Swedish Christmas (with tons of pictures!)

Did you ever have one of those weekends that, based on how busy you were, feels like it must have been about 2 weeks long?

This was one of those weekends-- and it was awesome. I needed this.

Saturday started with cookie-baking, then flu shot-getting (after screaming his head off for about a minute, Brady recovered nicely), then errand-running, then lunch-eating, then Christmas tree-buying, then online Christmas present-buying, then mashed potato-making. Why mashed potato-making, you ask? Because 5pm was time for Swedish Christmas!

What's Swedish Christmas, you ask? The concept of Swedish holidays comes from Julie's family. Basically, if you can't be together to celebrate a holiday or birthday on the day it actually happens, then you celebrate when you canbe together and call it the Swedish Christmas or birthday or Easter or whatever. Why Swedish, you ask? (Geez, you're nosy!) Actually, I'm not really sure. But I like the idea all the same!

We had to have a Swedish Christmas this year because our friends Christina and Sean are moving to Indiana next week (sob!) for Sean's awesome new job (cheer!). So Christmas was now or never. We decided on now, because we always have a reasonably good time together.

 

Okay, maybe it's a little better than "reasonably". At least Paul seems to be enjoying himself, right? I think Bella and Brady had a good time too.

 

Chef Tarun was very serious about his (amazing!) pork roast...

 

...while Barb, Julie, and I engaged in what I'm sure was a deep conversation about the meaning of life.

 

Brady got to open his very first Christmas present. Ever. Thanks, Barb!

 

 

The presents weren't just for the kids, though. Apparently Grover books can be just as much fun for adults.

 

As the night wore on, out came the fake noses and eyebrows (we brought them as a gag gift)... 

 

 

That photo totally gets my vote for Christina and Sean's engagement photo.

   

I wouldn't pick a fight with those two, would you?

It was a great evening... and Brady was, once again, an angel. I think we tuckered him out.

   

Sunday we were up and at 'em to Christmas-ify our house. I think it came out well!

 

 

 

Then it was lunch with the girls, followed by grocery shopping and other much less interesting things made more interesting by the fact that the temperatures were in the single digits with wind chills below zero all day. Oh, winter. I haven't missed you.

Anyway, after all that I'm feeling much more like Christmas is upon us. Here's to merry and bright.

  

Comments

[barb]

What a fun Christmas-y weekend it was!
...and I think that Grover books may actually be MORE fun for adults!

[Carrie]

Sounds like you had a fun weekend! That is a good idea for a Swedish Christmas. I love all the pictures too! Your new camera takes AWESOME photots. It just amazes me on the quality of photographs with a more high quality camera, especially the one with Brady's ornament. Good Job!