Hygge, Anyone?

Christmas is only a few days away at this point, and for the first time in a few years I actually feel completely prepared for it. Well, as of tonight, anyway. I am really feeling good about the gifts we are giving people this year. I think we've really succeeded in choosing thoughtful, perfect-for-that-person gifts that really haven't cost us much at all! Some people are, as always, getting gifts that are lovingly given, but not anything super special. But I feel like with a lot of the gifts, we've really done well. Not to toot my own horn or anything... it's just that for the past three years we've spent Christmas Eve doing ALL of our Christmas shopping (literally) and rushing to get everybody anything that will fit within our budget, no matter how stupid or crummy, or "Oh, thanks, another coffee-table book!" it is. So this is a refreshing feeling! Not only that, but I have even begun my wrapping. Hoorah! I LOVE wrapping presents. This year's cutest wrap-job goes to Joannie's gift, which is also one of our most thoughtful gifts, which is also funny because it might be the first time I've ever given Joannie a Christmas present, even though she is my oldest friend!

Okay, so anyway.... I spent all of Friday in the kitchen making tiny gingerbread angels and chocolate chip cookies, which I piled onto a plate on the kitchen counter and bundled into little paper bags with tissue paper in them. I was trying to make a nice assortment of the two kinds of cookies, and I got six bags done yesterday. Then this morning I came downstairs to find all the chocolate chip cookies GONE. Martin had eaten them ALL! So now people are only going to get gingerbread and no chocolate chip cookies. Sorry, everyone! And also, they might be kind of stale because I don't know when they'll actually get delivered. Maybe you can drill holes in them and use them as tree ornament. Oh well... the theme is Christmas cheer, not Christmas punctuality.

Today on the radio Martin heard a story about Danish people and their word "hygge," which roughly tranlates to mean "coziness." They talked about how Denmark has terrible, dark, depressing winters and how everyone there could very well be all full of gloom, but instead, they are saved by "hygge," which is to say, they spend their dark evenings sitting by candlelight with their loved ones, drinking hot chocolate and enjoying the dark coziness of winter instead of wishing it were sunny and warm. In the spirit of "hygge" Martin made some of his famous spicy hot chocolate and we lit all the candles in the front room and sat around eating--OOPS! Guess nobody's getting any cookies at all now!--gingerbread people. The cozy and calm was only slightly disturbed by Grabby Greta, who made it necessary to move all of the candles up to high places, and to hold our hot chocolates high in the air and to have to drink them standing up so she couldn't get at them. But still... we tried.

Also, I have to say that my sister throws the best parties! She also makes the best food, especially her tomato bisque. YUM!

Anja has been having a splendid time lately, spending lots of time with her Ooma and with her cousins.

Today my friends Perkins and Alison both came over!!!!!!!!!!!! Perkins has a broken foot and Alison is pregnant!!!!!!! It's very sad that Martin and I have zero friends living in Lafayette, but it does make seeing them that much more exciting.

Time to go back up to the front of the house to keep my manfriend company. He is cleaning his guns after an unsuccessful day of hunting. Too bad! The season ends tomorrow, and I want him to go out to try for one more doe, but he is being stubborn.

I wanted to start this post "last night when Martin was filling his powder horn" but then I couldn't remember what it was we were talking about while he was filling his powder horn. Still, it seemed like a funny thing to say.

Anyway... both girls are asleep now, so we can catch up on our "hygge"!!