Christmas 2005
This year we actually spent Christmas in Belgium, for the first time since in the three years that we've been here.  Karen's parents came out to spend the holiday with us, and we were delighted to have a surprise visit from Karen's sister Angie, who was in Dresden but managed to make it to Mechelen for Christmas dinner!  Karen's parents gave us a great present at Christmas, they watched our kids for 4 days while Karen and I traveled to Kiruna, Sweden, for a stay in the Ice Hotel and a chance to go above the Arctic Circle (see pictures).

Our first Christmas activity was the Christmas pageant at church, on Christmas Eve.  John got to play the part of Joseph, while a good friend of his (Ruth) played Mary, and her newborn brother played baby Jesus.  Lydia was an angel, and the other kids in the church were all angels or farm animals or shepherds etc.

Ruth and John preparing for the pageant
 Mary (aka Ruth), Baby Jesus (aka Benjamin), and Joseph (aka John)
John and Ruth (Joseph and Mary)
 The Christmas manger


Lydia, John, Ruth, and Grace (Ruth and Grace are sisters, and Benjamin is the new addition to their family)
The Christmas family


The Christmas tree
 Christmas stockings, waiting to be filled!  (Note to Santa - it is not a good idea to put chocolates in stockings when they are next to a hot radiator...)
Christmas Eve stockings


The family at Christmas dinner!  The funny crowns come from Christmas crackers - a very English tradition...
Christmas dinner
 Opening our Christmas presents, and making a huge mess of the floor at the same time.  The kids had a wonderful time!
Christmas present frenzy


Our first Christmas visitors - Peter and Marika (on either side of Karen) drove up
from Geneva to visit, along with their kids Jasper and Arne (seen below) and little Katinka,
who was asleep already.
Christmas visitors


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