What I did this year to decrease worldsuck:

( January )

( February )

( March )

( April )

( May )

( June )

( July )

( August )

( September )

( October )

( November )

I think I'm finally getting in a Christmas mood. We are having a VERY simply Christmas this year, just giving gifts to each other in our immediate family, very practical things. It's been a little difficult coming up with gift ideas at all, because over the past two years, we've really squelched just about all our acquisitive instincts. "The fact is, I don't want anything," Delia said, and it's true for all of us. We live simply, and we pretty much have everything we need (well, aside from a new good used car for me, I mean). I think it's partly the way we've raised the girls (including the eye-opening experiences they've had when going on mission trips) and partly living through a year and a half of unemployment. They just don't have the gimme-gimme-gimme impulse of many teenagers. Very simple gifts make them perfectly happy.

I've been listening to Christmas music this weekend. I like the less common carols, like "In Praise of Christmas," a nice 18th century English. Stuff I haven't listened to a million times before. I've been enjoying Cherish the Ladies' album "On Christmas Night."

Happy St. Lucia's Day
Wishing you all love, light and delicious lussekatter

St. Lucia's Day 2009 Fiona with the candle crown and plate of lussekatter for St. Lucia's Day, 2009. (She couldn't find her red sash in the dark)

(Amusingly, I must also note Delia's reaction when Fiona woke her up: "Go away." Apparently, it was a little too early on a dark, December morning for Miss Delia.)

Edited to add: ( Here are a couple of videos to illustrate the way it's celebrated in Sweden )

Coolest. Math. Teacher. Evah.