Hey! You're NOT Santa!

"That's right," Isaac told a group of elementary boys filing into the restroom during a break between classes. "I'm the nisse!"

As a high school junior with an open hour Wednesday morning, Isaac agreed to dress up as the Scandinavian farm gnome to help me teach Noah's fourth-grade class about Norwegian Christmas. We met in the school office a few minutes early. When I suggested he change clothes in the office restroom, Isaac shook his head, "I'm NOT walking through the school like that! I'll change in the bathroom by Noah's room."

And he did - in the nick of time. When I came to let Isaac know he could hang outside the room for a few minutes before appearing for my presentation, I saw him leaning against the bathroom stall talking to the boys waiting in line as though he really was Santa!

Which of course, they knew he was not. My 6'2" son said, even with his face hidden behind the beard and under the cap, a couple of the boys were perceptive enough to say, "You're not Santa. You're Isaac - the basketball player!"

My Christmas Present

I got my Christmas present today.

It came from Noah's class
of fourth graders. Their teacher welcomed me into the classroom to speak about Norwegian Christmas.

Dressed in my bunad-inspired frock and jewelry, I entered carrying an 18-gallon tote filled with props and supplies to demonstrate the recipe for a GOD JUL. (Pronounced: goo yule and meaning "good yule.")

Together, we decorated a tree with garlands of tiny norsk flags, straw stars and woven-paper heart baskets, learned about the history of Norway's julenisse (Santa), met the visiting nisse (my eldest son, Isaac, in costume), listened to the nisse song while we danced around the tree together and ate buttered lefse sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

Each student received
three symbolic ornaments -

a heart basket,
a nisse
and straw star

- to remember the recipe
for a Merry Christmas
consists of
love, joy and peace.

What made this moment a gift
happened at the end
of the 45-minute session.

As the students began to
thank me for everything,
I said, "If you'd like
to bring joy to my heart
with your thanks,
try saying 'Tusen takk!'

It means 'a thousand thanks.'"

And with that
final lesson,

their joy
became

My Christmas
Present.

Christmas Around the World

It's
Christmas
time.


All
around
the
world,

Christians
gather at
the manger
to celebrate
Jesus' birth.

From
Australia

to
Germany

to
Ethiopia

and
Tanzania,

Jesus
loves
the
little
children,

all the
children
of the
world.

From north to south
and east to west,

they
are
precious.

They
are
blessed.

Jesus loves
the little children
of the world.

Fröhliche Weihnachten!
Melkin Yelidet Beaal!
Kuwa na Krismasi njema!
Merry Christmas!


Celebrating today's Sunday School
performance of
Christmas Around the World!