Movie Monday#1 Carpenter Andersen

Unfortunately I could not find a English version of the story, however I hope you enjoy it. You can buy the book in English at Amazon, but there is a different illustrator. The author is Alf Prøysen and you can find it under the title Christmas Eve at Santa's.

Summary:
One Christmas eve, Carpenter Anderson decides to surprise his family by dressing up like Santa Clause and presenting his family with a sled full of gifts. After dressing as Santa in his woodshed, he slips on ice and falls right onto his sled and sack of presents. The sled carries him down a slope towards the main road. On the main road Carpenter Andersen collides with the real Santa Claus. The two men talk and Santa suggest that he will go and visit Carpenter Anderson's family, and deliver them gifts if in return Carpenter Anderson visits his family. Santa explains that his children see Santa Clause every year, but they have never seen a real carpenter. The two men agree on the plan, and head off to each others homes. Both families are very happy about the surprise visit...

The 2009 Christmas postcards

The cards arrived form print today. I was worried that I had to buy store made cards or not send any at all. But now the card are here, now I just have to writ them all. I have already started. I must say there is alot of just Merry Christmas and not all the personal stuff I usually squish in to the little writing spot on the cards. All of the cards that is going abroad probably will not make it there until new year. Do you want one of these cards? I'll send out five, so that the first five that reply to this blog post AND mail me (ewianblog (at) gmailDOTcom) there snail mail address will get one in the mail, brought to you by the nice mail man. I usually write about 100 Christmas postcards, and then I am not counting cards which I send as email. How many cards do you send?

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21 December:
still one cart left

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Happy St.Lucia day

A little St.Lucia parade.

Happy St.Lucia day! I love the Lucia celebrating, it is not about what am I going to get, but what can I do for others.

It is a Scandinavian tradition, alto non of the Scandinavian country's are catholic any more, but Lutheran, it is a custom and tradition that have survived from way back when we where.

For those of you that did not read last years post about how the Lucia day is celebrated, here in Norway, here is a reminder.

Santa Lucia is celebrated on December 13th. It is usually celebrated with a girl dressed in a white gown with a red sash or glitter belt, wearing an evergreen wreath with candles on her head. She is followed by a number of girl attendants, also dressed in white with one candle in there hand. The boys, "star-boys", also participate in the ceremony. They too are dressed in white gowns and they wear pointed hats and a stick with a star on or a light in there hand.

At home:
The Lucia (the oldest girl in the family) wakes up her family by bringing a tray of coffee/tea and sweet-buns called "lussekatter"- translates to Lucia’s Cats. It is also custom to share lussekatter with the closes neighbours if they don’t have children.

Kindergarten:
The oldest children in the kindergarten 5-6 years old have a candlelight parade. They sing carols and give away lussekatter. The younger children and all the parents are invited to come and look at the parade. The parade then goes of to a retirement home, where they sing and give away some more lussekatter. The people there thank the Queen of Light, Lucia, for bringing hope during the darkest time of the year.

Schools:
The youngest children at the school have a candlelight parade. They sing carols and give away lussekatter to the other students.

In some towns:
Offices and communities sponsor candlelight parades in the evening, in which carols are sung.

Hotels
There is often an early Lucia breakfast this day.

Medium used: pencil, watercolour, watersoluble wax pastel, acrylic paint, permanent marker and ink pencil

Star gazing

This couple is out on a winter day, looking at the stars.

I live in a wonderful place! There is not much light-pollution, so whenever it is not a clouded sky, or the sun shines to brightly, I can see the stars. I love it! Living in a city for many years, make me appreciate it even more. I am actually able to see the stars lying in my bed. Today I was out side looking at the stars, it is so much fun to challenges oneself to see if one recognise the stars and the constellation.

Star gazing detail

If you want to see how the sky is where you live you can go to this page:
http://www.heavens-above.com/skychart.aspx?SL=1&SN=1&lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=CET

This couple is out on a winter day, looking at the stars.

Medium used: ink, ink pencil, watersoluble wax pastel and gesso.

No Christmas postcards

My workspace

I have this large green book that help me organize Christmas. I write who gets postcards, flowers and presents and what the present is. I also write down the menu for the holly days and other things that I need to remember from year to year. I started this year list over presents, postcards and flowers, when I realised I have no postcards. I have not made anyone this fall or ordered prints...

This means I need to buy store made cards or not send... Or maybe I'll just have to make some and people will get them as January cards...

I started making one card that I can send of to print, just have to find a place that can print them...