In Sweden, Christmas Eve is the culmination of the holiday season. I thought I'd be working this Christmas, but I worked last night and will be working boxing day. Got off a sleepless shift to find a beautiful winter wonderland waiting for me, covered in deep snow, the sky pink and purple, the air crisp but not too cold, only a few people out and about.

We've now finished Christmas dinner: Chocolate & caramel cake; traditional cookies and fried pastries; assortment of home-pickled herring; cured trout; sous-vide ham and meat preserves; elk meatballs; smoked elk cold-cuts, and, my favorite: slow-roasted deer-calf short-ribs. Beer to wash it all down. Very sweet and thoughtful presents. Somehow my in-laws figured out, without either of us telling them, that I wanted a meat-slicer. I've been thinking about buying one for months to work on some ideas and also to help with preparing meat for shabu shabu, but hadn't gotten around to it. Our nephews had a blast, which meant things got petty loud, and now we're exhausted.

I love this time of year, but I tend to be pretty done with Christmas by the 24th, having taken out my Christmas spirit in advance over Lucia, advent etc. Most of the month is all about feeling and friendship, while Christmas eve is kind of a vulgar and utterly exhausting affair. I've been trying to get away from the whole expensive presents thing so that we can give to charities. Still, despite my reservations, I must say it's nice to celebrate with loved ones. All that's missing is Die Hard. Hope you guys have a good Christmas and here's to avoiding nuclear war in 2017. cheers