Christmas Holiday

Hello everybody! I hope you had a nice christmas/hanukkah/or just random holiday with everything that belongs to it (and of course a good start in the new year.) Myself? Well I would say it has been great to try something new this year by celebrating christmas the 25th instead of the 24th. The magic all started the 24th actually, when I went to the evening church service with my host parents. I was not really in the 'christmas mood/spirit', but after singing Silent Night with a candle in my hand I suddenly felt all warm and comfortable in my little body. I was prepared for waking up the 25th opening presents from Santa! But - I have never tried to celebrate Christmas Eve eating snacks and partying without a pork roast, dancing around the christmas tree, or opening presents. So it wasn't a christmas as I am used too. 

To me christmas is a time to think about others. Canadians are extremely good at charity and fundraising. This picture is from a day I visited a house playing music and having a light show for a good course. 

Christmas Day I woke up (actually quite late) and ran down the stairs to find my christmas sock full. Actually it was so full that there was a box of presents beside the sock... Apparently Santa thought I had been nice in 2010. I don't really know about THAT, but I just know I was very grateful. The best present in my sock was the many oil pastel colours I got, and I have been experimenting a lot with them. This was my second try:

I know it is not good yet, but at least it was a try. Haha. Anyways, YES, it is a picture of a Canadian landscape. (Though not from Ontario.)

During the day I had fun with the new stuff and family and friends came over to say merry christmas. Some stayed over to eat the christmas dinner. We got turkey and all sorts of good stuff together with the danish dessert, Ris Ala Mande, which is a rice pudding with almonds. After this I could finally open my presents under the tree, I got lots of stuff! (I do not really have the time to list it all.) 


The rest of the holiday (though it is not over yet) I've spent with friends and family. I made a gingerbread house, went to the cinema twice, been ice skating, sledding, had another exchange student over, read german books, etc. 

A gingerbread house close-up

The Gingerbread-team

New Years Eve was spent at my friends house. Of course I forgot my camera for this event, so you wont see any pictures. The only thing I can tell is that it was a nice evening with lots of laughs, and for counting down to the new year we were watching the countdown at Times Square in New York. I think this is all for now. Hope you guys are all set for a new year with lots of adventure, love, peace, harmony, and without thinking it is the last year to live in because of 2012. 

Happy New Year!