Family Love and Joy at Advent

My children painted these plaster houses when they were young.

During this week of Advent my theme is "family love and joy". 

Of course, the joy of the season is spontaneous and un-planable, but I do these three things to create the right conditions:

• Take the time to consider what my friends and family will want most this season. In other words, I become less self-focused and more generous in all ways. 
• Take care of myself so I can be calm and present for the spontaneous joy when it arises.
• Be respectful, patient, and kind (no matter how stressed I feel).

These are obviously year-round aspirations, but I need a strict reminder now, because, somehow, everything seems so important: I have high expectations and I feel I must get this right.

Agenda this week:

1. Journal queries
2. Check in with my family
3. Card-writing practice
4. Make simple gifts
5. Make pepperkaker (gingersnaps)
6. Christmas Novena, day 2

1. Journal queries:
What activities do I most want to do with my family, and which might I enjoy with friends, or alone? 
Which do I think my family will not want to miss? 
Which activities and projects can I let go of this year?

2. Check in with my family:
Now that my kids are grown and living with their partners, they celebrate as separate family units, which is right and good. They are generous with their time, and include their old parents in many ways- texting me for ideas for gifts, dropping by to make wreaths together or share a meal.

I do tend to get a little demanding at this time of year, though, so today I will send out a query about our plans for the week, and who wants to do what and when.

3. Card-writing practice:

I make my own cards nearly every year; this year with a photo of an original painting.

Christmas cards are becoming a thing of the past, but I still like to send and receive them. Cards are pretty and personal. I especially enjoy getting cards with a brief hand-written note.

Each day this week I plan to address a card or two and send them on their way with love.

4. Make simple gifts:
Gifts are one way to express love for family and friends.

Remember that gifts come in many forms. Emerson said, “The only gift is a portion of thyself.”



I make the majority of my own gifts: Spiced nuts and cookies. Crocheted, stitched, or painted items. It's tricky to think of new things to make for the same people each year!

Every gift is loaded with meaning, and so giving requires mindfulness. Finding or making the "perfect gift" requires that I take the time to get into the other person's shoes and think about what would be most meaningful and appreciated by this particular person at this particular time. 

Of coarse, the "perfect gift" is a mostly unattainable goal, but on the other hand, "It's the thought that counts" is a saying that only works if I have given it some actual thought.

5. Make pepperkaker (gingersnaps):
Christmas cookies in Norwegian is julkaker. I thought about trying to complete the traditional Norwegian "syv slags kaker"—or "seven sorts of Christmas cookies"- but decided that would be too much for us this year. Instead I've chosen a few of my favorites to have on hand for family, and give away to neighbors. 

Today I made pepperkaker (gingersnaps), which are traditionally decorated with piped white frosting, and are sometimes hung in windows or on the tree. 

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup butter 
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup golden syrup or molasses
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 Tbsp. cognac or brandy (optional)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 tsp. freshly-ground cardamom
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1-tsp. crushed whole cloves
• 3 cups flour

1. In a large saucepan, mix butter, sugar, and golden syrup or molasses (Norwegians use a light syrup but I like molasses) over medium-low heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. 

2. Cool a few minutes, then stir in cream, cognac, baking powder and spices. (You can use powdered cloves, but crushed whole cloves give a unique texture.)

3. Add flour to the butter mixture (I added it directly in to the saucepan) little by little, and stir until the dough comes together- you want a smooth and firm dough, but you might not need all of the flour. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

4. Remove some of the dough from the refrigerator to warm up. (My dough was squishy and soft when it went into the refrigerator, and solid when it came out- it needed quite a while to warm back up.) 

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line baking sheets with parchment paper.




5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough very thin, about 1/8-inch thick. 

Cut into shapes and move to the baking sheets. 

6. Bake 5-7 minutes until the edges brown a little

7. Cool on a wire rack. Decorate with icing. Store in an airtight container.

6. Christmas Novena, Day 2:
Continuing with the novena at the WorldSSPS site:

In Communion with the Environment.

O Wisdom, O Holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation. 

In preparation for the birth of the Word made Flesh, we are invited to experience a new birth together with the entire universe. We are invited to be more aware that the whole of creation is precious in the eyes of the Lord so that we are able to build an attitude of solidarity with nature. 

We treat our environment as fellow creatures to be loved, kept, maintained and cared for. We love and treat our environment with the touch of the love of our God. We build a new solidarity and widen the circle of love with nature that has been tampered with. We exert effort that we truly experience Emmanuel. We strive to make the earth become once again a worthy dwelling place for Emmanuel, God among us.