Never have we imagined that we'd be spending a Christmas as residents here in The Netherlands. We were happy to be in Asia for this season. But God has other plans.
As I grow older, and as I shared in our Christmas family devotional last night, I want to have simpler Christmases from now on. Growing up, a big company of friends and family surrounded me. We would feast on Christmas delicacies and specialties.
In the past couple of years, now that we have our family and living abroad, it has become more solemn and quieter. I can't just say I like the change. But it is good. It reminds me of the message of the first Christmas, the uncomplicated quiet time when and where Jesus was born.
Like I said in my travel blog, I'm still trying to get used to this Dutch Christmas set-up. We'll see if we'll travel to another city or country for Christmas. Still simple, but maybe livelier.
For our Noche Buena, we played card games and then watched Oppenheimer! Haha! What a Christmas movie, right?
Then, at 11 pm, while the food was baking, we did our family devotional, a yearly Christmas tradition. We exchanged gifts afterward.
At midnight, we savored the simple feast I prepared consisting of store-bought chicken roulade, vegan "beef" Wellington, black Angus bitterballen, Cinnabon's cinnamon rolls, and chocolate ice cream. (I loved our light dinner. I cooked oats caldo for me and normal arroz caldo for the boys.)
Some days before Christmas, we visited Bataviastad, an outlet shopping complex in Lelystad, North Holland. The week before that, we went to a Christmas market in Haarlem with friends from our church. It was crowded, long, and winding. But the company is good.
The Netherlands has glittery Christmas markets. It's a matter of choosing where you want to go. And if you want to spend a bit more.
That's it for now. This short respite enabled me to sit down and recall some moments that made a mark this year. Next week, it's back to work again. I hope to write some more in the coming days.
