A Merry Christmas drawing I received on my last day at work before Christmas break.
Today is Christmas Eve! That means that we’ll be celebrating today here in Sweden! In Sweden it is tradition to watch Kalle Anka (or Donald Duck) on Christmas Eve before opening the presents. Kalle Anka is a Christmas special that I don’t believe has changed in the past 50 years. And yes, you heard me right, in Sweden we wait until the night-time to open gifts.
This really bummed me out until I realized that we still open gifts a whole day before we would were we in the U.S. So to all the Swedes out there: God Jul! And to all the Americans that have yet to open your gifts: SUCKAS!
Today is Lucia in Sweden. Possibly other countries as well but I’m not as updated on their traditions. Lucia is a holiday which isn’t celebrated in the US, and as such was completely new to me when I moved here.
As I’ve written about the history of the Lucia celebration previously I won’t bring it up in detail again, but feel free to check out the post here!
This year Lucia lands on a Sunday and by some miracle we don’t have a hockey game. So Evelina and I will be baking lussekatter, eating gingerbread cookies and drinking glögg (Swedish spiced wine, which comes in both alcoholic and non alcoholic varieties).
This summer two amazing people tied the knot. Maxwell & Amelia celebrated their love surrounded by friends and family on a beautiful island off the coast of Maine. The rehearsal dinner was entertaining and celebratory, the wedding ceremony was beautiful and lead seamlessly into an amazing night to remember.
The entire weekend was made all the better as many of my high school friends were in attendance and we had our own mini reunion. The weekend surrounded by great friends was made all the better with fun activities.
Lobster dinner
On a boat!
Brunch
Relaxing after jumping off the HUGE rock!
Ice cream!
The weekend on Frye island is not one I’ll soon forget! Congratulations again Max & Amelia, what an amazing weekend!
My cousin Maegan got married in July. Evelina and I were among those in attendance and we had the best time! The wedding was out in the country by a big old barn (renovated for just such an occasion). We could not have asked for better weather or a better hype guy.
You know the guy at a party or club that gets everyone into it? Yeah that guy was amazing at his job. He kept the night rolling and all guests entertained. We danced away, the bride and groom cut the cake, and there was a great entrance sequence. Not necessarily all in that order, but you get the idea, it was a night to remember. Don’t worry, there’s even picture proof.
You may want to sit down for this one. Sit down on the toilet that is. This much at least I have gathered from Sarah’s humerus opus, you can totally be on the toilet for the duration of her book. Though if that were to be the case you might want to get that checked out.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, listening to audiobooks of funny people is a great way to spend time. Provided their voice doesn’t drive you up the wall, as luckily is the case here.
Sarah Silverman is hilarious. I didn’t actually know this before listening to this audiobook. Complete disclosure: this isn’t the first time I listened to the audiobook. It was equally hilarious now as it was the first time around.
The same two things struck me the second time listening. First Sarah’s repeated recommendation to make things a treat. I’ll let her explain the finer details to you, but it was quite interesting to hear Sarah get almost serious with us listeners. I will certainly be making some things in my life more of a treat. Good advice, good advice.
Second, I know a lot of Jews. To clarify I know a lot of Jews for a non Jew. I’m sure many Jewish people know more Jewish people than I do. But I digress.
Sarah Silverman is Jewish, as she mentions a time or two in her book. Near the end she states that (as of 2010) 2.2% of the American population is Jewish. I had no idea. Maybe it’s just my small Massachusetts hometown skewing my world view again, but I totally expected that number to be higher. When I was a teenager I went to 20 bar/bat mitzvahs. And I didn’t even go to all of the ones I’d been invited to, sometimes there were scheduling conflicts. Didn’t think anything of it until I met people in college who had been to ZERO bat/bar mitzvahs. I had friends from high school who went to far more celebrations of adulthood than I! Who knew.
If you’re looking for a laugh (and shocking statistics about Judaism in America) give Silverman a listen.
For your birthday this year I have written you a poem my love.
Based off of one of my favorite movies, the time-honored classic: 10 Things I Hate About You.
It’s not what you think.
10 Things I Love About You
I love the way you talk to me
And the way you cut your hair
I love the way you’re there for me
I love it when you stare
I love your gentle natured ways
And the way you read my mind
I love you so much that it makes me swoon
It even makes me rhyme
I love the way you’re always there
I love it when we lie
I love it when you make me laugh
I never want to say good-bye
I love it when you’re around me
I miss you so when you are gone
And mostly I love the way you love me so
Extremely, completely, fully, to the moon and back, yes, that long
At the end of June/early July 2013 Evelina and I were in Canada for a very exciting event. Not Canada Day. Well, actually we were in Canada for Canada Day, but we weren’t there to celebrate that. I’m rambling. Our friends Trudy & Brian tied the knot! This is clearly old news by now, but on June 30th we had the joyful opportunity to celebrate Trudy & Brians nuptials. It was beautiful.
The ceremony was conducted in a church unlike any I had been in before. The pews faced each other, which lead to a wonderful viewing experience. The blushing bride and the handsome groom make quite a couple. My favorite part was towards the end when the duo came to stand among us, in the middle of all the pews to declare their love for each other among family and friends.
The weather was on our side as the newly weds cut the cake and christened the dance floor with their first dance. Thus the festivities began!
I clearly had a great time. As I’m sure Evelina, and the rest of the guests did as well.
I even had a chance to get a picture of the bride, Kallie and Evelina. This bad ass trio, untied again. It was certainly a day to remember.
On our way home, for we had a 10 hour drive from Toronto to Boston, we stopped at Niagara Falls. I had never been, and I wanted to bask in the glory that is four million cubic feet of water cascading downward every minute. It was also beautiful.
Evelina and I spent our Canada Day 2013 just barely on the Canadian side of the Falls. Don’t worry we had Tim Horton’s while we were there. Who knows when our next trip to Canada may be. Possibly sooner than you think.
Again, I have made the trip across the Atlantic. This past April. The alliteration here is ridiculous – that just has to be said.
This most recent time I returned to my side of the ocean to celebrate my cousin Katy’s wedding. Katy lives in Chicago, and that’s where the wedding was. It was a beautiful ceremony with a great party to follow. But before I get ahead of myself, let’s start at the beginning.
Getting to Chicago.
This April I was flying Lufthansa. About three, maybe four days before I was scheduled to travel one of the top news stories was a pilot strike with Lufthansa. I had a mini-freak-out and checked my reservations. No worries, my flights from Sweden to Chicago were via United.
No worries, or that’s what I thought until 6am the day I’m trying to leave Stockholm. That’s when my flight isn’t listed on the flight board. That’s when I have a super-freak-out. I rushed over to the Lufthansa counter. Didn’t have to wait in line because there was only one other customer, and multiple personnel waiting and ready. In a panic I explained my situation – which was that I had no idea what was going on, and where was my flight, it shouldn’t have been affected by Lufthansa strikes seeing as it was a United flight. I was booked through Lufthansa on a United flight which was operated by Lufthansa, the woman at the counter explained. She would see what she could do. There was a United flight I could get on. Or wait, they had inserted Lufthansa flights into the schedule, flown by non Lufthansa pilots, apparently. As she clicked away on her computer, called the United desk, asked her colleagues questions, clicked away some more, my anxiety slowly rose. Eventually I got on the Lufthansa flight, leaving at 9:00am, meaning I could have slept for another 3 hours instead of getting up at 4:45 for the taxi. But that’s neither here nor there.
I was on a flight! And that’s what mattered. I killed the time by enjoying Starbucks coffee and calling my dearest. I then read my book by the gate. Our departure time changed to 9:15. Nothing to worry about, flights get slightly delayed all the time, I’d still make my connection. Then it was delayed to 9:30. My “killing time” turned into anxiously staring at the flight information screen hoping the flight wouldn’t be further delayed.
We took off from Arlanda at 10. This was really cutting it close. Upon landing the kind airline personnel who helped me find my seat made an announcement. “All passengers continuing on to Chicago please make your way to the bus in front, all other passengers please board the second bus.” Okay, I thought, no big deal. Get on the first bus.
We had checked all our hand luggage over a certain size, so after retrieving my bag I made my way to the bus. Which turned out to be a car. The man waiting outside hurried over and put my bag in the back. I jumped in. As did he. Strange, I thought, shouldn’t he help the others with their bags. As he started the motor and drove off, I realized that when the kind airline personnel announced all passengers she really meant the one passenger, me.
I was driven directly from one gate to the next, where my driver brought my bag to the customs agent. Who was quite rude to me upon presentation of my passport, until I said I lived in Sweden, at which point he got very cheery and wished me a nice trip. The driver showed me to the next security point, waited patiently as I passed through, and brought me to my gate. Waiving farewell as I entered the boarding tunnel.
That’s what I call service. I would certainly fly Lufthansa again. I made it to Chicago safe and sound. Much thanks to the excellent service provided me.
I arrived in the city a matter of minutes before my father and Ryan arrived. We found each other in the airport and made our way to the hotel. The three of us enjoyed dinner out and a relaxing night at the hotel. The following day was the wedding, and it was to be quite an event. But not before Ryan and I went on a 9 mile run! If you ever get the chance to run through Chicago in early spring, it’s a great way to see the sights.
Then it was time to get ready, so after primping and pruning the family made our way over to the ceremony. As I said, the ceremony was beautiful. The local was amazing, with an outdoor terrace with an amazing view. There was excellent food, touching speeches, and dancing fun. Everything you need at a wedding. Plus, my cousin looked absolutely magnificent. Congratulations again Katy!
I had planned a sun party. It was going to be March 19th, and it was going to be beautiful. We were to celebrate the return of the sun. Or that day where Sweden gets more sun than my hometown of Boston. Not to brag or anything, but I was totally trying to brag.
You see, last winter I was missing the sun. It was very grey and gloomy for a long time. We didn’t get much snow up here in The Great White North. This past winter it was just The North. Nothing white around here, as you can see from the pictures from January.
gloom
Then March rolled around. And you know what?! It wasn’t sunny!! I was very angry with the Sun Gods. This is why they got no celebration. At least not until Midsummer rolled around. You just can’t help celebrating the light on the longest day of the year. I’m working on my forgiveness, and the Sun Gods are working on making it up to me. It has now been sunny and 30 degrees for days. I’m almost pleased.
Just waiting until about September to start singing my praises. Can’t get too ahead of one’s self.
Remember that party I told you I was saving up for. Well it’s not my 25th birthday party…but rather my wedding. Our wedding day is something we’ve looked forward to for a long time. That statement feeling especially true after a 2 and a half year engagement.
Things are starting to fall into place though, and although I won’t be married before I turn 25 I won’t have to wait too much longer. I’ll be sure to write about the big day once it comes, so stay tuned.
Enjoy Not Knowing 