OUR TURN TO TREK

In Norway, Sunday is turdag. A tur is a hike by foot, ski, or skates in the outdoors. Families, groups of friends, teams, classmates, or even a hiking club will meet to hike a trail, mountaintop, seaside, or forest. Our youngest haven't been a light load to carry and our oldest hard to convince but this year I am determined to force them outside a little more often on Sundays! I have consulted the Oslove guide by Hanna Norberg to find semi-urban hike routes, and have stored up on Kvikklunsj, the ubiquitous Norwegian hiking treat. Hopefully it will entice the family to advance to trails and mountaintops next year.
IMAGE: SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS BLOG/ANNA 

BEAD IT, LUCIA

Our kids love crafting with Hama fuse beads, and their December creations often get an honorary place on their own little trees. Last year I made these Lucia ornaments for our youngest, a quick and easy project. If you want to make your own, just enlarge the picture, they're easy to copy.

GOOD NIGHT MOON

Much like the Chinese I name each year after an animal. Well,sort of, I name it after a room...or a project area.

2017 is the year of the bedroom. This is the year we'll establish better bedtime routines, ban late night netsurfing, upgrade bed linen and bedding, get cozy sleep wear and in short: sleep well every night and wake up rested and bright every morning.

One can at least dream, no?

Above, muted tones and timeless design from Åhlens, which I am considering for the children's room. But it might be the 2013 fall catalogue from Mille Notti that will be my style guide on the journey towards a bedroom where good sleep abides.
IMAGES: PRODUCT IMAGE ÅHLENS; (ABISKO)

SUDDENLY...

Why are the simplest things the most difficult to find? A throw cushion for our couch in a navy shade that was leaning towards midnight blue,  removable cover in a fabric suitable for casual family life (aka wrinkles and stains).  It took me 6 months but here it is. Washed Diamond Sham from Swedish lifestyle brand Lexington. 

Now, how do I convince the rest of the family that a cushion cover with the price tag equivalent of, let's see, about 500 meatballs, or 1600 lollipops, or 4 big boxes of lego is what they want on their Christmas wish list?  

IMAGE: PRODUCT IMAGE LÄNNA MÖBLER WEBSHOP 

IS THIS BRAIN REALLY SWITCHED ON?

I can't believe it. I finally located the embroidered christmas ornaments that I made, ehem, 5 years ago.  I never pieced them together and lost them in the move here. Or so I thought. Found them a month ago, and did a little happy dance. Men säg den lycka som varar. I have no idea where I put them after that. Sigh. 

IMAGES: KORSSTYGNSBOLAGET; USED WITH PERMISSION 

THE CALENDAR

Three years ago we decided it was time to drop the parent's advent calendar from our list of traditions in an attempt to simplify the season. But rules are made to be broken. This year my husband needed a reason to smile every morning in December, and I must say, it's more fun when those 24 gifts hanging on the doorhandle are a total surprise! I opted for our usual brown paper version.

Those of you looking for inspiration can have a look at this board on Pinterest with more than 200 ideas to spark your creativity.

TWO WEEKS BEFORE ADVENT

...and that was it. Apparently we couldn't wait any longer. The feathery flakes have been falling silently all afternoon. I wanted to find a recipe for making our own alcoholfree glögg, and my son joined in the kitchen adventures. Now if you're tasting glöggrecipes, you might as well bring out a few saffron buns from the freezer, some nuts and dark chocolate. And if your son is gloomier than the sky, you can bring out his favourite christmas CD to top it off.

Julen er her.

13 DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS

Today we held a small julgransplundring for our 4-year old and his best friend. We sang and danced around the tree and looted it for goodies. Afterwards the kids ended up just running in circles around the tree, as kids always do, and for some reason our heir undressed to dance around the tree in his boxers and white dress shirt. Not our proudest moment as parents, but what a giddy and fun evening. Nothing beats a good "tree looting" filled with laughter.

SHADES OF GRAY

Today we are dyeing our beige bedspread gray. If that project is successful we are moving on to the livingroom with dye in hand. I'm slightly apprehensive. Last time I attempted anything in the area of DIY our carpet disintegrated. Literally.

O SUN WHERE ART THOU

No, we're not depressed by the polar night yet, but it's sure difficult to wake up- and stay awake when this is the constant of a day's 24 hours. Every day the 4-year old wakes up and shouts: Is it morning? Because if we didn't tell him, how else would he know?
IMAGE: THE ARCTIC CATHEDRAL, TROMSÖ,  BY TOM VOOGHT VIA FLICKR

HUMPETY HUMP

Last weekend we went to a nearby "beach" to look at the humpbacks who are feeding in the area. Apparently killer whales had visited earlier in the week as well. The strong wind had us freezing to pieces despite good gear, but in better conditions there are quite a few kayaks in the area attempting close encounters. Looking at the sprays from the whales under the pale moon (no daylight this time of year) I was reminded of how far north we do live.
IMAGE: HAUKUR SIGURDSSON VIA FLICKR

IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A PLANE?

No, it's the town christmas tree being flown in by helicopter. An amazingly boring video. Two and a half minutes of flying fir. But it does show 1. what "our daylight" looks like at the moment 2. what our weather is like. Which also happen to be the two most frequent questions I get these days. Well, you have your answer here. Along with an airborn tree.

PARING DOWN

As much as we love christmas and all its trappings, we also love cutting back, and keeping things simple. The parents in this family felt we could live without a lot of the trimmings - a.k.a. stress- and still enjoy the season to the fullest. Perhaps that should read in order to enjoy the eason to the fullest. So we took an inventory of what matters most to us during the holidays. In short: music, food and plants.

Our christmas essentials list:

Amaryllis
Christmas music in our home. 

Lucia and saphron buns. 

Advent lights. 

Treats and goodies. 

A christmas tree.  

A special meal with local traditional ingredients.  

Reading from the gospel of Luke.

Turns out our son's list is even shorter:
Decorations (he answered "pynt" with a smile)
Gifts.
Christmas tree.
Gingerbread cookies. 

AMONGST SKIBUM WANNABES

I've seen the signs around the house. A husband peeking out at the mountains at all times of the day, random mentions of snow conditions around the country, ski magazines on bedstands, checking lines from skiers as we drive past mountains. Yesterday the soon 4-year old wouldn't wear anything but his woollongs and  "ski-shirt", (a Quiksilver t-shirt) and threw a fit in the sports store when he realized he wasn't getting new ski boots, nor a snowboard. Then he went home to play computer games. I'm beginning to fear I'll  have a teenage skibum in a few years.
IMAGE: SKISTAR HEMSEDAL

SLIPPERY SLOPES

You wouldn't believe the risk involved stepping outside the front door these days. Roads so icy you can literally skate on them. A thin layer of snow on top just to make things even worse. My bum showcases a big nice bruise as a souvenir, courtesy of Tromsö.
IMAGE: TROMSO NOVEMBER 2012, EVGENY SUBOROV

UNDERNEATH A CHESTNUT TREE

If there is one thing I miss in the North during fall, it is chestnut trees. Today, this old knuckly tree is where we're heading after a stroll through the old town in Stockholm and visiting the Nobel museum.
IMAGE: JAF-PHOTO VIA FLICKR

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!

Fiftyseven days until the Polar night falls. We enjoy every single ray of sun mirrored in nature's bright colours.

FAREWELL, MIDNIGHT SUN

It's been a cold, rainy summer, but we're rewarded for our patience with sunny fall afternoons. Shadows are growing longer with every day. The sun is setting an hour earlier, and rises an hour later with every week that passes. Heavy fog, thick as cream, embraces the island every morning. Fall in these mountains has a spellbinding beauty, but the cold mornings remind us that winter is already preparing its journey to our corner of the earth.

See you in October.
IMAGE: PHOTOGRAPHER MARK LEDINGHAM

FOR NON BELIEVERS

I detected some skepticism to the claimed amounts of snow. My husband snapped this picture a few minutes ago on his phone.  I was not kidding, nor lying, nor exaggerating the facts. This is our kind of spring at the moment. 

SUNNY SIDE UP

Amazing day, amazing sunset. What a way to initiate easter week.