New Years Parade

A New Years parade takes place on New Year’s eve in our neighborhood every year. In the afternoon the children dress up and go from house to house singing songs for sweets, when the sun sets all the neighbor gather for the parade and at midnight we all gather to send up fireworks.

This year my kids and their friends dressed up as small santas, a sheep and an angel, and sang a beautiful song they had made themselves. All the kids in Nordåsgrenda take great pride in making the best song and the best show as prizes are given out rewarding the kids. Since a couple of us parents were in the jury this year we couldn’t let our own kids win, but they surely did put on a great show.

The neighborhood we live in is quite unique. Nordåsgrenda was built founded on idealism, and a community house is located in the centre with terrace houses around it. The houses are by no means fancy, but its a perfect and safe place for the children to grow up. The community house hosts a 5-days-a-week kindergarden, a junior club one afternoon a week, a choir, as well as spaces for the teenagers to meet and play games, or to rent for parties and other celebrations.

We love our life in Nordåsgrenda, and we look forward to a great 2010! Happy New Years!

August, Oda and Alvin dressed up as a sheep, 

an angel and a santa teddybear. Aren’t they cute?

Merry Christmas

I love Christmas! It’s such a wonderful time of year when you get to spend time with your family, eat amazing food and offer and receive gifts that you hopefully have put a lot of thought into buying.

Nothing feels better than wakening up in the morning of the 24th (in Norway that’s the day we celebrate Christmas) from joyful and excited children jumping all over you. I remember when I was a child and felt the excitement for Christmas building up in my whole body from early November until it climaxed on the 24th of December, but sadly that’s not the case anymore. I wonder if there are grown-ups that get that amazing Christmas feeling? I wish I would get more of that, and the thing that gives me a taste of that joyful feeling that just bubbles from within now is watching my kids.

Christmas in our house starts in the early morning with the ‘gifts on a thread’. This is a family tradition started by my mom when I was three years old, she had bought too many gifts and ended up tying them to a piece of yarn - one by one. The thread started at my bed, and ended under the Christmas tree. I loved this tradition when I was a child, and passed it on to my kids. Instead of having three threads (one for each child) I have chosen to have one instead, but with presents wrapped in paper with three different colors. The challenge is to buy gifts that will keep the kids occupied until 6 pm when all the presents waiting under the tree are to be opened. 

This year we celebrated Christmas in our house having my dad and my sister visiting. We had a great and peaceful time spending time together. The kids were - as usual- showered in gifts, and they in turn showered us in home made gifts. I love opening all their presents with  all the items they have made themselves in kindergarden or at school. 

I hope all of you will have a great Christmas too and enjoy the time you get to spend with your family and friends.

A merry Christmas to all of you from me :-)

The Christmas tree is decorated, 

and all the presents are waiting to be opened

“Gifts-on-a-thread” is a family tradition. 

When the kids wake up in the morn ing of the 24th, 

lots of gifts are waiting for them starting from our 

bed and ending up under the tree.

Before Christmas we always spend some afternoons making 

Christmas presents for the grandparents and great grandparents. 

This year the kids decorated IKEA mirrors and wooden boxes. 

Our au-pair Richelle did a great job helping the kids out decorating

Bergen houses the world’s largest Ginger Bread City. 

Kids and business all over Bergen make and decorate houses

 and a team puts together a beautiful exhibition. This year

 though a drunk teenager knocked down the whole exhibition 

just a couple of days before the opening, and the 

whole of Bergen volunteered to rebuild the Gingerbread City.  

The teenager was identified and had to apologize publicly to 

the population of Bergen, and the 

story made the international news. Just Google it!

My sister Sunniva and August are enjoying Christmas dinner. 

August loves the red Christmas cups that are

 only to be used during the holiday season.

My dad bought an ice hockey game for the kids. 

I remember having the same when I was a child, 

and we had great fun playing tournaments

Look at him! He is so excited about me opening his 

home made gift wrapped in hand made paper. 

My kids’ presents are without doubt my favorite ones!