festive weekend

Hello all :)

I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday preparations, I miss Christmas shopping and ugly sweater parties. (Yes they have Christmas, but I'm low on the cash flow so I'M not Christmas shopping, and I've thrown too many events at my apartment the past month to throw an ugly sweater party). Anyway, I had a pretty enjoyable weekend. On Friday a group of people went to Harry's (my work) for 'after work' a free dinner buffet and then we headed over to Joel and Amanda's apartment (Joel... Tommy Lee from Bday party) to watch the Swedish Idol finale. Apparently their final is the largest in the world. It was pretty good, the guy I thought would win did. The song that was the winners first single was pretty good. I don't know if this link will work in the States... but check it out: http://www.tv4play.se/noje_och_humor/idol?videoId=1.1390994

Okay I think its really good!! And don't be alarmed by his tight skinny leather pants and blonde hair, its normal here. LOL but anyway while we were waiting for the results to be announced we were switching between that and the Noble Peace Concert being hosted by the Smith family (as in Will Smith's family) that was really good too! I also was able to watch President Obama give his acceptance speech will receiving the Noble Peace Prize. I'm not sure if they aired that at home or not... but it gave me pride to watch :)

So today is 'Lucia,' I woke up at 7am (keep in mind I went to bed after 3am after work) to watch the ceremony. I had to ask Caroline (because Jonas couldn't really tell me) who she was. Lucia was a Christian in Italy (so why is she being celebrated in Sweden... I wondered the same thing) who helped the poor. Anyway she was persucuted for her beliefs and burned at a stake and stabbed. So now she is portrayed wearing a headpiece of candles to represent the flames and wears a red sash around her white robes for the blood from the stab... yaaa so anyway she is accompanied by a choir (all holding candles) in a church while she enters walking through praying. Anyway I was told it was really nice... but it was kinda boring and early... I also went to church with Caroline and her parents who were visiting and another girl. I had to wear a goofy translation headpiece so I could understand the sermon. The guy was sitting two spots away from me so I was joking with Caroline that he should just whisper in my ear... LOL yes, I was the only English speaker there. But it was cool to attend a foreign service.

Well its finals week (like the rest of you) and its gunna suck. Good luck everyone, I miss you and love you! See you soon!!