First of all: Thank you Lizzie for inviting this idle CC-member into this December project. It has made me take the time to sit down on my couch and take a break from the last busy days of Christmas-mania.
Christmas is the time of year where everything can be a bit emotional for human beings. Many have the feeling of being alone, some feel that it's time to close the chapter of this year and have a fresh start after the season, conflicts arise due to disagreements between new couples trying to build their new, common Christmas with elements from personal traditions, many people struggle with fitting Christmas into their economy. It's no secret Christmas can be rough. But I think it is possible for everyone to find _some_ beauty somewhere in Christmas.
I want to share my "evening before the evening" with The Community.
Since forever Norway celebrate Christmas at Christmas eve, not Christmas day. The 24th is not a working day after 12 o'clock. Many companies are closed and still it is illegal to buy wine and stronger drinks like vodka this day in my city (rough experience for fresh Airbnbguests arriving the city this day!). This is why the evening of the 23rd is referred to as the "evening before the evening".
As a child I had finished school two or three days before and had been slumbering in my pj's all day to get into the right state of mind for the holidays. But the morning of the 23rd the slumbering always became harder to achieve. It was the day before! For me this is the day Christmas begins. During the day my mother had a pile of things to finish before the evening the next day. And while she did all this she was waiting for my father to come home from work so she could share her pile. Suddenly the doorbell rang and people came bringing presents, were invited in for different cookies and cakes before they rushed on to the next home. I of course, and my sister, ran to and from the door to welcome everyone. But most of all we wanted to check out the presents. Which we NEVER got a hand on!
At 5 p.m. my father arrived bringing in the Christmas-tree from outside. He could barely take his jacket off before my mother asked a ton of questions which he always replied to with -No, I did not finish this task since I JUST came home from work. Dinner was ready and we sat down to eat... One tired dad, one busy mum, and two girls not being able to not shake and twist their feet under the table.
After dinner the tree was put in it's foot and the decorations were taken from the attic. Some carried by us girls, others carried by my father since it was fragile and easy to break. My father then put the lights on the tree first. EVERY year without checking for broken bulbs.... EVERY year telling us girls to wait for the decorating since he had to locate the broken bulb on the three... We were the same amount of disapproved each time. And finally he made it. My sister and I went on putting the old decorations on to the tree. Each year in awe of the beauty of some of them. Each year with my mother coming to check up on us and then telling us to not decorate only one side of the tree. My father went to the kitchen for the MAN-job: cutting the dried lamb's rib into lengths that would fit the kettle. Lamb's rib that his mother had made us from her sheep in the country side. Lamb's ribs that I never liked and still don't (I have sausages on Christmas eve along with the potatoes and mashed rutabaga. And of course lefse sent from my grandmother.). The dried ribs needs to be watered for 20 hours before cooking as it is very salty.
When we had finished decorating the tree, and the livingroom, and the hallway, and the toilet.... And our bedrooms..., the time had come for the ritual on tv: an insane short movie about a comtesse and her servant celebrating her 90th birthday. After this ten minute movie the children were of to bed. Trying to get some sleep since if sleeping Christmas would come sooner. Childrens logic sometimes work!
I'm 37 years this Christmas. It is still my parents, my sister and I celebrating Christmas eve. But I have my own house and don't decorate my parents house for Christmas on the 23rd. But the traditions are still representing strong feelings to me. I don't like people decorating their trees and houses before the 23rd because then the advent-decorations should still be up (in "like" I of course let people decide about their own traditions 🙂 ).
And at 37 I still hold 9 p.m. sacred to turn on the tv and watch this short film. I have no idea how this became a Norwegian tradition, but the national televison planned not to send this movie 5 years ago. The population were furious and the broadcaster had to air it.
So with this totally political incorrect film I wish all of you a very nice Christmas. Also the ones that don't celebrate this holiday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaFFywm18P8
Mariann 🙂 ❤🎄
