First Advent

So dear friends, yesterday was the First of Advent. Only 3 more sundays to go before the big fat man in a red suit squeezes down your chimney or uses his magic key to get in!  Or, in the case of swedes, Father Christmas actually comes an gives you your presents personally. Yea, that's right. Swedish kids are bestest buds with Santa, and so well behaved, that he feels he must visit each and everyone in turn. What a nice guy, eh?

The reality is- and here comes a spoiler for all you believers;  a grandfather, daddy, or infact, any old male relative,  usually ''forgets'' something from the shop and absolutely must go out and get it. Dinner might be ruined else. Can't have that now, can we. Christmas dinner is the most important meal of the year, no?
 Now the thing is, that going to the shop is a lie. Scandalous really. Parents lying to their kids, tut tut. But anyhoo, when said family member leaves the house, they head straight for the stash of gifts and change into their costume, pillow to pad the belly included as is the traditional fake fluff that is supposed to resemble a beard.

Here is Miss Maia's first meeting wih santa last year. She wasnt all that impressed and didnt recognise grandad in his get-up. Maybe it was because she had a sky-high temperature and was full of the cold, but here's hoping she likes santa this year! Might have to do a practice run or two, and stand in a mile long queue to visit Santa in a grotto somewhere in town. The first of many times I daresay.

We have really been getting into the festive spirit this weekend, being the first of Advent and all. After a dreadful night (again) on friday, all plans for saturday were cancelled and we packed up and relocated to mums house for the afternoon to snooze and bake lussebullar. These are rather delicious saffron buns, traditionally eaten on and around the 13th December when we here in nordic country celebrate St. Lucia, a bringer of light in these darkened winter days. Truly, it now gets light by around 8.30am-ish and is dark again by 14.30pm. 

Yesterday we made gingerbread, and Mark and Alex got all creative, trying to out-do eachother in their spontaneous bake-off. Funny little fellas them two. I think Maia had more fun covering herself all in flour and darling little Lily spent most of the time snoozing out on the patio, bless her.Next year is going to be fun with a 3year old and 15month old <3

I think the highlight for me was when I finally got to put some christmas decs up. I have after all, been playing christmas songs for about 2weeks, maybe 3, now....

I am going to wait until we get the tree to get out all the rest, sometimes I need a bit of extra inpiration by doing the tree first so as to get proper in the mood. Think I shall even get some glögg (mulled wine) on the go and try an coax dear hubster into some festive fun with me. He is more than happy for me to just get on with it, which I ought to be grateful for, but then I'm feeling a bit soft and fluffy at the moment and am envisioning us dressing the tree, drinking glögg, kiddies sleeping soundly and snow falling outside and listening to christmas compilations on spotify. Oh, and the fake fireplace ''on'' on the tv...bliss!

<3 kim