more festivities!

it really is the most wonderful time of the year, the hap-happiest season of all.

the boy and i got back from our german christmas markets road trip last thursday and had a festive weekend highlighted by welcoming our brother and sister-in-law to london! 

before we took off last week, we had a special breakfast-for-dinner st. lucia day celebration (a few days early since we’d be in germany on 13 december). this is one of my favourite traditions, and i have to say i did a pretty great job with the aebleskivers this year! when ian got home from work on friday, the tree was lit up, there was scandinavian christmas music playing, and i was in a white dress and pine bough crown. it was a really special and sparkly night. 

last saturday, we invited our primary class over to our flat for a cookie decorating party. it was crazytown, uk with all those kiddos crammed in our little space and copious frosting and sprinkles that got everywhere! but it was so, so, so fun! we love these kids dearly and had a blast with them. 

and that night we got to be mary and joseph at the live nativity outside the mormon church on exhibition road (a super busy london street near all the museums on the south side of hyde park). it was such a neat experience. i loved sitting on the hay thinking about the humble and supremely beautiful birth of our saviour, and i loved seeing all the different reactions of passerbys. some were really surprised (and jumped when they realized we were real!), and most everyone was absolutely delighted. it was really great to help bring christmas smiles (and hopefully a remembrance of what this season is all about) to many on that bustling street.

^^ passing by the magical ice rink at the museum of natural history on our way to the stable!

up next: pictures from the magnificently magical christmas markets we visited (and other adventures!) in switzerland, austria and germany!

happy christmas week!!!