Christmas Spirit

Every year in Norway the televison channels broadcast their children's advent calendar. It's a series of programmes screened in 24 episodes, one for each day of December right up until Christmas Eve. This year NRK1 is showing "Jul I Blåfjell."

My children loved this show. The eldest was just 7yrs old when it was first screened back in 1999 and since then December isn't December for her without all the blånisse (the mountain elves.) Before we left Norway we bought the series on DVD, so now here we are in America watching "Blåfjell." DD1 can be found stretched out in front of the TV every night (she's very tall now, so takes up a lot more space than she did when she was 7) watching the 'julekalender.'

We have introduced her little brother to it as well. Although he no longer understands everything, he is now beginning to sing along to some of the songs and we translate the story for him when he gets confused. Last week, he was so excited about Blåfjell, that he just had to run and find the blue elf hat and sweater that I had made him when he was about three. Thankfully, it is oversize so still fitted after a fashion.

The sequel to this show is called "Månetoppen" and features some red elves who live on the farms below the blue mountain. Several years ago, I also made him a special red hat and sweater from a pattern published to promote that t.v. show too. Last weekend my Little Guy insisted on slipping into that outfit as well!

It's wonderful to see how much our knitted items can enhance every area of our lives. We knit a lot for every day use and don't think that it's such a big deal, but it really is. Seeing the delight on my son's face as he wore items that I'd made for him years ago, but that he associates with a special ocassion, made me realise that what I do is not just 'knitting.' We have it in our power to create memories with our knitted items. This is my legacy. Provided the moths don't get them or they aren't lost, the items I make for people and the spirit in which they are made, are what I will leave behind.

Anyway, enough of that. Not to be outdone, here are the pictures of the finished Tretta hat too. I've had a lot of compliments on it, so even although the yarn was slightly thicker than recommended, I'm finding it perfect for our more northerly climate.