I love this, the waiting, the anticipation

I love this time period here, the waiting, the anticipation, the calm. At the moment we´re in the living room, the kids happily working on the books I gave them, Elena a book with number pussles and colouring and Ragnar, believe it or not, a book on multiplication... ;-) (no getting rid of the teacher instinct)
Icelandic Christmas music on, courtesy of Jón Kjartan, the smell of candles and the aroma of hangikjöt (smoked lamb) coming from the kitchen. Both the kids have just had their Christmas baths and even Elena is clam and relaxed :-D

The presents are all under tree, that has already been lit and decorated. We just had cookies Halldór baked for us yesterday as well as some baked by his mum and sent over.

So now all that remains is to wait for the meat to cook, then start on the potatoes and white sauce (traditional Icelandic celebratory fare) Then at 6 sharp dinner will commence, starting with some pate, then the lamb, potatoes in white sauce and believe it or not imported tinned Icelandic peas and red cabbage ;-) courtesy of my aunt Dúdda. After that creamy rice pudding with berry sauce, rasberry jello and chockolate minty cake for afters :-D

And finally, after all has been cleared the kids will hand out all the presents which will then be opened one at a time :-D Following that the best bit of the evening, cookies, sweets, playing, reading, listening to christmas music and generally just enjoying each others company :-D

For those of you wondering about the date, well normally this would all take place on the 24th of December but seeing as the kids will be leaving the Uk to spend Christmas holidays with their father in Iceland on tuesday, we decided to celebrate Christmas a week early ;-) Can´t imagine doing this without the children!!!