.... these are a few of my favourite things!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snowLet it snow, let it snow, let it snowLet it snow, let it snow, let it snowLet it snow, let it snow, let it snowLet it snow, let it snow, let it snowLet it snow, let it snow, let it snow

At last, on Christmas afternoon, the snow fell down in big, soft, fat flakes and made the world look clean and bright. I was sitting on the couch engrossed in a good book - Tim Winton's Dirt Music - and glanced up towards the living room window and the world was white! It took a few seconds to sink in, then I saw that it was the first snow fall for Christmas! I will never get used to it and everytime I see it I turn into a little kid, soooo excited!

I rushed over to the balcony door where I saw snow clinging to the branches of our hedge like marshmallow magic. That was my cue to don my winter gear (including my snow spikes for my shoes) and head outside to marvel at the scene. The harbour area was peaceful, with the fishing boats bobbing by the pier which was covered with a white blanket.



From Freja's Holme, we could see our boat Fiona really clearly across the black water, with the tiny islet of smörpundet turned into a big marshmallow. I know that people in Australia will scratch their heads and wonder why we are out taking pictures in the middle of the night - but it isn't. It's just after 4pm. Simon and Garfunkel were not joking when they sang about a deep and dark December.



On the way home, the wind picked up and started to chill me down a bit as in my excitement to be out, I had forgotten to wear my woolly scarf. We went up to the church and looked down towards the harbour area. You can see our friend Björn's boat Gipsy Lady lit up with Christmas lights and looking very festive.



By this time I was getting cold around the throat, so we quickly scooted through centrum and headed for home. Wow, I think I see three cars in the next picture - it must be peak hour in Nynäshamn...



Honestly, you just have to love the peace and tranquility of a small town.

It was a great relief to fall in the front door into a warm and inviting apartment. Whenever the snow hits, I simply love that beautiful white blanket that covers everything, and makes me feel warm and cosy inside my house. The big glass of red wine and a plate of cheese and biscuits also helped.

And as promised yesterday, the picture of my pretty candle holders (well, one of them anyway). They look even better in real life, with their sparkly foil stars and dangling pieces of lingon. Yeah, I know, I thought it was holly as well, much to the amusement of my Swede who looked at me and said "What's holly?" I had to look the word up (it's järnek in case you wondered), but he insists the sprigs are meant to be lingon. I have to admit that the leaves are not spiky like holly, so I have to reluctantly concede that point.



Christmas in Sweden has not been full of peace and goodwill this year. Glancing at the local papers today, I see that it has been marked by a startling degree of violence, including a riot involving a hundred or so young men in Stockholm on julafton which has left a twenty four year old man fighting for his life in hospital. Another fight in the south of the country involved hundreds of young men. There was also the sad litany of domestic violence stories, including a woman who attacked her husband and son with an axe. It's all quite depressing.

Today also marks the one year anniversary of the tsunami that hit areas of Asia and ceremonies have been held across Sweden to remember the 220,000 people who lost their lives.



And candles were lit in the snow at Skansen to commemorate the 543 Swedes who perished that day.