Setting up the Christmas Tree

Many germans don't decorate their tree until Christmas. We are such a family. The task of decorating it is solely mine and no one is allowed to see it before gift giving sarts. It gives an extra touch of mystery to the feast.
This year Inkeri and Sirpa helped me with decorating.

First thing is always the star on top.

"Hand it up to me!"

"Alright. Now to put it on the tree top."

"The top is too thick and too long for the star. It doesn't fit. We have to cut it."

"That's done. Looks pretty, right?"

Next thing is the lighting. We use a mix of candles and battery lights (with a remote control, hah!).

The girls climbed fearlessly in the branches, making sure that all candles were straight. We will not risk setting the tree on fire!

Those wooden angels are my favorite decoration. They are so pretty! Most of them were handed down by my mother. When she bought them they were much cheaper than nowadays. They are made in the Erzgebirge, where the miners made woodworks for a better income. I buy one new every year. A tree decorated only with those angels would be fantastic.

But I love old-fashioned glass hangings, too.

"What a lovely bird! We need more of them!" Yes, that's what I promise myself every year.

And here the famous Christmas Crocodile.

Decorating a Christmas Tree with Christmas Trees is totally logical.

We need some bling of course.

"Okay, pull it up! Hei-ho!"

And there were tiny balls and big balls in red and tiny balls and big balls is clear glass and tiny balls in silver and stars...

"That's it. Isn't it pretty?"

"Silent night, Holy Night..."

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Making Christmas decorations

Today the girls wanted to make some Christmas decorations. Yesterday I had brought home a folded star. They wanted something similar. Maybe a bit easier. So I got out my origami papers and scissors. Toivo thanked no to the invitation to follow us. His opinion is, that Christmas decorations are overrated. Weren't the three stars they already have enough? But the girls said they needed much more decorations or it wouldn't feel like Christmas.

I had to do some cutting first because the stars cannot be made from squares.
Inkeri was the first to fold.

"Ready! That was fun!"
Then it was Sirpa's turn.

"Done! So easy!"
Next they wanted me to make a star bowl they had seen in my origami book. And with transparent paper.

"That is beautiful. With snowflakes on it! What will we put in it?"

"It's perfect for the dinos!"

"Come on, Steggy, be a good boy. You'll get a new home."

"Now, isn't that nice?"

Steggy is not convinced yet.

"And now one for Trixy."

"Trixy, stay here!" Did you know, that triceratopses can run very fast? They need to.

Christmas Fruit Cake - or minor catastrophies and little helpers

Since some years I long for baking a Christmas Fruit Cake. My mother made that when I was a child and wanted one again. So this year I planned everything, bought all the ingredients and yesterday I set myself to work.
First thing should be to get all the fruits (apricots, dates, figs, raisins, candied lemon and orange peel) and walnuts in small pieces. We have a new mixer, that can also crush ice. So in it the mixture went and I started the thing. After only some moments it started to smoke. Uggh! I stopped immediately, pulled out the jack, and got everything out again. If not by machine, then I would have to cut it by hand. Major SIGH. I've got an old double-bladed rocking knife, so out it went. Alas, when pushing back the basket where it had been it, I knocked a water bottle over. It made BANG and CRASH and FIZZ as the bottle exploded. Hung head and cursed. So I had to dry up the floor firts, collecting the big chips, carefully not cutting my hand. After that it only took me one hour to cutt everything into small bits. I had no more nerves to mix the dough so I left that for today's morning.
Thanks to our new kitchen machine (no, not the mixer, who functioned as normal, when hubby checked it) it was a question of ten minutes or so and the dough was ready. I let the fruits get mixed under and filled it into a Bundt cake pan. Of into the oven it went.
It took half an hour and the whole appartement smelled so yummy. Yummy enough at least that Inkeri and Sirpa came rushing into the kitchen so see what was going on.

"A cake! You're baking a cake!" They squeaked with glee. "We want to bake cakeses, too! Please, please, please!" So onto the coutertop they climbed. How exciting! Sitting there and choosing the forms and buttering them and finally filling the dough into them.

And all the time it was smelling so delicious from the oven. "When will we eat the cakeses?" Well, some we will eat this weekend, but the main part shall remain till Christmas. "Ohhh, that is still so long. How many days are it till Christmas?" Only 14 more days, darlings. That is soon enough. "14 days? That is still a lot of time to wait."

In the meantime they are allowed to scratch the last dough from the bowl. Hmmmmh, tastes so christmas-y!

Happy First Sunday of Advent!

Christmastime is here. Today is the first sunday of Advent and german traditions demand a wreath. It has to be decorated with four candles. "Advent, Advent, ein Lichtlein brennt, erst eins, dann zwei, dann drei, dann vier, dann steht das Christkind vor der Tür." (Translation: "Advent, advent, a small candle burns, first one, then two, then tree, then four, then Christ Child stand for the door." Hey, it still rhymes in english.) We have an Advent wreath, of course. This is a household with children. One flesh and bone and three resin ones. Not to count the vinyl ones...

This year we've got one with holly leves and berries. The candles are bees wax as usual. That smells so good.

We wish all of you, wherever you live, what ever you believe in, of what color your skin is, if you're handicapped or not, if your healthy and wealthy and wise or if you're sick and poor and simple, we wish all of you peace of mind and body. May this time of the year be a mercy, may you be blessed and may peace and love follow you wherever you are.

Eternity sunday and winter takes over

It is Eternity Sunday here. In the churches they remember all the people who died in this year. Next week the advent starts, but befor the merriment it is a short pause.
Inkeri and Sirpa were deeply shaken by the horrible news that reached us all. In remembrance of all who died in terror attacks and wars, they wanted to set a small sign.

They say, this is their main christmas wish this year. I hope, not only Santa will help to fulfill it.

It started to snow today, the girls are very excited. My daughter is already in the yard to play in the snow.

"It's now my time to take over. You did a terrific job this autumn."

"Must have been hard to convince everybody to prepare for winter, with all taht warm weather."

"Oh yes, especially that one hedgehog was so stubborn. But he was not the only one."

"I'm so tired now... GASP"

Beekje went to sleep,...

...while Tetje was making plans for snow merriments.

Yummy yummy yummy

Last week I had an important interview. I was nervous, being under a certain pressure, so Inkeri decided she better came with me for support. Sweet girl.
We both agreed that my nerves should be fed some coffee and cake before the interview. So we went to Café Fiedler, that was close at hand, so to speak.

"A Dark Moccacino and a Lemon Tart, please!"

"Shouldn't take too long."

"That looks yummy."

"You want some, too?"
The Lemon Tarte was yummy indeed. And the Dark Moccacino, too.
Facit: The interview went well, so coffee and cake were the right thing to have before.