Christmas 2024

Hillary, Suzanna, and her dog, Zoey, are with us for Christmas this year! However, Abigail is not. She is on Long Island in New York, doing a sub-internship for her fourth year of medical school, and she has only today and tomorrow off--not enough time to make it home. We are grateful for video call technology!

Our family usually makes a Scandinavian meal for our Christmas Eve supper (julaftens kveldsmat), which the girls helped me do yesterday. Then we gathered around the tree and opened Christmas presents. We propped a laptop on a chair and video-called Abigail so that she could join us and open her gifts (which Susan had mailed her in advance), too.

This morning we (minus Abigail) attended church together. When we got back home, we video-called Abigail again so that we could open our Christmas stockings together. Afterward we had mimosas with brunch, watched a "Christmas action" movie (Red One--we loved it), ate a seafood supper (crab-stuffed salmon), and enjoyed a relaxing evening together.

(Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

Christmas Eve: creamy cauliflower soup with Gouda cheese and fresh dill

Christmas Eve: roast chicken with orange/herb butter and lingonberry glaze, roasted garlic potatoes, and caraway/coriander carrots

Christmas Eve: Notice Abigail looking on via the laptop on the chair beside Hillary! Susan is the photo taker, and the Christmas tree is between her and Suzanna.

Christmas Eve: Zoey likes her naps! Here she is relaxing by the "fire" at one end of the family room to escape the hubbub around the Christmas tree at the other end of the room.

Christmas Day: Trying to get Zoey to sit still and look at the camera!

Christmas Day: Zoey cuddled with Susan and me while we all watched the movie.