I woke up today in a real Christmas mood. This is in stark contrast to the oh-my-God-and-I-am-not-prepared-for-Christmas-yet mood that usually corresponds to this date.

Maybe it's because it started to snow yesterday in the late evening and kept snowing until late in the night, so somehow the world looks more Christmassy? (Not that there is THAT much snow - but apparently we can expect more to come tomorrow). Or maybe because we lit the last advent candle this morning? Or maybe because there was a concert of Swedish Christmas carols yesterday in our church? Or maybe because we have settled into the warm glögg tradition every evening this week?



Anyway, I've been in the mood to listen to Christmas carols since this morning. I've always had an ambivalent attitude towards carols. I used to love them at the start of advent, but by Christmas day when I'd been subjected to them piped from every shop in town, I could have screamed. In Sweden, though, I've discovered new carols to enjoy and anyway, they don't do the piped muzak thing here so much, so I can control what I listen to - and this morning it has been the wonderful voice of the Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø.

I love the music but it can make me weepy. There are two songs that just make me cry everytime I hear them. The very first being Ave Maria sung by Andrea Bocelli (I'm going to be a mess if he sings that tonight). That song arouses such emotion in me, as it brings back childhood memories of being at Midnight Mass with my gran on Christmas Eve. I think it must be the whole Catholic upbringing thing as well as the deep love I had for my gran, now sadly deceased. And the other song is the rather sappy and sentimental I'll be home for Christmas. I heard it piped through the mall at Farsta Strand a couple of years ago and burst into tears on the spot. Not a pretty sight. God, how I miss my family right now. If I could have any present in the world this Christmas it would be to be home in Adelaide for the holidays.

But that's not to be and I do love a snowy white Christmas. And I can still see my family in my dreams. It’s amazing at how much one’s “perspective” on a holiday can change, based on where you are.

In a couple of hours we're off to the concert at Globen and Monday will be a day of shopping and hot chocolate therapy with friends in Stockholm.

And with more lovely snow forecast for this week - perfect!

I'll leave you today with a little fun Christmas quiz:

You Are Prancer

You are the perfect reindeer, with perfect hooves and perfect flying form. Why You're Naughty: Because you're Santa's pet, and you won't let anyone show you up. Why You're Nice: You have the softest fur and the sweetest carrot breath.