Christmas!

So now, at last, Christmas is here. Among other far more important things, the holiday season means more time to read and the possibility of receiving new reading materials (i.e. books =D). I have laid plans for my reading in the time coming, and i have already started one book: Emma by Jane Austen. I am a bit ashamed that I haven't read it before, and I am looking forward to being able to cross it off my list of books to read. I am also planning on buying some of the books on my wishes list that didn't appear under the tree. I am especially looking forward to reading the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, because I have heard so many good reviews and reactions to it.

The Christmas celebrations in our family are a bit special, as they are a mixture of English and Norwegian traditions. Our main celebration takes place on Christmas Eve, as it is celebrated in Norway. This Christmas Eve, we were nine people and a dog all gathered in our house, all of them (except the dog) relatively close family. We eat turkey with all the trimmings, made from an English recipe. We have stuffing, gravy and bread sauce, and for dessert we eat the traditional English Christmas pudding in addition to a Norwegian dessert called 'rice cream'. Then we read the Christmas story from a really old Bible, and sing carols while walking around the Christmas tree. After that, we open Christmas presents, one at a time. After that, we eat Christmas cakes. Christmas Day, we sleep in, then we, the 'children' open our Christmas stockings. Then we eat a wonderfully long and luxurious breakfast, or rather, brunch. After that, we open the gifts we have received from our friends and our family in England. So, in a way, I get a double celebration, and I don't have to eat the traditional Norwegian Christmas food, which is quite fatty and salty. I think it is a win-win situation with the best of the two worlds.

I am looking forward to different parties and meeting my friends between now and New Year's Eve, and of course to sleeping in and reading a lot. I wish all my readers a merry Christmas and hope that your experience of this holiday is as enjoyable as mine.