Christmas Fun

Merry Christmas to you all. May you enjoy a wonderful and peaceful Christmas with family and friends!

 

 

 

This awesome coffee machine was a Christmas gift from our 8 year old to his dad. He made it all by himself. It brews fantastic espresso!

Remember the advent calendar from last post? Here are some additions:

 

 

The sleigh ready for take off with all the friends from the Christmas workshop (Shane Bronx Advent Calendar from 2011, this one made by us in 2013)

 

 

The playpen with the cute little cat in nappy.

 

 

Mr Candy Chest of Draws and Mr Stove.

 

 

 

And true to Danish tradition we had the creamy rice and almond dessert Christmas Eve, Ris a al mande; with one large almond for one winner to find. And the very happy winner was our youngest son, who definitely did not want to eat the pig, but keep him forever! A marzipan pig made from this recipe from Mette Blomsterberg.

 

Happy holidays!

xo Sarah

 

Creative Christmas



Our own invention - anxious looking snowman!

We have been busy creating a homemade Christmas. The boys Grandmother send us a "Red Barnet" (Save the Children) Christmas Advent Calendar from 2011. Each year for Christmas Danish TV shows one episode every day of December, chapter 1 to 24 of the advent calendar of the year. The profit from the sales of the calendar goes to an organisation that helps children in need around the world. Even when I grew up this was the case, so it has been happening every year for quite some time now. The shows have been very varied, lots of puppet shows, historical themes, Christmas pixies in Greenland etc. to more or less experimental TV. Nowadays there are two TV channels that shows advent calendars for kids and there is even an advent calendar for adults too!
This used to be the highlight for us kids all through December, one episode per day... and if you missed it bad luck!! Now we have DVD's, how convenient is that?! This year our kids have been watching two different ones, plus we have been doing the Christmas workshop from 2011 with Shane Bronx. We had the box that comes with this calendar send to us as mentioned above and every day we have been opening a brown envelope with instructions and materials to make a special little Christmas creature or item for the workshop of the story (even the box the calendar was sent in was used for the workshop). We watched the episodes on the internet and away into the garage the kids went.




Our garage is turned into a Christmas workshop. All the envelopes for the advent calendar are hung on the line with old wooden pegs.

 

 They have been following the instructions, cutting, gluing, arguing and been both happy and unhappy with the process. But most of all it has been great fun. In the past we have often made up stuff from recycling, so it is not all new to them. They have needed some assistance, and it has been a bit time-consuming, but in all it has been a great success. They now love playing with these new toys that they made and they have continued to invent some of their own and added them to the story. We are not finished yet, are behind schedule, so tomorrow is going to be a busy day as it is last chance to get all done before Christmas. Not sure if we will have time for Christmas dinner!

 

 

To the left is the beginning of Mixit's workshop and the picture to the right is where we are at today - it is getting crowed!

 

Thank you "mormor" for sending the box and thank you Shane Bronx for giving us great stories! You are a favourite at our house!

xo Sarah

Christmas Pixies and Calendar Candle

 Little Christmas pixie sweeping and his wife in a pillar box hat. My youngest boy made these two cuties last year when he was 6 years old.

 

When Decembers hits we clear out a shelf and set up our Christmas pixie village. It is not really linked to the Christmas Story as such, but it is fun and very creative. My boys and I have made most of the things out of recycled materials such as milk cartons, bottles, buttons etc. and of course artificial snow. When we unpacked it all from last year, some of the pieces had fallen apart or were squashed. That is not a bad thing; it only means we need to create some new Christmas items for our village. Here is what we have and let’s see what the boys come up with in the coming weeks?



We put artificial candles into the houses so they light up at night.



 

Skiing snow man is the latest addition.

 

 

 

 

Another Danish tradition that we love is the Calendar Candle (kalenderlys). It is a countdown to Christmas Eve and we light it every night, as we watch an episode of the Danish Christmas Calendar for Children, all sent to us from the children’s Grandmother – Thank you Herdis!

xo Sarah