Christmas Preparations

December just wouldn't be December, if Sean and the boys didn't spend every night the first week of the month delivering wreaths and poinsettias to people who ordered them. First we helped unload 400 poinsettas, and 600 wreaths into trucks, and then unloaded them into the scoutmaster's garage.

The McMullins took 5 dozen items home, and started spreading the holiday cheer around town. (Sean is a very good sport for tackling this fundraiser with the boys.)

Christmas starts for Sylvia when we bring out the nativity set. She immediately starts arranging the pieces in the oddest places.

Baking plays a big role. Here is Sylvia "Queen of the Sprinkles" hard at work with some sugar cookies. Her motto: "You can never have enough sprinkles!"

Mattias is getting well known for his Polish cookies, Kolocky. The dough has cream cheese to make it soft, and then he puts poppy seed filling in them. He made a giant quadruple batch to bring to the church Christmas party.

At the church Christmas party, I sang Scandinavian Christmas songs with ladies from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Asher played the viola, and Mattias played the piano. Sylvia dazzled the crowd with her Santa Lucia entrance.

The party ended with Santa Clause. Sylvia was not sure if she wanted to go anywhere near this jolly elf, but she did take the chocolate he gave her, and ate it all before she went to bed!

Sean is our own private baking elf. For 3rd Advent, he made a massive pile of Swedish cardamon bullar, with pearl sugar on top. It is a good thing we took this picture, because within minutes of letting the crowd loose to devour the bullar... there was nary a crumb left.

My favorite part of the Christmas season is Advent. For those of you that are not Advent celebrators, it is the four Sunday evenings before Christmas day. We have some tasty snack (like gingerbread men or bullar) with hot chocolate, and light the advent candles.

When everyone's mouth is empty, we sing Christmas carols a capella. It is really beautiful, with just the light of the candles flickering and the touching music. The boys have learned to sing the tenor and alto parts this year... so it sounds amazing. I love Advent with my family!