children and his old parents. The young man had nowhere to go, and was very thankful when the old fisherman let him stay in the boat......

The boat was cold and it was not easy to find any signs of Christmas. The young man felt sad and lonely. It was cold and he looked around in search of an extra blanket. In a locker, deep down, under a lot of old blankets and stuff he found a worn cardboard box. Opening it he found an old star. The beginning of a smile found his way to the young man's face. May be there would be some signs of Christmas after all.......

The old boat was a haven for him. The gentle rocking of the boat tied at the dock, the occasional clanking of the lines on the nearby sailboat, the lulling sound of water lapping the hull. He set the fire going in the tiny cookstove, put the kettle on, opened a can of soup and put that beside it. The skies were grey and had been all day and as he stirred the soup, snow began to gently fall upon the harbor. The radio hummed in the background, static sometimes interrupting a tune, but the gentle silence was comforting. The young man got his cup off the hook, set the pan of soup on the table and opened his book........

The radio hummed in the background, static sometimes interrupting a tune, but the gentle silence was comforting. The young man got his cup off the hook, set the pan of soup on the table and opened his book...when he thought he heard a cry outside - penetrating the stillness of the evening, the gentle sound of the falling snow and whistling wind.... he arose, walked across the floor and looked out through a window. No one was there. But, something made him open the door....and looking down, he was amazed to see a tiny black cat, looking up at him with huge green eyes.......

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Let us continue together. Share your ideas in a comment and I will update the story. 

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Thanks to Fran and Ardi for your contributions. 

Thanks to Robin

Silent Morning

Text and images Britt Arnhild

Early, silent morning. Still dark outside. A few lights on in the livingroom. The deep red and gold table cloth which Terje bought in Provence before Christmas a few years ago has got stains, memories from meals with family and friends. It will stay on the table for a few days still, a symbol of the spirit of Christmas.

The book I am reading is in my lap. Soon I will open it and read the last pages.

But not yet. Now, in the silence and lonelyness, I dwell on memories from yet another Christmas. We are stil in the middle of it, already it is filled with memories which I will bring with me through coming days, weeks, years.

I have no cd on, still I can hear music. My mother playing like she did here on Christmas Eve. Like she did on Christmas Day during the big family party in my parents home.

Her music has wrapped my life. I am still unwrapping the gift.

 

Hard work

text and images Britt Arnhild

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Two sisters and a pappa. A lot of patience and hard work. Perfect result.