Hundred Days of Happiness - Week Three

preparing for the holidays

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year” now plays daily on the radio as our son loves to listen to Sky Radio which has converted to Christmas songs all the time. It definitely helps to get into the holiday spirit as does putting up sparkly lights to make things “gezellig” as they say here in the Netherlands. We are definitely preparing for the holiday season here with lots of different traditions all mixing into one family - Dutch, USAsian, British, Argentine and Spanish. We “take what we like and leave the rest” to make our own unique family traditions.

#gardencenter #christmas #winter #walking #christmasdecorations #day15 #100happydays

This past weekend I went to the garden center twice. On Saturday I went with a friend and we walked there and back. It was good to see how far I could walk and I did pretty well - total almost 5 km. Longest I have done since I got COVID in October. Good to be slowly building up strength and not getting tired afterward. On Sunday I went with our son in the car so we could bring the Christmas tree back home. We wandered through the Christmas decoration displays trying not to get too distracted by all the pretty things and mostly did okay. We got a nice tree that fits in the corner of the living room and will be decorated when the grandparents come to visit.

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#sinterklaas #Schoenzetten #gift #growingupdutch #day16 #100happydays

One of the Dutch traditions that our son has whole-heartedly adopted is putting out his shoe for Sinterklaas or one of the Piets to fill it up with Pepernoten (mini ball-shaped spiced cookies) or even get a gift. This year on "Sinterklaas Journal" there has been a horrible problem (there's one every year) and the Piets need help with using bikes, so kids are supposed to put their bike key in the shoes). You can also put a carrot and an apple out for the horse "Ozosnel".

Our son has been saying that he's afraid of the dark, so I got him a beautiful nightlight that spins around and shines the moon and the stars onto his ceiling. It goes with the motif of his room which has glow in the dark stars, and a poster of the moon, but also had whales and trains. I am not a super organized interior decorator at all. But, this makes him happy and it makes me smile to see him happy and cozy.

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#publicmusic #publicpiano #trainstation #publictransportation #music #day17 #100happydays

I had to go up to Amsterdam for a meeting, so took the trains. In Utrecht Centraal station there is a public piano and this man was playing beautifully. I took a moment to stop and appreciate the good things in life. This man’s playing was life giving - not perfect but perfect for what I needed to hear.

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#dinner #sushi #celebration #day18 #100happydays

Wednesday I attended a meeting between our son and his teacher. At his school, they don’t have “parent teacher conferences”, they have student-teacher meetings and parents attend to listen in and ask questions if you have some. It is a very different way of thinking about the children’s autonomy around their education. His report card was excellent and so we had a special sushi dinner at home to celebrate. I am proud of him for his good grades, but what is more important is that his teacher said he is a nice and helpful classmate and is a joy to have in her classroom. I am super happy he is growing into a good human being. That means the world to me.

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#meetings #amsterdam #autumn #thanksgiving #pie #day19 #100happydays

Thursday saw me back in Amsterdam for some meetings and we lucked out with a beautiful fall day. I got “dressed up” in the morning with a dress my sister bought me years ago. So glad for her fashion sense.

First meeting was at the cafe in the Eye Museum 👁️ on the other side of the water from Centraal station and there is a free ferry to take people across the water. Public transportation in the Netherlands is so civilized. Still could be improved but it’s so much better than elsewhere. Then we had a lunch meeting back back on the other side at the Sea Palace and again had delicious dumplings and a productive meeting.

That evening I was back at home and in Thanksgiving prep mode. I made a pumpkin pecan pie ready for our feast on Sunday. Wearing the apron with Bolinas on it while in Europe made me feel more connected to my hometown and family. It’s not always easy to be so far apart and always more so around the holidays. So grateful my parents are coming for a visit. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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#baking #kruidnoten #holidays #cookies #day20 #100happydays #growingupdutch

We spent Friday afternoon baking kruidnoten - Dutch small round spiced cookies. These are a traditional cookies served around the time of Sinterklaas and Pieten visit the Netherlands which is the three weeks before Sinterklaas’ birthday on December 6th. The big gifts are delivered on the eve of his birthday. Throughout the three weeks before that, the children set their shoes out in the hopes that kruidnoten or larger gifts will fill their shoes over the night.

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#duitsland #germany #cologne #kertsmarkt #day21 #100happydays

We took a coach trip to Cologne with the group of International Women in Utrecht. We went with hubby, son and Granny! It was a long and fun day. We lucked out with the weather, it was glorious if cold. We did some shopping, some walking, some eating, some tourist train riding, and then more shopping and more eating and don’t forget some warm drinking!

I sort of feel like I have “done” that because wow that was a lot of people in one place. I am glad to have experienced it, it’s pretty but I am just not used to being around so many people at once. Feels like crowds have changed since the pandemic but also there are way more people in the world than ever and more people with more disposable income than before so tourism has exploded. Travel shouldn’t be exclusive but the crowdedness gets to me. Not sure how to resolve those issues. But still, very grateful for the trip and grateful to spend the day with my family.

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No matter what traditions you have in your family and community, I hope you are spending this time with people who bring joy into your life.