Nearly all the presents are wrapped in shiny red, green and white paper. There are still some stocking stuffers to do, but that won’t take long tonight. Presents are under the tree for opening today, or carefully hidden away for “American” Christmas morning tomorrow. Tins of cookies fill up one entire corner of the kitchen, and a bowl full of clementines provides a bright spot on this rainy day. Rain on Christmas! It’s a true Skåne holiday.
Farmor and farfar are on their way, they’ll be arriving just in time for Kalle Anka, the traditional Swedish Disney hour…and after that Santa will arrive to pass out presents…or will he? The kids have kept up the questions, suspiciously badgering us each successive day: “It’s you, isn’t it? YOU’RE Santa, aren’t you? You get up and put the presents out while we’re sleeping?” Anders shrugs and says that he’s sleeping in the middle of the night, too…maybe mama is getting up and playing Santa. “Ha!” I say, “You know how much I like to sleep! It’s not me!” Little mouths purse, eyes squint at us…they’re still not quite sure.
But we’re sure we can’t get away with playing Santa this year in the afternoon, even in the glooming light, it will never fly. In years past Farfar has done the honors, or a friend of ours, but this year we’ve waited too long to ask and we’ve had to come up with an alternate plan. Since we don’t yet have a chimney (next year, perhaps!) a note has been stuffed up the stove vent. What? It’s the closest thing to a chimney we’ve got! 😀 Green sparkly ribbons will be hanging down for little hands to pull the note to light:
Dear Martin & Karin,
Greetings and wishes for a very merry Christmas. I have so many children to visit in Sweden that I was forced to leave your presents in the playhouse. I hope you understand!
Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas from Santa Claus
2 big bags tied with more sparkly green ribbon await them in the playhouse. Think they’ll fall for it? 😀
Biggest, Brightest, Bestest (and Belated) Birthday Wishes to Kathey!