Merry Christmas! It is December 23rd, and in Norway, we call this "Little Christmas." It’s the day we get everything ready for the big celebration tomorrow. I’ve noticed that here in the Philippines, many people focus their big celebrations on the 25th, but for our family, we’re keeping things a bit more low-key and quiet this year.
I’m currently based in our apartment in Moalboal, and my day started at 6:00 AM. I’ve set up my little home office to knock out some work because I want to be completely free to enjoy Christmas Day with Jessa and Liam. I’ve been incredibly busy lately finishing up projects before January, so these early morning hours are essential.
Since we’re saving the "heavy" meal for tomorrow, Jessa and I decided to have a simple homemade pizza for dinner tonight. Of course, cooking with Jessa is always an adventure. We had a bit of a struggle with the recipe—I had to explain that we don't use "cups" for measurement in Norway and tried to help her find the kitchen scale, which she’d managed to hide in a box somewhere! Despite the minor chaos and a debate over whether to put sugar in the dough (I’m a firm "no" on that one!), Jessa did a great job.
The pizza turned out to be a bit of a "hit and miss" due to the "quick melt" cheese we bought. In the Philippines, "quick melt" clearly means something different than it does in Northern Europe because it didn't actually melt! Still, the taste was a solid 7/10, and it was a nice, relaxing meal.
On Christmas Eve, I woke up around 7:00 AM to a very rainy and windy day. While it’s not the snow I’m used to back home, it’s still nice "stay-at-home" weather. I spent the morning relaxing with coffee and Netflix while Jessa and Liam slept in. Later, we braved the chaos of the local mall to pick up some last-minute items. It was absolutely packed, and the lines were so long that I decided to skip the traditional gift-buying. Instead, I gave Jessa 5,000 pesos—half for Christmas and half for her birthday on the 25th—and told her she could go on an online shopping spree for whatever she wanted. It saved me two hours in a checkout line, and she gets exactly what she likes!
For our main Christmas dinner, I did my best to recreate a Norwegian-style meal. We couldn't get the exact cuts of meat we have back home, but I found some decent pork ribs. I spent the afternoon preparing them, making sure to get that perfect crispy "chicharron" top. I also made a homemade apple cake and some "healthy" banana ice cream for dessert.
The evening was spent opening gifts with Liam. He was thrilled with his new toys, especially the ones from my mom in Norway. Seeing him so happy made all the effort worth it. Jessa was also happy with her "digital" gift, though I think she was even happier that I didn't make her wait in those mall lines!
Now it’s the 25th—Christmas Day in the Philippines and Jessa’s birthday. I’ve unfortunately woken up with a bit of a cold, so I’m planning to take it easy today. I’ll watch Liam while Jessa enjoys a small party being hosted here at the apartments. It’s been a wonderful, quiet holiday, and we’re ready for the big road trip starting in January.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next one!
