The last six months, we have been living in 50% of our home due to a water leakage that caused havoc in three rooms. After months of waiting for a settlement from the insurance company, we finally started fixing the bedrooms the first week of December. It was wonderful to have the place cleaned and dried and finally refurnished two bedrooms, just in time for our Christmas visitors.

My brother and his children arrived on the 22nd, just in time to spend Christmas week with us. We kicked off the visit with a family dinner with my sons and their partners, as well as my brother and his kids, before our youngest and his partner headed off to Thailand for the holidays. It was a wonderful feeling having the family together for a few hours that day.

Over the next days, we visited the Christmas market at Bærumsverk, Ekeberg park and the light exhibit as well as Grefsenkollen with a fireside meal of ‘viltgryte’ (game stew), pinnebrød (bread cooked on sticks over the fireplace) and mulled apple cider.

Dinner at my son’s home included reindeer stew and potato mash with berries, a perfect start to the Christmas celebrations. We missed our youngest son at dinner, especially since it was his birthday.

As is family tradition, we celebrated Christmas eve with our closest friends here in Oslo. Dinner on Christmas eve is ‘Stick meat’ or lamb ribs (pinnekjøtt) inspired by the customs on the west of Norway. Christmas day we all met at our home, where dinner includes traditional Goan ‘sorpotel’ (a Portuguese inspired spicy pork preparation) and pulao as well as roast pork ribs and potatoes from the East coast of Norway.

However, the highlight for 2025, was on the 26th of December when we woke up to the news that we were possibly going to be grandparents, a couple of weeks earlier than expected. The day flew by, anxiously waiting for the news that finally arrived just after 8:00 pm. Our grandson was here! That feeling of seeing and holding him the very next day can not be described.

2025 could not have ended better! Extremely thankful for a wonderful Christmas together with family and dear friends and the birth of our first grandchild. I have so much to look forward to in 2026, especially baby-sitting and spending time with family whenever I can. ❤️