Tuesday Blue: Winter Sky

The Yule Buck

Before Father Christmas, there was the Yule Buck to deliver Christmas presents in Scandinavia. Bucks made of straw are still a common Christmas decoration. This one made of evergreen branches I saw at the Christmas market in town.




And here is another one I found last week in a garden I was passing!

4th Advent Sunday - The Light

The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
Gospel of St John 1:9

Christmas Market

Santaland Window Display

Ice Sculpture

The finished ice sculpture of a polar bear and cub - compare this week's Monday Mosaic.

Salvation Army Singing Carols

Tuesday Blue: December Reflections

St Lucia Day

On 13 December, we celebrate Lucia*, or St Lucy's Day.
(First link goes to a post at my Island of the Voices blog; the second one to a Wikipedia article.)

Each town has their own official Lucia with maids appointed, and during the weeks before Christmas, they go round singing traditional carols and Lucia songs in different places, outdoors and indoors, according to a schedule; collecting money for charity. This picture was taken at an outdoors concert after dark.

*If you follow this link , you can also listen to one of the traditional Lucia songs.

The Light Within

Passing a graveyard chapel on a dark grey afternoon, I was intrigued by the glow coming from within. The doors were closed and there was nothing else to show there was anything special going on.



I did not investigate. Sometimes it's more fun just to let mysteries remain mysteries...

Thin Ice

One of the first frosty December mornings, my eye was caught by the intricate pattern of the thin ice on a puddle of rainwater from the previous days of heavy rain.

High Water

The water is high in the river after all the autumn rain.

Low Sun and Frosty Bridges

Tuesday Blue: Early Morning Moon

This picture of the full moon was taken on a frosty December morning last week.

Monday Mosaic: Advent Collage

Visit More Monday Mosaics at Little Red House

The Advent Star

... they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. (Matthew 2:9-10)

A Frosty December Morning

Thursday morning this week we had frost, and also a beautiful sunrise.

Christmas Carols

Music is an important part of this time of year, too. These little guys came as a Christmas present from a friend in Germany many years ago. Including the star the whole piece is only 5 cm high. They're standing beneath a lamp on top of my TV!

Heavy

Reminding me a bit of the globe we live on... ;) But it's the top of a gate post leading to an old graveyard.

Window Decorations

My living room window, with the balcony outside.