Waiting

Poeple are so busy at this time. I wonder where they are and what they are doing? I hardly see anyone online anymore.
Well, I do have my some suspicions. They are shopping. Gifts and meat. At least if they are Norwegians.
Meat for Christmas dinner is not regular meat. It has to be perfect. So it requires some inspection. According to my husband. I don't care much about meat at all, I wouldn’t mind eat only vegetables, and perhaps just add a meatball or two, for the sight.
But there is nothing like the smell from the ’christmas meat’. I must agree.
I started my preparations for Christmas quite early this year. You see, last year I was ill November and December had not a chance to go out shopping gifts to any of my friends or family. I wrote a list to my friend, and she was happy to go shoppig for me. I was very pleased with her choices, but this year I decided to start early, in case my chemo treatment would make me ill.
So all the christmas shopping is done, and may be that’s why I feel people are so busy. There are not many people around, not even online. Where are they? Baking, shopping, preparing for the season holiday?
The main Christmas day in Norway, is Christmas Eve. I would assume 25 % of Lyngdal’s inhabitantas go to church on Christmas Eve. The family services starts in the afternoons and last forabout 45 minutes. We sing Christmas songs and read from Luke 2, The Birth of Jesus. ”In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a cencus should be taken of the entire Roman world.” You all know the story. (if not ask)
When we get home from church, we eat the mail meal for Christmas, which is dryed and salted lamb, cooked in the oven on birch brances. This meat is served with potatoes and swede. The swede is mashed into a stew. This is more or less our main meal. For dessert cooked rice in whipped cream.
For all impatient kids, and grown ups, the ’distributing’ of the gifts come now. They are wrapped and are under the decorated christmas tree. Every year we say ”I don’t need anything for Christmas, I am so lucky I have everything’ which is true. But we have learned to accept whatever we get.
I have given up being the traitor and ruiner of the most important celebration. And you know, it is great joy to buy og make gifts for the people who are close to you and who you love.
This year I am expecting my two girls and my son- in- law coming home for Christmas. It’s good to have something to look foreward to. They will come to a decorated house, a clean house, but this year they’ll have to help with some baking. They won’t mind.

And there were spepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over ther flocks at night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them.
”Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.
Today in the town od David a savior has been born. He is Christ the Lord.

Coming Home for Christmas.