Shortest day of the year...

...and it is beginning to feel a bit like xmas :-) I must admit I am still not used to a cold, dark and wintry xmas (this is my third here already, AND our first together as a married couple :-D), BUT all those lights do look much more romantic in the late afternoon as the mist drifts in and it begins to get dark.

Last weekend we travelled to the nearby village of Ravenstein for the annual "Ravenstein by candle light" festival. Once a year the historic centre of the village turns off all electric lighting in exchange for thousands of candles - very romantic and picturesque if it wasn't for the hordes of tourists and the freezing cold !!! We (Jeroen & I, our friend John, and John's dog Dries) wandered around for about 20 minutes admiring the candles ;-) before deciding it was just way too crowded and way too cold and opted instead for a hot cup of coffee at the house of one of Jeroen's colleagues, a quick mug of gluhwein, and the train back to Nijmegen!

We also have our xmas tree at home now, and it looks resplendant all decked out in (mostly) red.....I say mostly red, because my Hello Kitty ornaments purchased whilst in the US (but not red!) have pride of place this year :-) They are a bit difficult to see here in the photo, but they ARE there!

And the local dentist (just around the corner from our house) has also gone all out this year, and his house looks like it would be right at home on The Strip in Las Vegas! Just about every inch is covered with flashing lights, Santa and his reindeer are dashing across the front garden, there is what I think is meant to look like some kind of firework-thingy on the roof, and there is even a big tooth up in flashing lights on the side wall !!! His neighbours must really love this time of the year ;-)

Hope everyone has a great xmas, and here's looking forward to a healthy, happy and fun 2009.

Alli xxx