DECEMBER SEVENTEENTH

There's never any question about whether we shall have a tree or not. The issues are fur contra pine, and also the size of the tree. Children always will want a tree that reaches to the roof. My Mom prefer fur, cause the needles stick longer to fur. I for some years would buy a pine with roots and plant it out in the garden after Christmas.
Nowadays we have a tree in the attic... save us the problem with waste, not to talk of the complicated process of getting the sticky growth standing upright on the various foot models. S
Nowadays we have a tree in the attic... saves us the problem with waste, not to talk of the complicated process of getting the sticky growth standing upright on the various foot models.

After painful years of trial and error one finds a suitable spot in the living room for the tree. Important thing is; one must be able to move it out on the floor; to walk or dance around it. If the family is small, the homemade nisse can always join in.
In my opinion the tree shall be lit till over New Year.
Some say the Thirteenth day of Christmas ends the celebration. Some let Christmas last till The Twentieth Day. Then comes the Santa Knut and chase the Jul out.
When we were children, my Mom would not decorate for Christmas until the morning of Christmas Eve.
The two living rooms were shut, my Mom running two and from making this complicated Christmas dinner and a light meal for my Dad coming home from the office at 12. My brother and I were placed around the kitchen table, listening to the radio, a program called "While we are waiting",- no TV in the fifties.
Newly bathed and dressed in new costume, juledress, the minutes hardly ticked. About 3.30 my grandparents would arrive, the doors would swing open, and ooh, what a thrill, what a sight! Homemade paper clippings, lights, flag strings and heaps of glitter.
In the early days my Dad was Santa. I guess we always knew it was my Dad, at least after my brother started to cry at the age of two. I remember thinking, "What a jerk, spoiling all the fun." Daddy's clock revealed him.
Later the gifts were placed under the tree. Sad to say; the burden would be to heavy for one single Santa.
My father would always pretend to worry. "Is the gift heap not tiny this year. Then he would produce some big gifts from the bed room. He would always try to guess what was in the boxes. Even though reading the To and From Tags was forbidden. Here Gunnar caught him in the act three years ago.


Song for the Christmas tree,"You Green Glittering Tree"

1. Good day, you green and glittering tree!
We welcome you as we gladly greet you
With Christmas lights and Norwegian flags
And high on the top is your shining star.
Yes, it must shine for us to remind,
Yes, it must shine for it will remind
Us of our God, yes, of our God.

2. The first Christmas in a foreign land
God lit His brilliant star to show
That, as he promised in prophesy,
He sent His Son for all to see.
Yes, starlight shone on the angel's mirth,
Yes, starlight shone on the angels' mirth
'Round Bethlehem, 'round Bethlehem

3. Our mother taught us of Jesus, the Son,
On evenings when in our home we gathered.
We know His law and His gentle words;
We know we'll never them forsake.
The star shines, and our tree reminds us,
The star shines, and our tree reminds us.
Of His love, yes, of His love.