I DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES TWICE

Last year Jessika Gedin tweeted: "That's when you realize how you want your Christmas - when you're done celebrating" (Det är ju nu man vet hur man vill att julen ska vara - när den precis är färdigfirad). I made mental notes last December about what needed to be done differently the next time around. Some are listed below:

• Yes, it feels too soon to start in October, but do it anyway! The family will be sick all of November, and most of December. At least cross most of the baking, gifts, and cards off your list. Freeze cookie dough so half the job is done come December. Even rolls of gingerbread dough.

• Prepare activities for the children and think of ways to involve them in preparations during the day. A Norwegian Christmas Eve is a pretty boring day of waiting since the actual celebrations start by late afternoon unless there's a graveyard or church service to visit (and neither of  those are the most exciting activities for children). 

• Make a playlist/CD with Norwegian and Swedish music and the childrens' favourites, or you'll be forced to endure the kids' holiday playlist during most of December...

• Get lots -LOTS- of vegetables to steam for the leftoverbrunch on the 25th. You'll long for vegetables after all that sturdy Norwegian Christmas Eve fare.

What are you doing differently this year?